All Medigap plans are standardized by the federal government — Plan G at one carrier covers the exact same benefits as Plan G at any other carrier. What varies is the premium. Here’s how to compare your options the right way.
Side-by-Side Benefit Comparison Chart
The chart below shows exactly which Medicare cost-sharing gaps each plan covers. A ✓ means fully covered. A % means partially covered (Plans K and L use cost-sharing). A blank means not covered.
* Plans C and F are only available to beneficiaries who became Medicare-eligible before January 1, 2020. † Plan N pays Part B coinsurance but you may owe up to $20 copay for office visits and up to $50 for ER visits not resulting in hospital admission.
How to Actually Choose: A Practical Framework
Are you someone who wants zero surprises — total peace of mind that every Medicare-approved cost is covered after a small deductible? That’s Plan G. Comfortable accepting small copays to lower your monthly premium? Plan N is often the better value. Want the lowest possible premium and are generally healthy? Plan K or L use cost-sharing but have out-of-pocket caps.
If you see doctors who do not accept Medicare assignment, they can charge up to 15% above Medicare’s approved amount — called “excess charges.” Only Plans F and G cover excess charges. If you’re on Plan N and see a non-assignment doctor, you’d owe that difference out of pocket. Most doctors accept assignment, but it’s worth verifying if you have specific providers.
Because benefits are standardized, Plan G from Carrier A is identical to Plan G from Carrier B. The only difference is price. Rates for the same plan can vary 30–50% between carriers for the same applicant. An independent broker compares every carrier available in your ZIP code at once.
Some carriers have more stable rate histories than others. A plan that’s $10/month cheaper today but raises rates 8% annually may cost more within a few years. We track carrier rate history and factor it into our recommendations — not just the starting price.
During your 6-month Open Enrollment Period (starting when you’re 65+ and enrolled in Part B), insurers cannot deny you or charge more based on health. Outside that window, most states allow medical underwriting. Choosing the right plan during your initial window is critical — switching later may not be possible if your health has changed.
Plan G vs. Plan N: The Most Common Decision
For most new enrollees, the real choice comes down to Plan G vs. Plan N. Here’s a quick comparison:
Plan G
- Covers everything except the Part B deductible ($283/yr in 2026)
- No copays for office visits or ER
- Covers Part B excess charges
- Higher monthly premium than N
- Best for: Frequent healthcare users, people who want predictability
Plan N
- Covers everything except Part B deductible & excess charges
- Up to $20 copay for office visits; up to $50 for ER
- Typically $20–$40/month less than Plan G
- Best for: Healthy seniors who see the doctor occasionally
High-Deductible Medigap Plans
Two Medigap plans — High-Deductible Plan G and High-Deductible Plan F — offer the same core benefits as their standard counterparts, but with a much lower monthly premium in exchange for a higher annual deductible you must meet before coverage kicks in. For healthy beneficiaries who rarely use medical care, these plans can produce significant long-term savings.
2026 High-Deductible Plan Deductible
2026 High-Deductible Deductible Amount: $2,870
This deductible applies to both HD Plan G and HD Plan F. It resets each January 1. You pay all Medicare-approved costs out of pocket until you reach this amount — after that, the plan covers 100% of covered costs for the remainder of the calendar year.
High-Deductible Plan G (HD-G)
- Available to all Medicare beneficiaries
- Same benefits as standard Plan G — once deductible is met
- Covers everything except the Part B deductible ($283/yr)
- Covers Part B excess charges after deductible
- Covers foreign travel emergency after deductible
- 2026 deductible: $2,870
- Monthly premiums typically 40–60% lower than standard Plan G
High-Deductible Plan F (HD-F)
- Only available to beneficiaries eligible for Medicare before Jan 1, 2020
- Same benefits as standard Plan F — once deductible is met
- Covers the Part B deductible (unlike HD-G)
- Covers Part B excess charges after deductible
- Covers foreign travel emergency after deductible
- 2026 deductible: $2,870
- Monthly premiums typically 40–60% lower than standard Plan F
How the Deductible Works in Practice
Medicare-covered costs that would otherwise be paid by the Medigap plan count toward the deductible — this includes the Part A deductible ($1,736 per benefit period in 2026), Part B coinsurance, skilled nursing facility coinsurance, and other standard Medigap-covered expenses. The $283 Part B deductible does not count toward the HD deductible for HD-G (it does for HD-F).
If standard Plan G costs $120/month more than HD Plan G, you’d pay $1,440 more per year for the standard plan. Since the HD deductible is $2,870, you’d need to incur more than $1,430 in otherwise-covered costs before the standard plan becomes the better financial choice. In low-utilization years, HD plans almost always win on total cost.
HD Plan G is offered by a narrower set of carriers than standard Plan G, but availability has expanded significantly in recent years. Not every carrier offers it in every state. We can quickly identify which HD options are available in your ZIP code and compare them against standard plan pricing.
HD Plan G vs. Standard Plan G vs. Plan N: A Quick Comparison
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