Medical Payments Coverage for Seniors in Alaska
Medical payments coverage pays medical bills after an accident no matter who caused it, and age doesn't change how it works.
Medical payments coverage pays your medical bills first, regardless of fault
Medical payments coverage, often called MedPay, covers medical and sometimes funeral costs for you and your passengers after a car accident. It pays out whether you caused the crash or the other driver did, and it pays before any claim against the at-fault driver is settled, which can take months.
For a driver 65 or older, this matters because Medicare and supplemental plans don't always cover everything right away, and some have deductibles or waiting periods that MedPay can bridge. Alaska doesn't require you to carry this coverage, so whether you have it depends on what you or a past agent added to your policy.
Whether you have Medicare changes what MedPay is actually for
If you're on Medicare, it will eventually cover a lot of your accident-related medical care, but Medicare can be slow to process claims tied to a car accident, and it may seek reimbursement later from any settlement you get. MedPay fills that gap right away, paying your clinic or hospital directly without you waiting on Medicare or the other driver's insurer to sort things out.
If you're not yet on Medicare, or you have a supplemental plan with its own deductible, MedPay can cover that deductible or copay amount so you're not paying it out of pocket while a claim is pending.
Either way, check your current health coverage before you decide how much MedPay to carry. The point of MedPay is to cover what your health insurance doesn't pay immediately, not to replace it.
Most people don't realize it covers passengers and pedestrians too
MedPay isn't just for you as the driver. It covers anyone riding in your car when the accident happens, and in many cases it covers you if you're hit as a pedestrian or while riding in someone else's car. If you regularly drive grandchildren, friends, or other family members, this is worth knowing.
The other thing people get wrong is assuming MedPay and health insurance pay out separately, stacking on top of each other without limit. MedPay has its own limit per person per accident, and once that's used up, your health insurance or Medicare takes over for anything beyond it.
Ask your insurer directly whether your current MedPay limit is enough to cover a hospital stay or emergency surgery, since costs like that can use up a modest limit quickly.
Questions people ask about this
Do I need medical payments coverage if I already have Medicare?
You can still benefit from it even with Medicare, because MedPay pays faster and doesn't require Medicare to first determine the claim is accident-related. Ask your agent whether dropping it would leave a gap while Medicare sorts out a claim.
Does medical payments coverage affect my car insurance premium?
Adding MedPay can raise your premium somewhat, since it's additional coverage, but the effect is usually smaller than other coverages like collision. Ask your insurer for the cost difference with and without it on your specific policy.
Is medical payments coverage the same as personal injury protection?
No, they're different, though both pay medical costs regardless of fault. Personal injury protection, where required, often covers more, including lost wages, while MedPay is narrower and limited to medical and funeral expenses.
Can I use medical payments coverage if someone else was driving my car?
Generally yes, MedPay follows the car, so it covers whoever is driving with your permission and any passengers. Confirm this with your insurer since some policies have specific conditions about permitted drivers.
Should I drop medical payments coverage once I'm on Medicare and have good supplemental insurance?
That depends on your deductibles, copays, and how quickly you want claims paid without waiting on Medicare. Talk to your agent about what gap, if any, would be left before deciding to drop it.
See what medical payments coverage would cost added to your policy.
Pull out your current policy declarations page and check whether medical payments coverage is already listed, and if so, what the limit is. Call your insurer or agent and ask how that limit compares to a typical emergency room visit or short hospital stay in your area. If you're on Medicare, ask your supplemental plan what your deductible or copay would be after a car accident, since that's the gap MedPay is meant to cover. Bring both answers with you when you compare quotes, so you can judge whether a higher or lower MedPay limit makes sense for you.
