Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people 65 and older and for people with permanent kidney failure or certain disabilities. It is administered by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), a federal agency. And although Medicare pays for a large part of your health care expenses, it does not pay for all of them.

Medicare was never intended to pay 100 percent of medical bills, but it does form the foundation for protection against heavy medical expenses. There are gaps in Medicare coverage where the beneficiary must pay a portion of expenses. Medicare supplemental insurance, also called "Medigap," can help cover these expenses.

The Kansas Insurance Department regulates this type of plan and publishes an excellent tool, the "Kansas Medicare Supplement Insurance Shopper's Guide," to help you evaluate health care insurance needs and gather accurate information concerning Medicare and other health insurance options. With that information, you can make decisions that can prevent serious, costly problems.

The 25-page publication, revised in June 2010, explains choices in Medicare supplemental insurance. At the back of the book you'll find rate comparisons for companies selling Medicare supplement insurance. For the most recent figures, visit the Kansas Insurance Dpartment Web site, www.ksinsurance.org.

Medicare recipients are responsible for paying uncovered medical expenses (those "gaps" referred to earlier). Items and services not covered under Medicare are highlighted in the book.

The book complements "2010 Choosing a Medigap Policy: A Guide to Health Insurance for People with Medicare," which provides information about supplemental insurance. That 60-page publication (CMS Publication No. 02110, revised in March 2010) is provided by CMS and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and is available at www.medicare.gov or by calling 800-633-4227.

You may download the "Kansas Medicare Supplement Insurance Shopper's Guide" from the publications page of the Kansas Insurance Department Web site, www.ksinsurance.org; order it online; or order it by calling 800-432-2484 (in Kansas only). The free publication will be mailed to your home.

A free online "shopper's" tool is available on the Kansas Insurance Department Web site. With it you can follow simple instructions to receive a list of estimated yearly premiums customized to your demographic information.

If you have questions or need assistance understanding Medicare issues, contact the Kansas Insurance Department's toll-free consumer hotline, 800-432-2484.

Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare prescription drug coverage are also regulated by CMS. If you have questions about either program, contact Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas (SHICK) at 800-860-5260 (in Johnson County, 913-715-8856) or the Kansas Insurance Department's consumer hotline.