What is the difference between Medigap Plan G and Plan N?
Plan G covers every gap in Original Medicare except the annual Part B deductible ($283 in 2026). Plan N leaves you with that same deductible plus small cost-sharing: up to a $20 copay for office visits, up to $50 for emergency room visits that don't end in admission, and no coverage for Part B excess charges. In exchange, Plan N premiums typically run lower.
Last reviewed August 17, 2026 · Published August 17, 2026 · Mere Benefits Data Desk
The right choice depends less on the benefit chart than on how you use care and where you live. Medigap benefits are federally standardized, so Plan G is the same Plan G from any insurer. What varies is the premium, and the premium gap between G and N differs by company, age, and state. A frequent doctor-goer in a state that allows excess charges weighs this differently than a healthy retiree who sees a doctor twice a year.
Side-by-side for 2026
| Benefit | Plan G | Plan N |
|---|---|---|
| Part A hospital deductible ($1,736 per benefit period in 2026) | Covered | Covered |
| Part B annual deductible ($283 in 2026) | Not covered, you pay it | Not covered, you pay it |
| Part B coinsurance (the 20%) | Covered in full | Covered, except copays below |
| Office visit copay | $0 | Up to $20 per visit |
| Emergency room copay | $0 | Up to $50 (waived if you are admitted) |
| Part B excess charges | Covered | Not covered |
| Foreign travel emergency | 80%, up to plan limits | 80%, up to plan limits |
For people who became eligible for Medicare in 2020 or later, Plan G is the fullest Medigap option available. No plan sold to that group covers the Part B deductible.
What excess charges actually are
A doctor who does not accept Medicare assignment may charge up to 15% above the Medicare-approved amount. Plan G pays that difference; Plan N does not. In practice most providers accept assignment, and several states prohibit excess charges entirely, so the real-world exposure depends on your providers. Ask each doctor one question: “Do you accept Medicare assignment?” If every answer is yes, this Plan G advantage is worth little to you.
A worked example
For 2026, suppose you have 10 office visits and one ER visit without admission, all with assignment-accepting providers. On Plan N your extra cost-sharing is at most 10 × $20 plus $50, or $250, on top of the $283 Part B deductible both plans leave you. On Plan G you pay only the $283 deductible. So Plan N comes out ahead whenever its annual premium is more than about $250 cheaper than Plan G, and behind when it is not.
Here’s what I tell clients: price both plans from several carriers before deciding, because in some markets the premium spread more than covers Plan N’s copays, and in others it barely exists.
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