Medicare Supplement FAQs

A Medicare Supplement plan is a private insurance policy that helps pay for the out-of-pocket costs that Original Medicare (Parts A and B) doesn’t cover — like deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments. These plans are sold by private insurers but are regulated by the federal government, meaning benefits are standardized across all carriers by plan letter.

They are fundamentally different products. With Medicare Supplement, you keep Original Medicare and the Medigap plan fills in the gaps — you can see any doctor who accepts Medicare, nationwide. With Medicare Advantage, a private insurer takes over your Medicare benefits and you work within their network. Medicare Advantage plans often have lower premiums but come with copays, prior authorization requirements, and network restrictions that Medigap avoids.

The best time is during your 6-month Open Enrollment Period — the window that begins the month you are age 65 or older AND enrolled in Medicare Part B. During this window, insurers cannot deny you coverage or charge you more based on health. Outside this window, most states allow medical underwriting, meaning you could be declined or charged higher premiums. Acting during your initial window is critical.

Plan G is the most widely purchased Medigap plan for new enrollees. It covers everything Medicare leaves behind except the Part B annual deductible ($283 in 2026). Once you’ve paid that once for the year, all Medicare-approved charges are covered in full — no copays, no coinsurance. For beneficiaries willing to accept small copays for a lower premium, Plan N is the second most popular choice.

Not during your Open Enrollment Period. During that 6-month window, insurers must accept you regardless of health history. Outside that window, most states allow underwriting — meaning insurers can review your health history and may decline or surcharge your application. Some states offer additional protections. See our Pre-Existing Conditions guide for full details.

No. Medigap plans do not cover prescription drugs. If you need drug coverage, you’ll need to enroll separately in a Medicare Part D plan. You can hold a Medigap plan and a Part D plan at the same time.

Standardized Medigap plans do not include dental, vision, or hearing benefits. Some insurers offer these as supplemental add-ons, but they are not part of the standardized benefit structure. If you want these benefits, standalone dental/vision plans or Medicare Advantage plans that include them may be worth exploring.

Yes — any doctor or hospital that accepts Original Medicare will accept your Medigap plan. There are no networks, no referrals needed, and no prior authorizations for covered services. This is one of the biggest practical differences from Medicare Advantage, which typically confines you to a plan network.

Because benefits are federally standardized, Plan G at every carrier covers the exact same things. The difference is entirely in how each carrier prices their book of business, their administrative costs, and their pricing methodology (issue-age, attained-age, or community-rated). Rate increases over time also vary by carrier. Shopping multiple carriers for the same plan letter is one of the highest-leverage steps you can take — premiums for identical coverage can vary 30–50%.

Issue-age rated: Your premium is based on the age you are when you first buy the policy and doesn’t increase simply because you get older (though it can still increase due to inflation and claims). Attained-age rated: Your premium is based on your current age and increases as you get older — often resulting in significantly higher costs over time. Community rated: Everyone in the same area pays the same premium regardless of age. Understanding the pricing methodology helps project long-term costs, not just the initial premium.

Yes, but it’s not always easy. In most states, switching plans outside of a special enrollment period requires going through medical underwriting. If your health has changed since you originally enrolled, you could be declined or charged more. A few states have annual enrollment windows (like the birthday rule) that make switching easier. We can tell you what the rules are in your state specifically.

Several states allow Medicare beneficiaries to switch to an equal or lesser Medigap plan each year during a window around their birthday — without medical underwriting. This provides an annual opportunity to lower your premium by shopping carriers while keeping your same plan level. Not all states have this rule, and the window length varies. See our Medicare hub for details on which states currently offer birthday rule protections.

No. Independent brokers are compensated by the insurance carrier after a policy is issued — not by you. The premium you pay is the same whether you buy directly from the carrier or through a broker. The difference is that a broker shops multiple carriers at once and provides guidance you wouldn’t get going carrier-direct.