Compare Medicare Supplement Plans
Medicare Supplement insurance, also called Medigap, works alongside Original Medicare to help pay certain out-of-pocket costs. Compare available plans and insurance companies to find coverage that fits your needs and budget.
Medicare
Help Fill the Gaps
Medicare Supplement plans can help pay certain costs that Original Medicare doesn't pay in full.
How Does Medicare Supplement Work?
Medicare Supplement doesn't replace Original Medicare. It works alongside Medicare Parts A and B to help with certain out-of-pocket costs that Original Medicare leaves to you.
Original Medicare
Medicare Part A and Part B provide your primary hospital and medical coverage.
Medicare Supplement
Your Medigap policy can help pay certain deductibles, coinsurance, and other costs left by Original Medicare, depending on the plan you choose.
Part D Coverage
Because modern Medigap policies don't include outpatient prescription drug coverage, you can purchase a separate Medicare Part D plan if you need drug coverage.
You Keep Original Medicare as Your Primary Coverage
With Medicare Supplement, Medicare generally pays its share of Medicare-approved covered services first. Your Medigap policy then helps pay certain remaining costs according to the benefits included in your specific standardized plan.
Prescription coverage is separate. You can learn more about standalone Medicare Prescription Drug Plans and how Part D works with Original Medicare.
Medicare Supplement Is Not Medicare Advantage
Medicare Supplement works with Original Medicare. Medicare Advantage Plans are a different way to receive your Medicare Part A and Part B benefits through a private Medicare-approved insurance company. Understanding that distinction is an important first step when comparing your coverage options.
Why People Choose Medicare Supplement
Medicare Supplement can appeal to people who want to keep Original Medicare while adding coverage for certain costs Medicare doesn't pay in full.
Broad Provider Access
With Original Medicare and a Medicare Supplement policy, you can generally receive covered care from doctors and hospitals nationwide that accept Medicare. You aren't choosing your providers from an HMO or PPO network established by the Medigap insurance company.
Help With Out-of-Pocket Costs
Original Medicare leaves you responsible for certain deductibles, coinsurance, and other cost sharing. Depending on the Medigap plan you select, your policy can help cover some of those expenses.
More Predictable Coverage
Some people prefer paying a monthly Medicare Supplement premium in exchange for reducing certain out-of-pocket costs when they receive Medicare-covered care. The amount of coverage depends on the standardized plan you choose.
Coverage That Travels With You
Because Medigap works with Original Medicare rather than a local Medicare Advantage provider network, it can be attractive to people who travel frequently, spend part of the year in another state, or simply value broader access to Medicare providers.
The Tradeoff: More Flexibility Usually Comes With a Premium
Medicare Supplement isn't automatically the right choice for everyone. You'll pay a separate premium for the Medigap policy, and prescription drug coverage is generally purchased separately. The better question is whether the coverage and flexibility are worth the cost for your situation.
Plan Letter vs. Insurance Company: Both Matter
With Medicare Supplement, you're making two decisions: which standardized plan benefits you want and which insurance company you want providing the policy.
Determines Your Standardized Benefits
In most states, Medicare Supplement plans are standardized by letter. Policies with the same plan letter provide the same basic standardized benefits regardless of which insurance company sells the policy.
Determines More Than the Name on the Card
Once you've identified the Medigap plan you want, there may still be several insurance companies offering that same standardized plan in your area.
Here's Why That Matters When Comparing Plan G
If two insurance companies both offer a standardized Plan G, the basic Medigap benefits of those Plan G policies are the same. But the companies may charge different premiums and have different discounts, underwriting requirements, or other company-specific factors. Paying more doesn't give you a “better” standardized Plan G benefit package.
Compare the Coverage First — Then Compare the Companies
Once you know which Medigap plan fits your needs, comparing companies offering that plan can help you evaluate price and other differences without confusing the insurance company with the actual standardized benefits.
Medicare Supplement Plan G vs. Plan N
Plan G and Plan N are two Medicare Supplement options many people compare. Both can help with costs left by Original Medicare, but the amount you pay for the policy and when you receive care can be different.
Medicare Supplement Plan G
Plan G provides broad standardized Medigap coverage and limits much of the cost sharing that would otherwise remain after Original Medicare pays.
Broad standardized coverage: Plan G covers most of the gaps in Original Medicare that Medigap policies are permitted to cover.
Part B deductible: You remain responsible for the annual Medicare Part B deductible.
Part B excess charges: Standardized Plan G includes coverage for Medicare Part B excess charges.
Premium: Premiums vary by insurance company, location, age, rating method, and other applicable factors.
Medicare Supplement Plan N
Plan N also provides substantial standardized Medigap coverage but leaves you responsible for some additional cost sharing in exchange for potentially different premiums.
Lower premiums may be available: Plan N can sometimes have a lower premium than Plan G, depending on the company and market.
Part B deductible: Like Plan G, Plan N does not pay the annual Medicare Part B deductible.
Office & ER visits: Plan N can require certain copayments for some office visits and emergency room visits that don't result in an inpatient admission.
Part B excess charges: Plan N does not cover Medicare Part B excess charges.
Both work with Original Medicare, both provide standardized Medigap benefits, and neither includes outpatient prescription drug coverage. You can generally use either plan with Medicare-participating providers nationwide.
The Decision Isn't Simply “Which Plan Covers More?”
Plan G generally provides more comprehensive standardized coverage, while Plan N leaves you responsible for some additional costs. The useful comparison is whether the premium difference between the plans makes sense relative to the additional cost sharing you're willing to accept.
What About Other Medicare Supplement Plans?
Plan G and Plan N aren't the only Medigap options. Other standardized plans may be available depending on your eligibility, state, and insurance companies serving your area. We can help you compare the options available to you rather than assuming one plan letter is right for everyone.
When You Apply Can Matter
With Medicare Supplement, your timing can affect your ability to purchase coverage and whether an insurance company can use medical underwriting when reviewing your application.
Open Enrollment
Your Medigap Open Enrollment Period
Under federal law, your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period begins the first month you're 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B.
During this period, you can buy any Medigap policy sold to people in your situation in your state. An insurance company can't deny you coverage or charge you more because of pre-existing health problems.
What If You Apply Later?
After your Medigap Open Enrollment Period, federal law doesn't generally guarantee that an insurance company will accept your application. Unless you have another protection, the company may be able to use medical underwriting, and your health history can affect your eligibility or premium.
You May Have Other Protections
Certain situations can give you guaranteed-issue rights to purchase specific Medigap coverage outside your initial open enrollment period. States may also provide protections beyond the federal rules, so your individual circumstances matter.
Turning 65? This Is a Decision Worth Planning Ahead
If you're approaching Medicare eligibility and considering Medigap, understanding your enrollment window before it begins gives you time to compare plan letters, insurance companies, premiums, and prescription drug coverage together.
Visit Our Turning 65 Medicare Guide →Medicare Supplement FAQs
Get straightforward answers to common questions about Medicare Supplement coverage, enrollment, costs, and choosing between Medigap plans.
Yes. Medigap is another name for Medicare Supplement insurance. These private insurance policies work alongside Original Medicare to help pay certain out-of-pocket costs that Medicare doesn't cover in full.
No. Medicare Supplement works alongside Original Medicare. Medicare Advantage is another way to receive your Medicare Part A and Part B benefits through a private Medicare-approved insurance company. Learn more about Medicare Advantage Plans and how they differ.
Both provide substantial standardized Medigap coverage, but Plan N leaves you responsible for certain additional costs. Plan N can require copayments for some office and emergency room visits and doesn't cover Medicare Part B excess charges. Plan G covers Part B excess charges, but neither Plan G nor Plan N covers the Part B deductible.
For Medicare-covered services in the United States, Medigap generally works anywhere Original Medicare is accepted. Certain standardized Medigap plans also include limited foreign travel emergency benefits, subject to the policy's rules and limits.
Medicare Supplement policies sold today don't include outpatient prescription drug coverage. If you want drug coverage while using Original Medicare and Medigap, you can consider a separate Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
For many people, the most important time is their six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, which generally begins the first month they're 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B. During this federal enrollment period, insurers can't use your health history to deny you a Medigap policy or charge you more because of health problems. If you're approaching Medicare eligibility, visit our Turning 65 Medicare Guide.
You can apply for another Medicare Supplement policy, but being able to change isn't always guaranteed. Outside a protected enrollment or guaranteed-issue situation, an insurance company may be permitted to use medical underwriting. State rules can also provide additional protections, so it's important to check the rules that apply before canceling an existing policy.
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