Medicare Supplement Plan A, explained.
Plan A is the entry-level, federally standardized Medigap plan — it covers the core benefits every Medigap plan must include. It’s a foundation of protection, and understanding it makes it easy to see how the higher plans build from here. May River Medicare compares every plan against your budget, at no cost.
Not the same as Medicare Part A — this is a private supplement plan. All figures reflect 2026 amounts.
Medigap Plan A is not Medicare Part A. Medicare Part A is your government hospital coverage. Medigap Plan A is a private supplement policy — the base level of the lettered Medigap plans (A through N) that help pay the costs Original Medicare leaves behind.
Three things to know about Plan A
It’s the baseline
Plan A covers the core “basic benefits” that federal law requires of every Medigap plan — nothing less, and it’s the same at every carrier.
Lower premium, fewer extras
Because it covers the essentials only, Plan A often carries a lower premium — but it leaves both Medicare deductibles to you.
Standardized & portable
Like all Medigap, there are no networks. See any provider nationwide who accepts Medicare, with no referrals.
Exactly what Plan A does and doesn’t cover
What Plan A covers
- Part A hospital coinsurance — plus 365 extra days after Medicare benefits end
- Part B coinsurance or copayment (the 20% Original Medicare leaves you)
- First 3 pints of blood each year
- Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment
What Plan A does not cover
- Part A hospital deductible ($1,736 per benefit period in 2026)
- Part B deductible ($283 in 2026)
- Skilled nursing facility coinsurance
- Part B excess charges
- Foreign travel emergency care
Plan A protects you from the big Part B coinsurance exposure and hospital coinsurance, but you’d still pay the $1,736 Part A deductible each time you’re hospitalized in a new benefit period. That single gap is why many people compare Plan A against Plan G or Plan N, which cover that deductible for a modest premium difference.
Who Plan A tends to fit
Budget-focused enrollees
If keeping the monthly premium as low as possible matters most, and you’re comfortable covering the deductibles yourself, Plan A can work.
Better options for most
For a small premium increase, Plan G or Plan N cover far more — including that Part A deductible. We’ll show you the real dollar difference so you can decide.
No Medigap plan includes prescription coverage — you’ll pair Plan A with a separate Part D plan. And your best enrollment window is the 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period (starting when you’re 65 and on Part B), when carriers can’t deny you or charge more for health conditions.
Not sure if Plan A is enough? Let’s compare.
We’ll put Plan A side by side with Plan G and Plan N using real rates from 30+ A-rated carriers, so you can see exactly what a few more dollars a month buys you. Free, no pressure, no carrier bias.
May River Medicare Insurance is an independent agency and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government, the federal Medicare program, or CMS. Medigap benefits are federally standardized; premiums vary by carrier, age, location, and tobacco use. Figures reflect 2026 amounts published by CMS and independent sources. For a complete list of your options, contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.