Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Plans

What a Medigap plan covers

A Medicare Supplement — commonly called Medigap — is private insurance that works alongside Original Medicare (Parts A & B) to pay the out-of-pocket costs Original Medicare leaves behind. You keep your Medicare card and can see any doctor or hospital nationwide that accepts Medicare, with no network restrictions. Depending on the plan, Medigap helps with:

• Part A and Part B coinsurance and copayments
• Part A hospital costs and hospice-care coinsurance (plus 365 extra hospital days)
• Part B excess charges
• The first 3 pints of blood each year
• Skilled-nursing-facility care coinsurance
• Foreign-travel emergency care (80%, up to plan limits)

Standardized means you shop on price and service

There are 10 standardized Medigap plans (A through N). Because they're standardized by letter, a Plan G from one carrier covers exactly the same as a Plan G from another. Once you pick a plan letter, you're free to choose the carrier with the best price and stability — which is where an independent agent saves you real money.

The most popular plans

Three plan letters (plus a high-deductible option) cover the vast majority of what people choose:

• Plan G — the most popular choice. Covers nearly everything except the annual Part B deductible ($283 in 2026).
• Plan N — lower premiums in exchange for small copays on some office and ER visits.
• Plan F — the most comprehensive plan, but only available if you were Medicare-eligible before January 1, 2020.
• High-Deductible Plan G — the same full Plan G coverage after a $2,950 annual deductible (2026), at the lowest monthly premium of any comprehensive Medigap plan.

What each popular plan covers, side by side

Her original page walks each plan's coverage in detail — here is the same breakdown:

• *Plan F is only available if you were Medicare-eligible before January 1, 2020.
• †High-Deductible Plan G: $2,950 annual deductible (2026) — all Medicare cost-sharing counts toward it, and Medicare still pays its 80% along the way.

Why Plan G is the #1 choice

Since Plan F closed to new enrollees in 2020, Plan G has become the country's most popular supplement. After you pay the annual Part B deductible ($283 in 2026), you have virtually no out-of-pocket costs for the rest of the year — with no networks, no referrals, and a guaranteed-renewable plan that can't be cancelled as long as you pay the premium. Because new enrollees keep joining, Plan G's risk pool stays younger and its premiums run lower than Plan F.

How High-Deductible Plan G actually works — step by step

A common misconception is that "high-deductible" means paying the full cost of care yourself until you hit $2,950. That is not how it works. Here's what actually happens:

• Step 1 — All year long, every dollar you pay toward Medicare-covered services (the Part A deductible, the Part B deductible, your 20% coinsurance) counts toward your $2,950 deductible.
• Step 2 — For outpatient (Part B) care, Medicare still pays its 80% share. You pay the remaining 20% — not the full bill. Example: a $100 visit costs you $20.
• Step 3 — If you're hospitalized, the $1,736 Part A deductible counts toward your $2,950 — one hospital stay gets you most of the way to full coverage.
• Step 4 — Once your combined cost-sharing reaches $2,950, HD Plan G covers 100% of remaining Medicare-approved costs for the rest of the calendar year. It resets January 1.

Why we think HD Plan G matters more every year

The $2,950 is a ceiling on your exposure, not a wall before Medicare helps. Medigap carriers have been raising Plan G and Plan N premiums by double digits in many markets — and that trend is not slowing down. For people who are healthy and have some financial cushion, High-Deductible Plan G offers the same comprehensive coverage as Plan G at a fraction of the monthly cost. The math often works out significantly in favor of the high-deductible option over a 5–10 year horizon, even accounting for years where the full deductible is met. We believe more people should at least understand this option before they decide — which is why we make it a priority in every conversation we have.

Want to know if you'll qualify before you call?

Request a free copy of our Medicare Resource Guide — it includes the medical underwriting questions insurers typically ask, so you can review them on your own time and decide if you'd like to move forward. And if you're thinking about leaving Medigap for Medicare Advantage because of rising premiums, ask us for our on-demand webinar that honestly covers the pros and cons of making that switch — email info@merebenefits.com or call (904) 654-5450.

Why the timing of your first purchase matters

During your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment (starting the month you're 65 and enrolled in Part B) you have a guaranteed right to buy any plan regardless of health. You also get Guaranteed Issue rights in certain situations — like losing employer coverage or your Advantage plan leaving the area. Outside these windows, carriers in most states can medically underwrite you and charge more or decline you. Getting in during this window is one of the most valuable moves in all of Medicare.

Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage

Neither is universally better — it depends on your health, budget, travel habits, and preferred doctors.