Medicare Supplement Plans in 2026: Plan G vs Plan N, Costs, and the Enrollment Window You Can’t Miss
Here’s something nobody really warns you about when you’re approaching 65: Original Medicare doesn’t pay for everything. Not even close. There’s a deductible here, a 20% coinsurance there, and — the part that surprises people — no cap on what you can spend out of pocket in a bad year. One hospital stay can leave you staring at bills you genuinely didn’t expect.
That’s exactly the hole medicare supplement plans are built to fill. Often called Medigap, these private policies pay the costs Original Medicare leaves behind — the deductibles, copays, and coinsurance that would otherwise come straight out of your savings. This guide walks through how they work, which plans people actually buy in 2026, what they cost, and the one enrollment window you don’t want to sleep through.
What Medicare Leaves Behind (And Why Medigap Exists)
Think of Original Medicare as a solid foundation with some very real cracks in it. Part A covers hospital care, but in 2026 it carries a deductible of about $1,736 per benefit period — and that period can restart more than once a year if you land back in the hospital. Stay long enough and daily coinsurance charges pile on top.
Part B covers doctor visits and outpatient care. It has its own annual deductible (around $283 in 2026), and after that it generally pays 80% of approved costs — you’re on the hook for the other 20%, with no yearly ceiling — on a $60,000 surgery, that’s a big number. Medicare alone isn’t really a plan; it’s half of one.
A Medigap policy pays most or all of that leftover share, depending on the plan letter you choose. You keep Original Medicare, your supplement picks up its portion, and a bill that might’ve been $8,000 becomes $0.
One thing worth clearing up: medicare supplement plans are not Medicare Advantage. Advantage replaces Original Medicare with a private plan with its own networks and rules. Medigap works alongside Original Medicare, so you can see any doctor or hospital in the country that accepts Medicare — no networks, no referrals.
Plan G vs Plan N vs Plan F: The Plans Everyone Asks About
Medigap policies are standardized by letter — A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N — and here’s the beautiful part: a Plan G from one company covers exactly the same benefits as a Plan G from any other. The government standardized the benefits, so insurers differ only on price and service. In practice, almost everyone shopping for medicare supplement plans ends up comparing the same three letters.
Plan G is the most popular choice for new enrollees in 2026, and it’s not hard to see why. It covers nearly everything Medicare leaves behind: the Part A deductible, hospital and skilled nursing coinsurance, the Part B coinsurance, hospice care, and excess charges — amounts some doctors bill above Medicare’s approved rate. The one thing it skips is the annual Part B deductible, roughly $283. Cover that yourself, and Plan G picks up essentially everything else.
Plan N is Plan G’s leaner sibling. It covers most of the same gaps, but you’ll pay copays — up to $20 for some office visits and $50 for ER visits — and it skips Part B excess charges. Premiums run lower in exchange. Healthy and rarely see a doctor? Plan N can be the smarter buy.
Plan F used to be the gold standard — it covered literally everything, including the Part B deductible. But it closed to new enrollees on January 1, 2020. If you became eligible for Medicare before that date, you can still buy it or keep yours. Turning 65 now? It’s not on the menu — Plan G is its replacement.
| Feature | Plan G | Plan N | Plan F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Available to new enrollees in 2026 | Yes | Yes | No (closed Jan 1, 2020) |
| Part A deductible covered | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Part B coinsurance covered | Yes | Yes (with small copays) | Yes |
| Part B deductible covered | No | No | Yes |
| Part B excess charges covered | Yes | No | Yes |
| Typical premium at age 65 (2026) | $120–$200/month | $85–$150/month | Varies (aging pool) |
For most people turning 65 in 2026, the real decision is G versus N.
What Medicare Supplement Plans Actually Cost in 2026
For a healthy 65-year-old in 2026, Plan G typically runs $120 to $200 per month, depending on your state, ZIP code, gender, and tobacco use. Plan N usually lands around $85 to $150 per month. Same letter, same benefits — yet prices can swing by $50 or more a month between companies. Getting quotes from several insurers isn’t optional. It’s the whole game.
Now, the part people forget: your Medigap premium is in addition to your Medicare premiums, not instead of them. You’ll still pay the standard Part B premium — about $202.90 per month in 2026 — usually straight out of your Social Security check. Prescription coverage is a separate Part D plan with its own premium, because medicare supplement plans sold today don’t include drug coverage. Budget for all three pieces or your retirement math will be off.
Why does the same Plan G cost $130 in one state and $190 in another? Local medical costs, state rules, and the size of an insurer’s risk pool all feed into pricing.
The 6-Month Window You Really Don’t Want to Miss
If you take one thing from this article, make it this section. Your Medigap open enrollment period is a six-month window that starts the month you turn 65 and are enrolled in Medicare Part B. During those six months, insurance companies must sell you any of their medicare supplement plans. They can’t turn you down, charge you more for a pre-existing condition, or make you wait for coverage of one.
Read that again, because it almost never works this way in insurance. Diabetes? Heart history? A surgery last year? During open enrollment, none of it matters — you pay the same as the healthiest 65-year-old in your state. It’s the most valuable six months in your Medicare life.
Miss it, and the rules change completely. Outside protected windows, insurers in most states can review your health, ask detailed questions, and decline you or price you out. I’ve talked to people who delayed enrolling because they felt healthy, then developed a condition a year later and found no company would sell them the plan they wanted. Don’t be that person. (Still working at 65 under an employer plan? Your window may start later, when you enroll in Part B.)
Why Two Identical Plans Rise in Price Differently: Pricing Methods
Here’s a detail most agents gloss over, and it can cost you thousands over a retirement. Insurers price medicare supplement plans using one of three methods — and the method matters as much as the starting price.
Attained-age pricing is the most common. Your premium is based on your current age, so it starts low at 65 — that’s the attractive quote you see — and climbs as you get older, on top of medical inflation. The plan that’s cheapest today may be the priciest by your late seventies.
Issue-age pricing sets your premium based on the age you were when you bought the policy. It starts a bit higher, but it doesn’t rise just because you had a birthday — though inflation and claims costs can still push it up.
Community-rated pricing charges everyone in an area the same premium regardless of age. It’s often the most expensive at 65 and the most stable over time — over a 20-year retirement, the pricier-today options can quietly become the bargain.
Don’t just ask what the premium is now — ask how it’s calculated, and what someone five and ten years older pays for the same plan today. That tells you where your bill is heading.
Can You Switch Plans Later? Yes, But There’s a Catch
Life changes, premiums rise, and at some point you may wonder whether you can move from Plan N to Plan G, or jump to a cheaper company. You can apply to switch medicare supplement plans at any time of year — there’s no annual enrollment period for Medigap. The catch: outside your open enrollment window or a guaranteed-issue situation, you’ll usually go through medical underwriting.
Underwriting means the insurer reviews your health history, and they can say no. Serious or recent conditions — a recent heart attack, cancer treatment, diabetes with complications — are common reasons for declines. Healthy people often pass easily, but it’s a gate, not a guarantee.
There are exceptions. Certain life events create guaranteed issue rights — for instance, if you tried Medicare Advantage for the first time and want to return to Original Medicare within 12 months. A few states also have “birthday rules” letting you switch to an equal or lesser plan around your birthday each year without underwriting. Check your state’s specifics — and never drop an existing policy until the new one is approved in writing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do medicare supplement plans cover prescription drugs?
No. Medigap policies sold since 2006 don’t include prescription drug coverage. If you want help with medication costs, you’ll enroll in a standalone Medicare Part D plan alongside your supplement. Budget for both premiums, and don’t skip Part D just because you take few medications now — late enrollment triggers a lifelong penalty.
Can I see any doctor I want with a Medigap plan?
Almost. Because these plans work with Original Medicare rather than replacing it, you can see any doctor, specialist, or hospital in the country that accepts Medicare — and the vast majority do. No networks, no referrals, no prior approvals. If your provider accepts Medicare assignment, your supplement pays its share automatically in most cases.
What’s the difference between a Medicare supplement and Medicare Advantage?
They solve the same problem in opposite ways. A supplement (Medigap) layers on top of Original Medicare: higher premiums, very low costs when you get care, and total freedom of providers. Medicare Advantage replaces Original Medicare: often lower premiums and perks like dental, but with networks, copays, and prior authorization rules. Neither is universally better — it depends on your health, your doctors, and your budget.
Is Plan G really better than Plan N?
It depends on how often you use care. Plan G covers Part B excess charges and has no visit copays — the closest thing to “pay the premium and forget about it.” Plan N costs less per month but adds copays of up to $20 per office visit and $50 for ER visits, and skips excess-charge coverage. See doctors frequently? Plan G often wins. Healthy and rarely go? Plan N’s lower premium can save you real money.
The Bottom Line
Choosing among medicare supplement plans rewards doing it once and doing it right. Protect your six-month open enrollment window first — guaranteed issue at 65 is a one-time gift you’ll never get back. Then pick your letter: Plan G for maximum coverage and simplicity, Plan N if you’re healthy and the math favors lower premiums. Get quotes from at least three or four companies for the identical letter, ask how each one prices its policy as you age, and budget for the Part B premium and a Part D plan on top.
Do that, and you’ll end up with what retirees actually want from their medicare supplement plans: a medical bill that shows up and is already handled. No surprises, no 20% of a scary number. That’s not a small thing at 65 — honestly, it might be the whole thing.