Medigap Plans
Medicare Supplement Insurance
What a Medigap plan is
A Medigap plan, also called Medicare Supplement insurance, works alongside Original Medicare rather than replacing it. Medicare pays its share of your covered costs first, then your Medigap plan pays toward what Medicare leaves behind, such as deductibles, copays, and coinsurance.
You keep Original Medicare, you keep your Part B premium, and you add a monthly premium for the Medigap plan. In return, far less is left for you to pay when you use care.
How it differs from Medicare Advantage
- No provider network. You can see any doctor, specialist, or hospital in the country that accepts Medicare, with no referrals needed.
- Predictable costs. You pay a monthly premium and, depending on the plan letter, little or nothing when you receive covered services.
- Travels with you. Coverage works anywhere in the United States, which matters if you split the year between states.
- Drug coverage is separate. Medigap does not include prescription drugs, so most people add a standalone Part D plan.
How the plan letters work
Medigap plans are standardized by the federal government and labeled with letters. This is the part that surprises most people:
The same letter covers the same things
Plan G from one company covers exactly what Plan G from another company covers. The benefits are set by law, not by the carrier. What does differ is the monthly premium, how often the company raises rates, and the service you get. That is why comparing across companies matters.
- Plan G
- The most comprehensive option available to people who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. It covers everything except the annual Part B deductible.
- Plan N
- Lower premium than Plan G in exchange for small copays at some office and emergency room visits, and it does not cover Part B excess charges.
- High-deductible Plan G
- A much lower monthly premium, with full coverage beginning after you have met a higher annual deductible.
- Plans C and F
- Available only to those who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. If you already hold one, you can keep it.
Which letters are offered, and what they cost, varies by state and by company. Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin standardize their plans differently.
When to enroll, and why timing matters here
Medigap has one timing rule that works differently from the rest of Medicare, and it is worth understanding before you decide.
Your Medigap Open Enrollment Period
This is the six-month window that begins the month you are 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. During it, you can buy any Medigap plan sold in your state regardless of your health history, and the company cannot charge you more or turn you down because of a health condition.
Outside that window, in most states a company can review your health history before deciding whether to offer you a plan and at what price. Certain situations, called guaranteed issue rights, protect you outside the window as well, such as losing other coverage through no fault of your own. Some states offer broader protections than federal rules require.
If you are approaching 65 or about to enroll in Part B, this is worth a conversation sooner rather than later.
What to weigh
Often a fit when
- You want to keep any doctor who accepts Medicare
- You travel or live in more than one state
- You prefer predictable monthly costs over paying as you go
- You see specialists often and want to skip referrals
Worth a closer look when
- A higher monthly premium does not suit your budget
- Your doctors are already in a plan network you are happy with
- You want dental, vision, and hearing bundled in one plan
- You are outside your Medigap Open Enrollment window
If a single bundled plan suits your situation better, Medicare Advantage works differently and may be worth comparing side by side.
How I help
Since the benefits within a letter are identical everywhere, my job is to compare what actually differs: the premium across the companies available in your state, each company’s history of rate increases, and how a plan pairs with the right drug coverage for your prescriptions. I explain the trade-offs, you choose, and I handle the paperwork.
My help costs you nothing. Agents are paid by the insurance companies, and your premium is the same with or without me.
Let’s compare what these plans actually cost
Have your zip code and your prescription list handy, and we can go through your options together.