In 2026, Plan G is the most popular Medicare supplement plan for new enrollees, averaging $120–$180/month. Plan N offers lower premiums at $90–$140/month with some cost-sharing. This guide compares all 10 Medigap plans with 2026 costs, coverage details, and who each plan suits best.
Medicare covers a lot — but not everything. The gaps in Original Medicare (deductibles, coinsurance, copays) can add up to thousands of dollars per year for people who use healthcare regularly. Medicare Supplement insurance, commonly called Medigap, fills those gaps. But with 10 standardized plan types and significant premium variation between insurers, choosing the right Medigap plan requires understanding what you're actually buying. This guide explains every major plan type, compares the most popular options, and shows you how to find the best premium for your situation.
Original Medicare (Parts A and B) pays for most but not all of your covered healthcare costs. You're left responsible for deductibles, copays, and coinsurance — costs that can be unpredictable and substantial if you need significant care.
Medicare Supplement insurance (sold by private insurers, regulated and standardized by federal and state governments) pays some or all of those remaining costs. You continue to have Original Medicare as your primary coverage; Medigap is secondary. Every Medicare-accepting doctor and hospital in the country accepts Medigap — there are no networks, no referral requirements, and no pre-authorization requirements for covered services.
In 2026, approximately 14 million Medicare beneficiaries have Medigap coverage. Monthly premiums range from about $80/month for the most basic plans to $400+/month for comprehensive plans in high-cost states, depending primarily on age, plan type, tobacco use, and state of residence.
Before choosing a Medigap plan, it helps to understand exactly what costs Original Medicare leaves you responsible for:
| Medicare Gap | 2026 Amount | When It Applies |
|---|---|---|
| Part A deductible | $1,632 | Each hospital benefit period (not per year) |
| Part A coinsurance (days 61–90) | $408/day | Each hospital day after 60 |
| Part A coinsurance (days 91–150) | $816/day | Lifetime reserve days |
| Skilled nursing facility coinsurance | $204/day | Days 21–100 of SNF stay |
| Part B deductible | $257/year | Annual, before Part B kicks in |
| Part B coinsurance | 20% of approved costs | All outpatient services, after deductible |
| Part B excess charges | Up to 15% above approved rate | When provider doesn't accept assignment |
The 20% Part B coinsurance is the biggest risk for most Medicare beneficiaries. A $100,000 cancer treatment course would leave you with a $20,000 bill. A major cardiac event requiring a $50,000 procedure would cost you $10,000 out-of-pocket. These are the costs Medigap is designed to protect against.
As of 2026, 10 standardized Medigap plans are available: A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N. Plans C and F are no longer available to people who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020 (they covered the Part B deductible, which was eliminated for new enrollees). The chart below shows what each plan covers:
| Benefit | A | B | D | G* | K | L | M | N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part A hospital coinsurance + 365 days | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Part A deductible ($1,632) | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 50% | 75% | 50% | ✓ |
| Part B coinsurance (20%) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 50% | 75% | ✓ | ✓* |
| Part B excess charges | — | — | — | ✓ | — | — | — | — |
| Skilled nursing coinsurance | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | 50% | 75% | ✓ | ✓ |
| Foreign travel emergency | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Out-of-pocket annual limit | — | — | — | — | $7,220 | $3,610 | — | — |
*Plan G: covers everything listed. Does NOT cover Part B deductible ($257/year). *Plan N: copays up to $20/doctor visit, up to $50/ER visit; no excess charge coverage.
Plan G is the gold standard for comprehensive Medigap coverage for people new to Medicare. After you pay the $257 Part B annual deductible, Plan G pays 100% of all Medicare-approved costs: hospital stays, surgery, doctor visits, outpatient procedures, skilled nursing facility coinsurance, and more. You also get Part B excess charge coverage (important in states like New York and California where many high-end specialists opt out of Medicare assignment) and 80% coverage of emergency healthcare outside the US.
2026 Typical Monthly Premiums for Plan G:
Your maximum annual out-of-pocket with Plan G in 2026: just the $257 Part B deductible, then nothing for covered services. This predictability is Plan G's primary advantage.
Plan N covers the same major benefits as Plan G — hospital coinsurance, Part A deductible, 20% Part B coinsurance, skilled nursing coinsurance, foreign travel emergency — with two meaningful differences:
In exchange, Plan N premiums are typically $25–$50/month lower than Plan G — $300–$600/year less. This premium savings offsets the copays if you have fewer than 15–30 office visits per year and your providers accept Medicare assignment (most do).
Who benefits most from Plan N: Relatively healthy people who see doctors occasionally but want protection against major healthcare events. The lower premium is pure savings in years with few office visits; in bad years, the copays are a modest additional cost compared to the premium savings.
High-Deductible Plan G works like Plan G in all coverage respects but requires you to pay the first $2,870 (2026 amount) of Medicare cost-sharing before Plan G coverage kicks in. After meeting that deductible, you pay nothing for covered services.
Monthly premiums for HD Plan G run $30–$65/month — dramatically lower than standard Plan G. This plan makes financial sense for people who are generally healthy and want catastrophic protection at a minimal premium — similar in concept to a high-deductible health plan with an HSA during working years.
| Feature | Plan G | Plan N |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly premium (age 65, avg.) | $145–$175 | $110–$145 |
| Part B deductible covered? | No ($257/yr) | No ($257/yr) |
| Doctor visit copay | $0 | Up to $20 |
| Emergency room copay | $0 | Up to $50 |
| Part B excess charges | Covered | NOT covered |
| Hospital coinsurance | $0 | $0 |
| Part A deductible ($1,632) | Covered | Covered |
| Skilled nursing coinsurance | Covered | Covered |
| Best for | Frequent care users, predictability | Occasional care, cost-conscious |
This is one of the most important health insurance decisions a person turning 65 makes. Both options fill Medicare's gaps — but very differently.
Medigap advantages: See any Medicare-accepting provider nationwide (no networks). Predictable costs — you know your maximum annual outlay. No pre-authorization requirements for covered services. Covers foreign travel emergencies (Plan G/N). No need to coordinate care through a primary care physician.
Medicare Advantage advantages: Lower or $0 monthly premiums (many plans have no additional premium beyond Part B). Often includes dental, vision, hearing, and fitness benefits Original Medicare doesn't cover. Drug coverage often built in (MAPD plans). Can be cost-effective for people who rarely use healthcare.
Medigap disadvantages: Higher monthly premium. No prescription drug coverage (need separate Part D plan). Switching from Medicare Advantage back to Medigap later is difficult — you'll face medical underwriting in most states.
Medicare Advantage disadvantages: Network restrictions (must use plan's network or pay out-of-network rates). Higher out-of-pocket maximums when you use care significantly ($3,500–$8,550 in 2026). Prior authorization requirements can delay or deny care. Plans can change their networks, formularies, and costs annually.
General principle: if you have significant ongoing health needs, travel frequently, or want maximum predictability, Medigap Plan G is usually the better choice financially when accounting for full cost of care. If you're generally healthy and primarily want low premiums with some ancillary benefits, Medicare Advantage may serve you well — but understand the risk of much higher costs if your health changes.
Your Medigap Open Enrollment Period (OEP) is a 6-month window that begins the month you turn 65 AND are enrolled in Medicare Part B. During this period:
This is the single most important enrollment window. Once it closes, you can be medically underwritten and denied coverage or charged significantly higher premiums based on health history (except in states with more protective rules like New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and a few others). If you delay Part B enrollment (because you have employer coverage), your Medigap OEP doesn't begin until you enroll in Part B.
Outside the OEP, you have guaranteed issue rights (cannot be denied or charged more) in specific situations: losing employer-sponsored coverage, moving out of your Medicare Advantage plan's service area, your Medicare Advantage plan leaving the market, or losing Medigap coverage through no fault of your own. These situations trigger a 63-day Special Enrollment Period with guaranteed issue rights.
Because all Plan G policies are standardized and provide identical coverage, the only reason to pay more for one insurer over another is service quality — and Medicare Supplement companies all pay the same claims. Premium shopping is therefore critically important:
Use our free Medicare Eligibility Checker to see when you can enroll, estimate your costs, and understand your plan options — no sign-up required.
🏥 Check My Medicare Options →All Medicare Supplement plans are federally standardized. Every insurer offering Plan G must provide identical coverage — only the premium differs. The table below shows 2026 average monthly premium ranges for a 65-year-old female non-smoker, which is the most common enrollment profile and the baseline used by most comparison tools.
| Plan | Monthly Premium | Annual Cost | Key Coverage Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan G Most Popular | $120–$180 | $1,440–$2,160 | Covers everything except $257 Part B deductible |
| Plan N | $90–$140 | $1,080–$1,680 | Plan G minus excess charges; adds $20/$50 copays |
| Plan G High-Deductible | $30–$65 | $360–$780 | Same as Plan G after $2,870 deductible is met |
| Plan F Pre-2020 only | $150–$250 | $1,800–$3,000 | Covers Part B deductible too; closed to new enrollees since 2020 |
| Plan K | $55–$90 | $660–$1,080 | Covers 50% of most benefits; $7,220 OOP max (2026) |
| Plan L | $75–$120 | $900–$1,440 | Covers 75% of most benefits; $3,610 OOP max (2026) |
| Plan A | $70–$110 | $840–$1,320 | Covers only Part A/B coinsurance; minimal protection |
| Plan B | $90–$130 | $1,080–$1,560 | Plan A plus Part A deductible coverage |
Plans C and D exist but are rarely sold. Plan F and Plan C are unavailable to people who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. For anyone new to Medicare in 2026, Plan G is the most comprehensive option available.
Most Medigap insurers use attained-age pricing, which means your premium increases each year as you get older. The table below shows typical Plan G and Plan N monthly premiums at key ages for a non-smoking woman in a mid-cost state like Florida or Colorado.
| Age | Plan G/month | Plan G/year | Plan N/month | Plan N/year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 65 | $140 | $1,680 | $108 | $1,296 |
| 70 | $178 | $2,136 | $138 | $1,656 |
| 75 | $220 | $2,640 | $172 | $2,064 |
| 80 | $268 | $3,216 | $212 | $2,544 |
| 85 | $320 | $3,840 | $255 | $3,060 |
These are mid-range estimates. Premiums vary considerably by insurer — it is entirely possible to find Plan G at age 65 for $115/month or $200/month from different companies in the same state, both providing exactly the same coverage. This is why comparison shopping is essential.
State regulations, insurer competition, and local healthcare costs create enormous variation in Medigap premiums. Here are the 10 cheapest and 10 most expensive states for Plan G at age 65 (female, non-tobacco) in 2026:
| State | Avg Monthly |
|---|---|
| Oklahoma | $92–$118 |
| Kansas | $94–$120 |
| Iowa | $96–$122 |
| Nebraska | $98–$124 |
| Missouri | $100–$128 |
| Arkansas | $102–$130 |
| Idaho | $105–$132 |
| Wyoming | $106–$134 |
| North Dakota | $108–$136 |
| South Dakota | $109–$138 |
| State | Avg Monthly |
|---|---|
| New York | $280–$360 |
| Massachusetts | $190–$250 |
| Connecticut | $185–$240 |
| New Jersey | $180–$235 |
| California | $175–$240 |
| Maryland | $165–$220 |
| Washington | $162–$215 |
| Hawaii | $158–$210 |
| Massachusetts | $155–$205 |
| Oregon | $152–$200 |
New York is a special case: state law requires community rating, meaning all enrollees pay the same premium regardless of age. This makes New York premiums very high at age 65 (because insurers price for the full age distribution) but relatively competitive by age 80. It also means that in New York, there is no open enrollment window advantage — you can buy Medigap at any age without medical underwriting.
Five factors drive your individual Medigap premium. Understanding each one helps you minimize your cost.
Enrolling during your 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period at age 65 locks in the lowest available premium for your age. Under attained-age pricing (the most common method), premiums increase each year as you get older. Under issue-age pricing, your premium is based on your age at enrollment and does not increase as you age — only for general inflation. Identifying whether an insurer uses attained-age or issue-age pricing can dramatically affect your long-term cost.
In most states, insurers charge men 5–15% more than women for the same Medigap plan, reflecting longer average female lifespans and lower healthcare utilization patterns in early Medicare years. By age 80+, this differential often narrows significantly.
Tobacco users face surcharges of 10–50% above standard rates at most insurers. A 65-year-old who smokes might pay $170–$200/month for Plan G while a non-smoker pays $120–$140. Quitting before applying — and ideally allowing 12 months before your Medigap application — eliminates this surcharge at most insurers.
As shown above, premiums vary dramatically by state. Moving from New York to Florida could cut your Plan G premium in half. This doesn't mean moving states for Medigap savings makes sense for most people, but it's relevant context for retirees already considering relocation.
This is the most actionable factor. Because all Plan G policies offer identical coverage, the only reason to pay more is brand preference. In most states, the most expensive Plan G insurer charges 40–60% more than the least expensive for the same coverage. Using a free Medicare comparison tool or a licensed SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) counselor to compare quotes before enrolling is the single most effective way to reduce your Medigap cost.
These are the five most effective strategies to reduce what you pay for Medicare Supplement coverage:
Side-by-side coverage table, 2026 premiums by age, and the excess charges breakdown.
Compare Plans →Monthly premium ranges for every plan, by age and state — plus 5 ways to lower your rate.
See Costs →Full cost comparison and why your initial choice is harder to reverse than most people expect.
Compare Options →Confirm your enrollment window and see what coverage is available in your state for 2026.
Check Eligibility →