Medicare Supplement: Plan G vs Plan N in 2026
The two most popular Medigap plans for new enrollees, what each actually covers, and how the pricing method matters more than the sticker price.
Plan G covers essentially all of Medicare's cost-sharing gaps with no per-visit copays, at a higher premium. Plan N costs less per month but requires small copays — up to $20 for office visits, up to $50 for an ER visit that doesn't result in admission — and doesn't cover Part B excess charges. Neither plan covers the Part B deductible itself.
Compare your own estimated premium for each plan with our Medicare Supplement calculator.
Medigap (Medicare Supplement) plans fill the cost-sharing gaps Original Medicare leaves open — deductibles, coinsurance, and copays. Every insurer selling a given lettered plan (A through N) has to offer identical coverage by federal standardization; what differs between companies is only the price. For most people newly eligible for Medicare today, the real decision comes down to two plans: G and N.
Why Not Plan F Anymore?
If you've heard Plan F was once the gold standard, that's true — it covered the Part B deductible too, making it truly first-dollar coverage. But under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA), Plans C and F closed to anyone newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. If you were already enrolled before that date, you can typically keep your plan; everyone newly eligible since then chooses from the remaining lettered plans, with Plan G now the most comprehensive available.
Plan G vs Plan N: What Each Covers
Plan G
- Covers Part B coinsurance (20%) in full
- Covers Part B excess charges
- No copays for office or ER visits
- Higher monthly premium
Plan N
- Lower monthly premium
- Copay up to $20 for office visits
- Copay up to $50 for ER visits (waived if admitted)
- Does not cover Part B excess charges
Neither plan covers the annual Part B deductible — you pay that out of pocket regardless of which plan you choose, since no lettered plan sold to new enrollees today covers it.
How Age and Area Move the Premium
Beyond the plan letter itself, two other factors move your premium the most: your age band and your area's overall cost level. Here's a rough sense of how a Plan G premium scales:
| Age band | Typical monthly premium (Plan G, average area) |
|---|---|
| 65-69 | $220/mo |
| 70-74 | $253/mo |
| 75-79 | $286/mo |
| 80+ | $330/mo |
How that scaling works matters as much as the starting price. Community-rated plans charge everyone in an area the same rate regardless of age; attained-age-rated plans reprice every year purely because you're a year older, even with no change in health. Ask specifically which pricing method an insurer uses — it changes your 10-year cost far more than the quote you get on day one.
Worth knowing: Your 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period starts the month you're both 65+ and enrolled in Part B. During that window, insurers can't deny you coverage or charge more based on health history — a guarantee that mostly disappears once it closes, so timing your enrollment matters as much as the plan you pick.
Planning Beyond Medigap
Medigap fills Original Medicare's cost-sharing gaps, but it doesn't cover custodial long-term care — a much larger and separate expense for many retirees. See our long-term care insurance calculator to check that gap too while you're planning your Medicare-era coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the main difference between Medigap Plan G and Plan N?
Plan G covers all Medicare Part B coinsurance with no copays; Plan N has a lower premium but requires small copays (up to $20 for office visits, up to $50 for ER visits that don't result in admission) and doesn't cover Part B excess charges.
Why can't I buy Medigap Plan F anymore?
Plans C and F were closed to anyone who became newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020, under a federal law (MACRA) that phased out first-dollar coverage of the Part B deductible. If you were already enrolled in Plan F before that date, you can typically keep it.
Is Plan G or Plan N cheaper?
Plan N's premium typically runs lower than Plan G's, but Plan N shifts some cost to per-visit copays instead. Whether Plan N ends up cheaper overall depends on how often you see a doctor — infrequent users often save with Plan N; frequent users may come out ahead with Plan G's predictability.
What does "community-rated" vs "attained-age-rated" pricing mean?
Community-rated plans charge everyone in an area the same premium regardless of age; attained-age-rated plans price based on your current age and increase every year purely because you're older, even with no health changes — worth checking which pricing method your state's insurers use, since it affects your long-term cost far more than the sticker price at enrollment.
When is the best time to enroll in a Medigap plan?
During your 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, which starts the month you're both 65+ and enrolled in Medicare Part B — during this window, insurers can't deny coverage or charge more based on health history, a guarantee that mostly disappears once the window closes.
Is this an actual insurance quote?
No — this reflects typical Medigap pricing patterns by plan, age, and area cost level, not a quote from a specific insurer. Get an actual quote for exact pricing in your state.
