Medicare Supplements, finally made simple.
If you’re new to Medicare and the letters, gaps, and jargon feel overwhelming — take a breath. This page walks you through exactly what a Medicare Supplement is, the handful of costs that actually matter, and how all eleven plans compare, in plain English. No pressure, no sales pitch. Just clarity.
What is a Medicare Supplement, really?
Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) is good coverage — but it doesn’t pay for everything. It leaves you with deductibles, and a 20% share of most doctor and outpatient bills that has no yearly limit. A Medicare Supplement — also called Medigap — is a private policy that pays those leftover costs for you. Medicare pays its share first; your Medigap plan picks up the gaps behind it.
Medicare pays first
You keep Original Medicare. It pays roughly 80% of approved costs, then hands the rest to your supplement.
Medigap fills the gaps
Your plan pays the coinsurance, copays, and deductibles Medicare leaves behind — depending on which plan letter you choose.
See any doctor
No networks and no referrals. Any provider nationwide who accepts Medicare works with any Medigap plan.
A Medicare Supplement is a private plan that pays the out-of-pocket costs Original Medicare doesn’t — so a hospital stay or a big surgery doesn’t turn into a surprise bill. The only real decision is which lettered plan (A through N) fits your health and budget.
The 6 gaps every plan is measured against
Here’s the secret that makes every Medigap plan easy to read: they all cover the same short list of costs — they just differ in which ones and how much. Learn these six gaps and the whole comparison chart below suddenly makes sense.
Part A deductible
What you owe each time you’re admitted to the hospital in a new benefit period. Can hit more than once a year.
Part B deductible
A small yearly amount you pay before Medicare starts covering outpatient and doctor services.
Part B coinsurance
Your share of most doctor and outpatient bills — with no yearly cap under Original Medicare. This is what makes a serious illness expensive.
Skilled nursing coinsurance
The daily cost for days 21–100 in a skilled nursing facility after a hospital stay.
Part B excess charges
If a provider doesn’t accept Medicare’s approved amount, they can bill extra. Only a few plans cover this.
Foreign travel emergency
Emergency care abroad (after a deductible, up to a lifetime limit) — Original Medicare covers almost none of this.
Prescription drugs. No Medicare Supplement includes medication coverage — you’ll pair any Medigap plan with a separate Part D drug plan. We help you set that up too.
Four things almost everyone gets wrong
“Plan A” is the same as “Part A.”
They’re unrelated. Parts (A, B, C, D) are Medicare itself. Plans (A through N) are private Medigap policies. Plan A ≠ Part A, and there’s no “Part N.”
Plan G from one company is better than Plan G from another.
By federal law, every Plan G is identical in coverage, no matter the carrier. Only the price and the company’s service differ — which is exactly why shopping matters.
Medigap and Medicare Advantage are the same thing.
They’re opposites. Medigap works alongside Original Medicare with no networks. Medicare Advantage replaces it, usually with networks and referrals. You can’t have both.
I can switch Medigap plans anytime with no questions.
Your best window is the 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period (starting at 65 and on Part B), when you can’t be turned down. After that, most states allow health questions.
The three plans that dominate
Of the eleven plans, just three account for roughly 85% of everyone with Medigap. If you’re new to Medicare, your choice very likely comes down to one of these — and we’ll tell you honestly which fits.
Covers everything except the small $283 Part B deductible. Maximum predictability for new enrollees. Also comes in a low-premium High-Deductible version.
See Plan GNearly matches Plan G for a lower premium, in exchange for small copays (up to $20 office / $50 ER). Great if you don’t visit the doctor often.
See Plan NCovers 100% of gaps — even both deductibles — for $0 out of pocket. Closed to anyone who became eligible on or after Jan 1, 2020.
See Plan FIf keeping the monthly cost down matters most, the cost-sharing plans — Plan K (50% share, $8,000 cap), Plan L (75% share, $4,000 cap), and Plan M (shares the hospital deductible) — trade some coverage for a lower premium. They’re all in the full chart below.
Every plan, every gap — side by side
This is the whole Medigap landscape in one chart, using 2026 figures. A ✓ means the plan covers that benefit in full. A percentage means it pays part. A dash means you pay it yourself. The three most popular plans are highlighted.
| Benefit / Gap | A | B | C | D | FPopular | GPopular | HD-G | K | L | M | NPopular |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part A coinsurance + 365 extra hospital days | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Part B coinsurance the 20% Medicare leaves | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 50% | 75% | ✓ | ✓ · copay¹ |
| Blood first 3 pints | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 50% | 75% | ✓ | ✓ |
| Part A hospice coinsurance | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 50% | 75% | ✓ | ✓ |
| Skilled nursing coinsurance $217/day, days 21–100 | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 50% | 75% | ✓ | ✓ |
| Part A deductible $1,736 per benefit period | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 50% | 75% | 50% | ✓ |
| Part B deductible $283/year | — | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Part B excess charges | — | — | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | — | — |
| Foreign travel emergency 80%, up to limits | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Yearly out-of-pocket limit 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — | $2,950² | $8,000 | $4,000 | — | — |
| Open to new enrollees? eligible 2020 or later | ✓ | ✓ | ✕³ | ✓ | ✕³ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
How to actually choose your plan
There’s no single “best” plan — only the best plan for you. Ask yourself these four questions, and the right direction usually becomes clear.
How predictable do you want your costs?
If you never want to think about a bill, a plan that covers nearly everything up front fits best.
→ Lean Plan G or Plan NIs a low monthly premium the priority?
If you’re healthy and want to keep fixed costs down, a higher-deductible or cost-sharing plan can save real money.
→ Lean High-Deductible G, Plan K, or Plan LDo you visit the doctor often?
Frequent visits make copays add up; occasional visits make a copay plan a bargain versus a higher premium.
→ Rarely visit? Plan N shines. Often? Plan G.Were you eligible for Medicare before 2020?
If so, the most complete plans (C and F) are still open to you — worth comparing against Plan G on price.
→ Pre-2020? Compare Plan F vs Plan GWhatever you choose, your 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period — starting the month you’re 65 and enrolled in Part B — is the one window where no carrier can deny you or charge more for your health history. Missing it can mean medical underwriting later. If you’re near that window, don’t wait to compare.
Every plan at a glance
A one-line summary of all eleven plans. Tap any to read the full breakdown.
Still not sure? That’s exactly what we’re here for.
Tell us a little about your health, budget, and doctors, and we’ll compare every plan against real 2026 rates from 30+ A-rated carriers — then recommend the best fit for you. No cost, no pressure, no carrier bias. Just a straight answer.
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. Plans C and F are available only to those eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. For a complete list of your options, contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.