Medicare Supplement Plan B, explained.
Plan B is a standardized Medigap plan that covers everything Plan A does — plus one important addition: the Part A hospital deductible. That single difference is what sets it apart. May River Medicare compares every plan against your budget, at no cost.
Not the same as Medicare Part B — this is a private supplement plan. All figures reflect 2026 amounts.
Medigap Plan B is not Medicare Part B. Medicare Part B is your government medical (outpatient) coverage. Medigap Plan B is a private supplement policy — one of the lettered Medigap plans (A through N) that help pay the costs Original Medicare leaves behind.
Three things to know about Plan B
Plan A plus the deductible
Plan B includes every core benefit Plan A has, and adds coverage for the Part A hospital deductible — the one meaningful upgrade over Plan A.
Hospital-cost protection
If you’re admitted, Plan B covers the $1,736 Part A deductible for you — a cost that can hit more than once a year in separate benefit periods.
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 B covers
- Part A hospital deductible ($1,736 in 2026) — the upgrade over Plan A
- 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 B does not cover
- Part B deductible ($283 in 2026)
- Skilled nursing facility coinsurance
- Part B excess charges
- Foreign travel emergency care
Plan B fixes Plan A’s biggest gap by covering the $1,736 Part A hospital deductible. But it still leaves skilled nursing coinsurance, Part B excess charges, and the Part B deductible to you. In many markets, Plan G covers all of those for a premium that’s often close to Plan B — which is exactly why a side-by-side comparison matters.
Who Plan B tends to fit
Wants hospital-deductible protection
Plan B suits someone who specifically wants the Part A deductible covered but doesn’t need the broader coverage of Plan G or N.
Compare before you commit
Because Plan G often prices close to Plan B while covering much more, we’ll show you the real dollar difference so you can decide with eyes open.
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.
See how Plan B compares — free.
We’ll put Plan B 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.