Best Medigap Plans: Plan G vs. Plan N vs. Plan F

These are the questions most people are searching for when they land on a page about Medigap — answered directly and without insurance jargon.

• 1
  Is Medigap Plan G the best plan for most people? Yes — for most new Medicare enrollees in 2026, Plan G is the most comprehensive and most popular Medigap option · Covers nearly everything Original Medicare doesn’t pay except the $283 Part B annual deductible · Average premium: $180/mo

  Plan G accounts for nearly four in ten of all Medigap plans sold — and the reason is simple: after you pay the $283 annual Part B deductible once at the start of each year, Plan G covers 100% of all remaining Medicare-approved costs for that year. No copays, no coinsurance surprises, no additional bills from any provider who accepts Medicare. For someone who had a serious illness, a hospitalization, skilled nursing care, or multiple procedures in a single year, that predictability has enormous practical value. The Part A hospital deductible alone is $1,736 per benefit period — and there is no limit on how many benefit periods you can have in one year. Plan G erases that exposure entirely. Average premiums nationally run about $100–$200/month depending on your age, gender, location, and which company you buy from. The single out-of-pocket cost you’ll still pay is $283 once per year — and every year after that, zero surprises.
• 2
  What are the top 5 Medicare Supplement plans to consider? Plan G (most popular, most comprehensive for new enrollees) · Plan N (lower premium, small copays) · High-Deductible Plan G (lowest premium, $2,870 deductible first) · Plan F (available only to those eligible before 2020) · Plan K/L (cost-sharing plans, lower premiums)

  The realistic top five for most people in 2026 are: Plan G for comprehensive coverage with predictable costs; Plan N for healthy seniors who want lower premiums and don’t mind paying up to $20 for some office visits; High-Deductible Plan G for those who want catastrophic protection at the lowest possible monthly premium ($40–$70/month) and rarely use healthcare; Plan F for those who became Medicare-eligible before January 1, 2020, and want zero out-of-pocket costs including the Part B deductible; and Plan K or L for people who want cost-sharing plans with lower premiums and an annual out-of-pocket maximum. Plans A, B, C, D, M, and G also exist but serve smaller niches. The plans most worth understanding in depth are G, N, and F — they cover the majority of enrollees and represent the clearest trade-offs between premium cost and out-of-pocket exposure.
• 3
  What is Medicare Plan F vs. Plan G — which is better? Plan F: covers everything including the $283 Part B deductible · NOT available to people who became Medicare-eligible on or after January 1, 2020 · Premiums typically $30–$50/mo higher than Plan G · Plan G: better value for most — the $283 deductible costs far less than the premium difference

  Plan F used to be the most popular Medigap plan in America — it covered absolutely everything, including the Part B deductible. No bills of any kind after premiums. But Congress banned its sale to new Medicare enrollees starting January 1, 2020, as part of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act. If you became eligible for Medicare on or after that date, Plan F is simply not available to you. If you became eligible before 2020, you can still buy it — but the math rarely favors it. Plan F premiums typically run $30–$50/month more than Plan G from the same company. Over a year, that’s $360–$600 extra in premiums just to avoid the $283 Part B deductible. You pay more in additional premium than you’d ever pay out of pocket with Plan G. For existing Plan F holders who are happy with their coverage, there’s no reason to switch. For anyone comparing new options, Plan G almost always delivers more value per dollar.
• 4
  What are Medigap Plan G pros and cons — should I actually get it? Pros: maximum coverage after $283 deductible, no networks, works with any Medicare-accepting doctor, no referrals, consistent year-over-year · Cons: higher monthly premium than Plan N, premiums rise with age, does not cover dental/vision/hearing or prescriptions (need separate Part D)

  Plan G’s most valuable feature is also its most underappreciated one: you can see any doctor, specialist, or hospital in the entire country that accepts Medicare — no network, no referral needed, no prior authorization. This is fundamentally different from Medicare Advantage, which typically has a network of providers you must stay within. Plan G covers hospitalization, skilled nursing facility coinsurance, Part A deductible, hospice care, and 80% of foreign travel emergency care, in addition to all Part B coinsurance and copays. The downsides are real: monthly premiums average $180/month nationally and climb as you age. Plan G covers no prescription drugs (you need a separate Part D plan), no dental, no vision, no hearing — those require either standalone policies or Medicare Advantage. For someone with serious health needs, multiple specialists, or anyone who has ever faced a large hospital bill under Original Medicare alone, Plan G’s predictability is worth the premium. For a healthy 65-year-old who rarely uses healthcare, Plan N’s lower premiums may make more financial sense.
• 5
  What is Medigap Plan N and how does it compare to Plan G? Plan N: $40–$80/mo cheaper than Plan G · You pay up to $20 copay for office visits and up to $50 for ER visits that don’t result in admission · You are responsible for Part B excess charges (when doctors bill above Medicare’s approved amount) · Best for: healthy seniors with few doctor visits

  Plan N is the second most popular Medigap choice and the strongest alternative to Plan G for people who are in good health and visit the doctor infrequently. The monthly savings are real — Plan N typically costs $40–$80/month less than Plan G from the same company, which means $480–$960/year. In exchange, you pay up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 for emergency room visits that don’t result in hospital admission. The other exposure with Plan N is Part B excess charges — when a doctor bills up to 15% above Medicare’s approved amount because they don’t fully accept Medicare assignment. This is increasingly rare (most doctors accept Medicare assignment entirely), but in areas with many non-participating providers it can add up. The break-even math is straightforward: if you have fewer than six to eight doctor visits per year, Plan N’s premium savings typically exceed your extra out-of-pocket costs. If you have chronic conditions requiring frequent specialist visits, Plan G’s elimination of all copays often comes out ahead.
• 6
  How much is Medigap Plan G with AARP? AARP/UnitedHealthcare Plan G: average $177/mo nationally · Requires AARP membership ($20/year) · Starts lower than many competitors but prices increase faster with age (“attained age” pricing) · Same coverage as any Plan G — shop competing quotes before assuming AARP is cheapest in your area

  AARP’s Medicare Supplement plans are sold and underwritten by UnitedHealthcare — the AARP name is a marketing arrangement, not a different product. Plan G through AARP/UnitedHealthcare averages $177/month nationally for a 65-year-old woman, which is typically slightly below the national average. You must join AARP ($20/year) to purchase the plan. The thing most people don’t realize about AARP’s Medigap pricing: UnitedHealthcare uses “attained age” pricing for most plans. This means your premium is based on your current age and increases every year as you age — a plan that starts at $177/month at age 65 might cost $250+/month by age 75. An “issue age” plan from a different company starts higher but stays more stable over time. The 10% AARP premium increase between 2025 and 2026 (in some markets, 23% for Plan F) has driven a notable increase in complaints and policy switches. Because all Plan G policies cover identical benefits, the smart move is to request quotes from multiple companies in your area before assuming AARP/UnitedHealthcare is the best deal. In some states it is; in others, competing companies are 20–30% cheaper.
• 7
  What is the best Medicare plan that covers everything for seniors? Plan F (pre-2020 eligibles): $0 out of pocket after premiums — covers absolutely everything · Plan G (new enrollees): covers everything except the $283 Part B deductible — closest to “covers everything” available today · Neither covers dental, vision, hearing, or drugs — those require separate plans

  No single Medicare plan covers absolutely everything — that’s worth saying plainly. Even Plan F, the most comprehensive Medigap plan ever sold, doesn’t cover dental care, vision exams, hearing aids, or prescription drugs. For the closest thing to complete coverage for medical services: if you became eligible for Medicare before 2020, Plan F gives you zero out-of-pocket costs for all Medicare-approved services after you pay your monthly premiums. If you became eligible in 2020 or later, Plan G is the most complete option available — after paying the $283 annual Part B deductible once, everything else is covered. To round out coverage, most people on Plan G or F also add: a Part D prescription drug plan (starting around $10–$40/month depending on your medications), a standalone dental plan if needed ($20–$50/month), and a vision plan if needed ($15–$25/month). The total cost of Plan G plus Part D plus dental coverage still often compares favorably to Medicare Advantage plans once you account for the flexibility to see any provider without network restrictions.
• 8
  What is the most important Medigap deadline — and what happens if you miss it? The 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Window: starts when you turn 65 AND enroll in Medicare Part B · During this window: guaranteed acceptance, no health questions, no price penalty · After it closes: insurers can reject you or charge more based on health conditions · Missing it is the most costly Medigap mistake

  This is the most critical and most frequently misunderstood piece of the entire Medigap system. Federal law gives you a single six-month open enrollment window that begins the first month you are both age 65 and enrolled in Medicare Part B. During that window, every Medigap insurer must sell you any plan they offer — no medical questions, no health-based price increases, no denials. Once that window closes, most states allow insurers to use medical underwriting: they can review your health history, deny coverage entirely, or charge substantially higher premiums. A KFF analysis found that common conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, asthma requiring daily inhalers, and numerous other diagnoses routinely trigger denials or premium surcharges. Approximately 90% of people who join Medicare Advantage first and later want to switch to Medigap face medical underwriting — and may find they cannot get coverage at any price. The practical advice that every Medicare counselor gives: if you want Medigap, buy it during your open enrollment window even if you’re healthy. It is dramatically easier, cheaper, and less risky to buy then than at any later time.

All ten Medigap plan letters are standardized by federal law. The table below shows what each plan covers and typical monthly premium ranges. ✅ = Covered · ✗ = Not covered · Partial = Partial coverage.

Since all Plan G policies cover identical benefits, the company you choose matters primarily for price stability, rate increase history, financial strength, and customer service. These are the companies most consistently recommended by independent reviewers.

Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) offers free, unbiased Medicare counseling — no sales pressure, no commissions. Use the buttons below to find SHIP offices, Social Security offices, and Medicare-related resources near you.