- Medigap works only with Original Medicare (Parts A & B) — not with Medicare Advantage.
- Plans are standardized by letter: a Plan G has the same benefits from every company. Only the price and service differ.
- Your best time to buy is the 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, when you can't be turned down for health reasons.
What Medigap does
A Medicare Supplement Insurance policy — often called "Medigap" — is sold by private insurance companies. After Original Medicare pays its share of an approved bill, your Medigap policy pays its share. Depending on the plan, that can include:
- The Part A hospital deductible ($1,736 per benefit period in 2026)
- Hospital coinsurance, plus 365 extra hospital days after Medicare benefits are used up
- The 20% Part B coinsurance for doctor visits and outpatient care
- Skilled nursing facility coinsurance
- The first 3 pints of blood, and hospice coinsurance
- Emergency care when traveling abroad (some plans)
With Original Medicare and Medigap, you can visit any doctor or hospital in the United States that accepts Medicare. There are no networks and no referrals needed for specialists.
The most talked-about plans
Plan G
Covers all the gaps in Original Medicare except the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026). Once you've paid that deductible, covered care is generally paid in full.
Plan N
A lower premium in exchange for small copays — up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 for emergency room visits that don't lead to admission. Doesn't cover Part B excess charges.
Plans K & L
Lower premiums with cost sharing (50% or 75%) and a yearly out-of-pocket limit. After you reach it, the plan pays 100% for covered services.
Plans C and F (which also cover the Part B deductible) can't be sold to people who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. If you were eligible before then, you may still be able to buy them. A high-deductible version of Plan G is also available in many areas.
When is the best time to buy?
Your Medigap Open Enrollment Period is a one-time, 6-month window. It starts the first month you're both 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. During this time, insurance companies must sell you any Medigap policy they offer in your state, at the same price as people in good health. After this window, companies in most states can ask health questions and may charge more or decline your application — unless you have a special "guaranteed issue" right.
How prices are set
- Community-rated: everyone pays the same, regardless of age.
- Issue-age-rated: based on your age when you buy, and won't go up just because you get older.
- Attained-age-rated: based on your current age, so it rises as you age.
All three can still rise because of inflation and other factors. Prices for the same plan letter can differ a lot between companies, so comparing is worthwhile.
Things Medigap doesn't cover
Medigap policies sold today don't include prescription drug coverage (you'll want a separate Part D plan), and they generally don't cover long-term care, routine vision or dental care, hearing aids, eyeglasses or private-duty nursing. Each policy covers only one person — spouses need their own.
Common questions
Can I switch Medigap plans later?
You can apply at any time, but outside your Medigap Open Enrollment Period (or a guaranteed-issue situation), the new company may ask health questions. Some states have extra protections — we can explain the rules where you live.
Can I have Medigap and Medicare Advantage?
No. Medigap only works with Original Medicare. If you join a Medicare Advantage plan, your Medigap policy can't pay your plan's costs.
Will my Medigap policy be canceled if I get sick?
No. As long as you pay your premium, Medigap policies are guaranteed renewable — the company can't cancel you because of health problems.
