Coverage
Medigap Plan G vs. Plan N (and the other letters), explained
In most states, Medigap policies come in lettered plans, and every Plan G has the same benefits no matter which company sells it. That makes the choice simpler than it looks: pick the letter, then compare price and how the company sets it.
Last reviewed October 27, 2026. General information, not advice about any plan.
Plan G, Plan N and high-deductible G
- Part B deductible
- Plan G: You pay it ($283 in 2026)
- Plan N: You pay it
- High-deductible G: Counts toward the plan deductible
- Part A hospital deductible
- Plan G: Covered
- Plan N: Covered
- High-deductible G: Covered after the plan deductible
- Doctor and outpatient 20%
- Plan G: Covered
- Plan N: Covered, except up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 for an ER visit without admission
- High-deductible G: Covered after the plan deductible
- Part B excess charges
- Plan G: Covered
- Plan N: Not covered
- High-deductible G: Covered after the plan deductible
- Skilled nursing coinsurance
- Plan G: Covered
- Plan N: Covered
- High-deductible G: Covered after the plan deductible
- Emergency care abroad
- Plan G: 80% after $250, up to $50,000 in a lifetime
- Plan N: 80% after $250, up to $50,000 in a lifetime
- High-deductible G: 80% after a separate $250 deductible, up to $50,000
- Plan deductible
- Plan G: None
- Plan N: None
- High-deductible G: $2,950 in 2026; $3,050 in 2027
Excess charges happen when a doctor who doesn't accept Medicare's approved amount bills up to 15% more. A few states limit or ban them; ask your state insurance department. High-deductible G is offered in some states.
All the letters at a glance
- Plan A
- The basics: hospital coinsurance, the 20% for doctors and outpatient care, blood and hospice coinsurance. Every company that sells Medigap must offer it.
- Plan B
- Plan A plus the Part A hospital deductible.
- Plan D
- Like Plan G, but without excess charges covered.
- Plans K and L
- Pay 50% (K) or 75% (L) of most costs until you reach a yearly limit: $8,000 and $4,000 in 2026, rising to $8,360 and $4,180 in 2027. Lower premiums, more paperwork.
- Plan M
- Like Plan D but pays half the Part A deductible.
- Plans C and F
- Cover the Part B deductible too. Only for people eligible for Medicare before 2020.
Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin use their own standardized plans instead of these letters. Some states also sell Medicare SELECT versions that cost less but require network hospitals.
Why you may not be able to buy C or F
Since January 1, 2020, federal law bars selling plans that cover the Part B deductible to people new to Medicare. If you turned 65 or got Part A before 2020, you can still buy C or F where they're sold. If you already have one, you can keep it.
How price is set
- Community-rated
- Generally everyone pays the same, whatever their age. Prices can still rise with inflation.
- Issue-age-rated
- Based on your age when you buy. It doesn't rise because you get older, but can rise for other reasons.
- Attained-age-rated
- Based on your current age, so it goes up as you age. Often cheapest at first, and may end up costing the most.
- The cheapest price this year isn't always the cheapest over 10 years. Ask each company which method it uses and how its rates have risen.
- Each spouse needs their own policy.
When to buy
Your best time is your 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, which starts the month you're 65 or older and have Part B. During it, companies must sell you any policy they offer without health questions, though they can make you wait up to 6 months for a pre-existing condition to be covered if you didn't have other coverage before. After that, outside certain guaranteed rights, insurers in most states can ask about your health or turn you down. Some states give yearly switching rights.
A licensed agent who represents several Medigap companies can show you prices for the same letter side by side. Find one near you.
Common questions
What's the difference between Medigap Plan G and Plan N?
Plan N usually costs less but you may pay up to $20 for some office visits, up to $50 for an ER visit that doesn't lead to admission, and any Part B excess charges. Plan G covers excess charges and has no copays. With both, you pay the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026).
Is Plan G the same with every company?
Yes. Every Plan G has the same standard benefits. Only the price, the way the price rises over time, and the company's service differ.
Can I still buy Medigap Plan F?
Only if you were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. People new to Medicare from 2020 can't buy plans that cover the Part B deductible, which are C and F.
Does Medigap cover prescription drugs or dental?
No. Policies sold today don't include drug coverage, so you'd add a Part D plan. Medigap also doesn't cover routine dental, vision or hearing aids.
Keep reading
- Medicare Advantage or Medigap? The questions that decide itNeither is better for everyone. How the two common Medicare set-ups differ, the questions that point to one or the other, and why the first choice is the hardest to undo.
- Medigap birthday rule: which states let you switch plans each yearFifteen states now give Medicare Supplement holders a yearly window to switch without health questions, and several more have year-round rights. The full list for 2026, with how each state's rule works.
- What Medicare costs in 2026, and what's already set for 2027The 2026 Part B premium and deductible, Part A hospital costs, the income-based IRMAA surcharges, Part D drug limits and Medicare Advantage's yearly cap, plus the 2027 figures already announced.
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