Can I switch my Medigap plan at any time?

You can switch to a different Medigap policy but ONLY during your 6-month open enrollment period, giving you a 30-day “free look period” to decide whether to keep the new one (don’t cancel your original policy until you’re certain about switching, as you’ll need to pay both premiums for one month). If you want to switch policies after the 6-month open enrollment period but before the next enrollment window, you generally cannot do so unless you qualify for a “guaranteed issue right” or “Medigap protection” that usually applies if your Medigap provider exits your area or your coverage changes for specific reasons. Otherwise, you may need to wait until the next open enrollment period (typically October 15 to December 7) to change your Medigap policy. Keep in mind that when you change plans, the new insurance company can underwrite your application—which may result in a coverage denial or higher premiums.

Can I keep my doctor if I enroll in a Medigap policy?

Yes, you can keep your doctor so long as the practice accepts Medicare. Any physician or facility that accepts Medicare will also accept your Medigap (Medicare Supplement) insurance.

If I move to another state, what happens to my Medigap plan?

In most cases, your Medigap plan will move with you even if that specific plan isn’t sold in your new state. Be sure to contact your Medigap provider, however, to confirm the details for your own unique situation.

How do Medigap policies work with Original Medicare?

Medigap policies complement Original Medicare by helping to cover expenses like deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance not paid by Medicare Parts A and B.

What’s the difference between Medigap Plan G and Plan N?

While Plans G and N share many of the same core benefits, G offers more comprehensive coverage than N. The two most significant differences involve excess Part B charges (fees providers may bill above Medicare-approved rates) and coinsurance. Plan G covers excess Part B charges, whereas Plan N does not. In addition, Plan G pays your full Part B coinsurance so you typically owe nothing for Medicare-approved outpatient services after meeting the Part B deductible. With Plan N, you’re responsible for some copayments for office and ER visits.

How can I obtain quotes for Medicare Supplement insurance policies?

You can use Medicare’s Plan Finder tool to view plans and get estimates, contact private insurance companies directly, or work with a licensed agent or broker in your state to help compare multiple carriers.

Can I get a Medigap plan if I have pre-existing conditions?

Yes, individuals with pre-existing conditions are generally eligible for a Medigap plan. The optimal time to enroll is during your 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, however, during which insurance companies must accept your application and cannot charge higher premiums or impose coverage restrictions based on your health history.

Do any Medigap plans include vision and dental coverage

While some carriers offer supplement plan add-ons, Medigap plans don’t cover preventive dental, hearing, or vision benefits. You best bet is to purchase a stand-alone policy or sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan if you don’t have any add-on options.

Medigap, Explained: Coverage, Benefits, and How It Works

While new retirees often encounter many surprises during this time of their lives, one of the most common is looming Medicare coverage gaps for expenses such as high hospitalization deductibles or extended skilled nursing facility stays post-surgery. This is precisely where Medigap policies come into play, covering many out-of-pocket costs Original Medicare doesn’t. Let’s explore these plans in more detail…

The four parts of Medicare

Before we discuss Medigap policy details, it’s helpful to have at least a broad understanding of how exactly Medicare works. The Medicare program in the United States is divided into four parts—A, B, C, and D—each offering distinct types of coverage.

Original Medicare (Parts A &B)

“Original Medicare” refers to Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance), whereby the government pays healthcare providers directly for covered services. While Part A covers inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing facilities, hospice care, and limited home healthcare, Part B does the same for medically necessary services and supplies (including doctor visits, outpatient care, medical equipment, and ambulance services). Nearly all physicians and hospitals nationwide accept Original Medicare.

Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage)

Medicare Part C, also known as Medicare Advantage, is an alternative to Original Medicare with bundled offerings from private companies approved by Medicare—including all benefits covered under Parts A and B and often added extras such as vision, dental, hearing, prescription drug coverage, and services like transportation to medical appointments (features not typically included in Original Medicare).

Medicare Part D

Medicare Part D, administered by Medicare-approved private insurance companies, helps cover the cost of both brand-name and generic prescription drugs. This can be added as a stand-alone plan but is included with most Medicare Advantage plans.

What is Medicare Supplement Insurance?

Medicare Supplement Insurance plans, also referred to as “Medigap” policies, are private insurance policies designed to help pay for many of the healthcare costs Original Medicare doesn’t cover (e.g., copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles) and can add up over time. By filling in such Medicare coverage “gaps,” Medigap policies give beneficiaries more predictable healthcare expenses and greater financial security. Some Medicare Supplement plans may also offer coverage for services Original Medicare doesn’t cover at all, such as medical care while traveling outside the United States.

How Medigap policies work

The federal government standardizes Medigap policies to ensure uniformity and consumer protection. Regardless of which private insurance company you purchase from, they only offer policies from a list of about ten standardized plans. Each is identified by a letter: A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N (note that plans C and F are no longer available to new Medicare beneficiaries).

Plans with the same letter designation must provide identical core benefits, meaning a Plan G policy from one company will cover the same services as a Plan G from any other one (for example). Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin are the only exceptions here, each having their own Medigap plan standardization methods. The key distinction between policies of the same letter is price—varying by insurer and location—with some companies offering extra customer service features or discounts, though core benefits remain the same. Such standardization makes it easier for consumers to compare plans and find the best value for their needs.

Benefits of purchasing a Medigap policy

Several compelling reasons to consider purchasing a Medicare supplement (Medigap) policy include:

Reducing out-of-pocket costs

The primary advantage of a Medigap policy is its ability to significantly reduce or even eliminate most out-of-pocket expenses associated with Original Medicare coverage. In 2026, for example, Part A includes a $1,736 deductible for each hospital stay (though you’re responsible for a portion of daily costs for any stays extending beyond 60 days); some or all of these expenses may be covered depending on the specific plan. After meeting the annual Part B deductible (currently $283), patients are generally responsible for 20% of the Medicare-approved cost for most physician services, outpatient therapy, and durable medical equipment. The extent of this coverage depends on the specific Medigap plan selected.

Enjoying coverage while traveling abroad

Medigap policies can also provide valuable coverage for foreign travel. While Original Medicare doesn’t cover medical care outside the United States, some Medigap plans can assist with healthcare expenses incurred abroad (though a separate deductible typically applies for this).

Having skilled nursing facility coverage

While neither Medicare nor Medigap cover long-term care,Medigap policies may provide additional coverage for skilled nursing facility care or extended hospital and hospice stays (compared to Original Medicare).

Benefiting from guaranteed renewal

So long as you pay your premiums on time, a renewal is guaranteed for your Medigap policy—which cannot be canceled by your insurance provider regardless of your health status, claims history, or any new diagnoses.

Not needing a referral

Unlike most Medicare Advantage plans, Medigap policies usually don’t require referrals to see specialists.

Having the flexibility to go anywhere that accepts Medicare

If you have a Medigap plan, Original Medicare serves as your primary insurer so you can visit any doctor or facility that accepts Original Medicare. With Medicare Advantage plans, however, the insurance company providing your policy becomes your primary insurer—meaning even doctors or facilities that accept Original Medicare may not accept all Medicare Advantage plans.

Drawbacks of purchasing a Medigap policy

There are a few cons to consider when it comes to Medigap policies, including:

Premium costs

Medigap plans typically provide broad coverage but often come with higher monthly premiums. Alongside the usual Medicare Part B and possible Part A premiums, you’re also responsible for an additional Medigap premium. These combined expenses are often costly, so you’ll need to plan accordingly and account for them in your healthcare budget.

No extra benefits

Medigap policies are specifically designed to cover out-of-pocket costs excluded from Original Medicare, unlike Medicare Advantage plans that typically provide extra benefits like dental, vision, and hearing coverage. You might need to consider other insurance options for these additional healthcare features.

Lack of prescription drug coverage

Medigap policies don’t cover prescription drugs, so you’ll need to enroll in Medicare Part D to obtain coverage and thus have multiple plans to manage.

What are typical Medicare Supplement plan costs?

Several factors influence Medigap plan costs such as where you live, the type of plan you choose, and the insurance company. That said, insurance companies determine costs based on three primary rating methods:

Community rating method

The “community rating” method sets premiums so that everyone who purchases the same plan pays the same amount. While premiums may rise over time, these increases are not based on age.

Issue-age rating method

The “issue-age rating” method bases premiums on your age at the time you purchase the policy. Although premiums can rise over time, these increases are not related to your age (similar to community-rated plans).

Attained-age ratings

Most Medigap plans use the “attained-age rating” method, whereby premiums are based on your current age and increase as you grow older. No matter which insurer you choose, understanding the corresponding rating system will help you make a well-informed decision.

Most popular Medigap plans

Recent enrollment data highlights Plan G as the most popular, with this, F, and N comprising ~85% of all Medigap enrollees. According to the Medicare website, a non-smoking 65-year-old male living in Ridgewood, New Jersey could pay anywhere from $164 to $608 monthly for Medigap Plan G. A non-smoking female with a similar profile, meanwhile, would pay a little less—with monthly premiums ranging from $148 to $529. For Medigap Plan N, premiums currently range from $107 to 434 for a 65-year-old non-smoking female in Ridgewood and $120 to $500 for a non-smoking male of the same age. Remember, however, that just because these plans are deemed “popular” doesn’t mean they’re 100% right for you.

What to consider when choosing a Medigap plan

While price is of course important, never choose a carrier based solely on premiums. Also consider the carrier’s rating claims history, average rate increases, financial ratings, and customer service reviews—using Medicare’s Plan Finder tool tokickstart your research.

How to qualify for Medigap

To qualify for a Medigap policy, you must first enroll in Original Medicare (Parts A and B). The initial Medigap open enrollment period lasts for 6 months—beginning when your Medicare Part B coverage starts—and while this window offers the best rates and guaranteed acceptance, you can still apply for a Medigap policy at any time (though approval and pricing may vary outside the open enrollment period).

When to enroll in a Medigap policy

If you decide a Medigap policy is right for you, enroll within 6 months of your Medicare Part B coverage start date so you can take full advantage of the Medigap open enrollment period that provides valuable protections and potential cost savings and helps you steer clear of…

A denial

During your initial 6-month enrollment window, insurers cannot deny you a Medigap policy or charge extra due to any preexisting conditions. After this period, however, insurance companies may require medical underwriting that can result in higher costs or a coverage denial; be sure to research your local regulations since rules vary by state.

Unnecessary costs

Beyond this, buying a Medigap policy after your initial enrollment period may be more expensive since some insurers base rates partly on your age at the time of purchase (with younger applicants generally paying less).

Other Medigap policy purchase considerations

Keep these points in mind before purchasing a Medigap policy:

The lack of a family plan

Medigap policies provide coverage for only one individual. If you’re married, your spouse will need to buy a separate policy to obtain coverage.

The inability to have both a Medicare Advantage and Medigap plan

If you’re enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, you cannot purchase Medigap coverage. It’s in fact illegal for people to sell you a Medigap policy if they know you’re enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan, unless you’re switching back to Original Medicare.

In sum: Medicare Supplement plans

A Medigap policy makes sense for many eligible people given substantial Original Medicare coverage gaps. While the most comprehensive plans are often costly, several options do in fact make supplemental coverage accessible—even for those with a limited budget. Consulting with a Medicare expert or certified financial planner can help you navigate Medicare’s complexities and decide if a Medigap policy aligns with your needs.

Still have questions about Medigap? Schedule a FREE discovery call with one of our CFP® professionals to get them answered.

FAQs

You can switch to a different Medigap policy but ONLY during your 6-month open enrollment period, giving you a 30-day “free look period” to decide whether to keep the new one (don’t cancel your original policy until you’re certain about switching, as you’ll need to pay both premiums for one month). If you want to switch policies after the 6-month open enrollment period but before the next enrollment window, you generally cannot do so unless you qualify for a “guaranteed issue right” or “Medigap protection” that usually applies if your Medigap provider exits your area or your coverage changes for specific reasons. Otherwise, you may need to wait until the next open enrollment period (typically October 15 to December 7) to change your Medigap policy. Keep in mind that when you change plans, the new insurance company can underwrite your application—which may result in a coverage denial or higher premiums.
Yes, you can keep your doctor so long as the practice accepts Medicare. Any physician or facility that accepts Medicare will also accept your Medigap (Medicare Supplement) insurance.
Description text goes hereIn most cases, your Medigap plan will move with you even if that specific plan isn’t sold in your new state. Be sure to contact your Medigap provider, however, to confirm the details for your own unique situation.
Medigap policies complement Original Medicare by helping to cover expenses like deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance not paid by Medicare Parts A and B.
While Plans G and N share many of the same core benefits, G offers more comprehensive coverage than N. The two most significant differences involve excess Part B charges (fees providers may bill above Medicare-approved rates) and coinsurance. Plan G covers excess Part B charges, whereas Plan N does not. In addition, Plan G pays your full Part B coinsurance so you typically owe nothing for Medicare-approved outpatient services after meeting the Part B deductible. With Plan N, you’re responsible for some copayments for office and ER visits.
You can use Medicare’s Plan Finder tool to view plans and get estimates, contact private insurance companies directly, or work with a licensed agent or broker in your state to help compare multiple carriers.
Yes, individuals with pre-existing conditions are generally eligible for a Medigap plan. The optimal time to enroll is during your 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, however, during which insurance companies must accept your application and cannot charge higher premiums or impose coverage restrictions based on your health history.

About the author
The content in this post was developed by our team of writers and reviewed by our team of CFP® professionals here at Vision Retirement.

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