Medigap Plans 2027

*Only people who became eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020 can purchase Plans C and F. **Plans K and L carry an annual out-of-pocket limit set by Medicare each year; once you hit that limit, the plan covers 100% of covered services for the remainder of the year. ***Plan N covers all Part B coinsurance, except you may owe copays of up to $20 for certain office visits and up to $50 for ER visits that do not result in an inpatient admission. Plans in Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin are standardized in a different way.

Because federal law defines exactly what each plan letter covers, a given letter carries identical benefits from every insurer in your state.

Most people new to Medicare choose one of these three. Plan G covers every gap except the Part B deductible. Plan N trades a lower premium for copays of up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 for ER visits that do not lead to admission, and it does not cover Part B excess charges. High-Deductible Plan G has a $3,050 deductible for 2027, up from $2,950, then covers like Plan G. See Plan G vs Plan N.

Insurer and state determine the method. Before buying, find out how a policy is priced, not only what it costs now.

You also have guaranteed issue rights under federal law in some situations, generally for 63 days after your other coverage ends:

In 2027, standalone Part D plans can charge a deductible of up to $700, with out-of-pocket costs capped at $2,400. Get one along with Medigap so you avoid a lifelong late enrollment penalty.

Rather than paying all of most costs, Plans K and L pay a portion: after Plan K pays 50% or Plan L pays 75% of most cost sharing, the rest is yours. Their premiums are lower, and each has a yearly out-of-pocket limit set by Medicare every year. When you hit that limit, the plan covers 100% of covered services for the remainder of the year.

If you can absorb some costs along the way and want catastrophic protection for a lower premium, these plans may be a fit. Check whether your insurer sells Plan K or L in your state.

Only Plans C and F cover the Part B deductible. As of January 1, 2020, these plans can no longer be sold to people who are newly eligible for Medicare. You may still be able to buy Plan C or F if you became eligible for Medicare before that date, even without enrolling, and that includes High-Deductible Plan F, whose deductible for 2027 is the same $3,050.

If you are eligible for both, weigh the yearly premium gap between Plan F and Plan G against the Part B deductible. When Plan F costs more than the deductible would save, Plan G is the stronger value.

Insurers are not required by federal law to sell Medigap to people who get Medicare before 65 due to a disability or end-stage renal disease, though many states require it. People under 65 may face much higher prices and fewer plan options. At 65, you receive a fresh six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, during which you can buy any plan sold in your state for the same price as others your age.

Since a Medigap plan works with any provider that accepts Medicare, it goes wherever you go within the U.S. Abroad, Original Medicare generally pays nothing, but Plans C, D, F, G, M and N pay 80% of emergency care outside the U.S. once you meet a $250 annual deductible, up to a lifetime limit of $50,000.

After you buy a Medigap policy, its benefits stay the same, though premiums may not. Insurers file rate increases with state regulators, frequently once a year. Since a given plan letter has the same benefits everywhere, moving to a cheaper insurer can cut costs while your coverage stays the same.

Underwriting is the drawback. Unless you are in your Medigap Open Enrollment Period or have a guaranteed issue situation, most states allow the new insurer to ask health questions and turn you down. Keep your current policy until the new one has been approved and is in force.

Most of the time, you will never have to file a Medigap claim. Medicare is billed by your doctor and pays its portion, then the claim passes automatically to your Medigap insurer, which pays the rest of its share. A Medicare Summary Notice and an explanation of benefits show you what each one paid.

Medigap plans sold today do not include prescription coverage, so you should pair yours with a Part D plan, which can come from any company, not just your Medigap insurer. Pick it in Medicare Plan Finder based on your drugs and pharmacy, and recheck it each fall. Putting off drug coverage with no other creditable coverage triggers a late penalty of 1% of the national base beneficiary premium ($41.33 for 2027) for each month without it.

Medicare Supplement plans are designed to fill gaps left by Original Medicare. Here are the costs one can cover:

Turning 65 in 2027? Your Initial Enrollment Period runs for seven months: the three months leading up to your birthday month, the birthday month itself and the three months that follow. Enrolling in the first three months starts your coverage on the first day of your birthday month.

Two programs can greatly lower Medicare costs for people with limited income and savings:

If you qualify for both Medicare and full Medicaid, you may also be able to join a Dual Special Needs Plan. See help for low-income Part D beneficiaries.

When doctors “accept assignment,” they agree that Medicare’s approved amount is payment in full. Doctors who don’t accept assignment may bill up to 15% more, which is known as a Part B excess charge. Excess charges are covered by Plans F and G, but not by Plan N or most other plans.

Since most doctors accept assignment and some states restrict or ban excess charges, the risk is small for many people. Before you decide if paying for excess charge coverage makes sense, ask your doctors whether they take assignment.

The six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period begins in the first month you are at least 65 and enrolled in Part B. It occurs just once and can never be restarted. Throughout this period, insurers have to sell you any Medigap plan they offer in your state for the same price healthy people pay.

When you work past 65 with employer coverage and put off Part B, your Medigap Open Enrollment Period does not begin until you sign up for Part B. Signing up for Part B early, before you need it, starts the clock and may waste this protection.

Coverage through a current employer may mean you do not need Medigap yet, and putting off Part B can save your Medigap Open Enrollment Period for later. Retiree coverage works differently: it can act like a supplement, so weigh it against Medigap before you drop it, since getting retiree coverage back may not be possible.

If employer or union coverage that pays after Medicare comes to an end, you generally gain a guaranteed issue right to purchase certain Medigap plans.

Medicare SELECT is a type of Medigap policy, sold by some insurers, that charges a lower premium but requires you to use specific hospitals, and sometimes doctors, for non-emergency care. The benefits are the same as the standard plan letter, yet the network requirement makes it behave more like a managed plan. A standard Medigap policy is the better choice if you want to see any doctor.

Take a hospital stay as an example. With no supplement, you owe the Part A deductible each benefit period ($1,736 in 2026), plus 20% of the doctors’ Part B charges during your stay, without any cap. Plan G picks up the Part A deductible and your Part B coinsurance; once the annual Part B deductible is met, you generally owe nothing for Medicare-approved care.

When you buy Medigap in your open enrollment period or using a guaranteed issue right, an insurer generally cannot turn you down or raise your price because of health conditions. Still, without prior creditable coverage, you could face a waiting period of up to six months before a pre-existing condition is covered. Having creditable coverage beforehand shortens or eliminates that wait.

When you swap one Medigap policy for another, you generally have 30 days to decide if the new policy is right for you. During that period, pay premiums on both, and keep your old policy until you are certain about the new one.

When a quote reflects an introductory discount, find out what the premium will be once the discount ends.

People with full Medicaid generally do not need Medigap, and insurers generally cannot sell a policy that duplicates Medicaid benefits. A Medicare Savings Program, if you qualify, may cover your Part B premium and sometimes deductibles and coinsurance; consider whether a Medigap policy would still be worth it for you.

Help comparing plans is available, and it should not cost you anything. Your free options include:

Gather your Medicare card, your drug list with doses, your doctors and the pharmacies you prefer before you call. Having them on hand keeps the conversation short.