Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans work alongside Original Medicare to help cover the deductibles, copays, and coinsurance that Medicare doesn’t pay — and let you see any doctor who accepts Medicare, no networks or referrals.
This matters most during an expensive year, not a routine one — see what cancer, heart attack, and stroke actually cost for exactly why that uncapped 20% coinsurance is the real risk a Medigap plan is designed to remove.
Medigap plans are standardized by letter, so a Plan G from one carrier covers the exact same benefits as a Plan G from another — the difference is price and customer service, not coverage. Here’s what each plan letter covers:
Most Popular Plans
Most of the people we talk to end up choosing between these three:
- Plan G — the most comprehensive plan available to anyone newly eligible for Medicare
- High Deductible Plan G — the same coverage as Plan G, at a much lower premium, once you’ve met an annual deductible
- Plan N — nearly as comprehensive as Plan G, with small office/ER copays, for a lower premium
Every Plan Letter
Note: Plans C and F are only available to people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. If you’re newly eligible, Plan G is the closest equivalent currently available.
Already Have a Medigap Plan?
If you’re not shopping for a first plan but wondering whether it’s worth switching your existing one, see Changing Your Medigap Policy for what actually triggers medical underwriting and when a switch genuinely makes sense. And if you’re brand new to Medigap, see the 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, explained — the one window where your health history doesn’t affect whether you’re accepted.