Plan G Is the Most Complete Medicare Supplement You Can Buy Today
If you want a Medicare supplement plan that covers the most, the answer is Plan G. Full stop. It pays almost everything Original Medicare doesn’t, and for most people turning 65 right now, it’s the single best option available. I’ve watched hundreds of people agonize over this decision, and when they lay out the math, Plan G wins more often than not.
Here’s a quick bit of history that matters: Plan F used to hold the title of “most coverage.” It covered literally everything, including the Part B deductible. But Congress eliminated Plan F for anyone who became Medicare-eligible after January 1, 2020. So if you turned 65 after that date, Plan F isn’t available to you. Plan G is now the most complete plan you can actually get.
The only thing Plan G doesn’t cover is the 2026 Medicare Part B deductible, which is $257 per year. That’s it. One small gap. Everything else, including the Part A hospital deductible ($1,676 per benefit period in 2026), Part B coinsurance, skilled nursing facility coinsurance, foreign travel emergency care, and even excess charges from doctors who don’t accept Medicare assignment, is covered. You pay your monthly premium, you pay that $257 once a year, and then you’re done. No surprise bills, no percentages, no guessing.
For someone like a 67-year-old in Ohio managing a chronic condition and seeing multiple specialists, that kind of predictability is worth a lot. You know your worst-case annual out-of-pocket number before January even ends.
How Plan G Stacks Up Against the Other Major Plans
It helps to actually see what each plan covers side by side, because the marketing around Medigap can make everything sound the same. It isn’t.
| What’s Covered | Plan G | Plan N | Plan K | Plan A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part A coinsurance and hospital costs | Yes | Yes | 50% | Yes |
| Part B coinsurance or copayment | Yes | Yes (with copays) | 50% | Yes |
| Part A deductible ($1,676 in 2026) | Yes | Yes | 50% | No |
| Part B deductible ($257 in 2026) | No | No | No | No |
| Part B excess charges | Yes | No | No | No |
| Skilled nursing facility coinsurance | Yes | Yes | 50% | No |
| Foreign travel emergency (80%) | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Plan N is the main competitor to Plan G, and it’s genuinely worth considering if you’re in good health and don’t mind a little more unpredictability. With Plan N, you pay up to $20 for office visits and up to $50 for emergency room visits, and you’re not covered for excess charges. In exchange, premiums are usually $20 to $40 per month lower than Plan G. If you rarely go to the doctor, that math can work in your favor. But if you’re someone who sees specialists regularly or you live in an area with a lot of non-participating Medicare providers, Plan G gives you a cleaner deal.
Plans K and L are the “cost-sharing” plans, where you pay a percentage of costs rather than a flat amount. I’ll be honest with you, I rarely see these work out well for people. They come with out-of-pocket maximums, but the uncertainty of paying 50% of various costs until you hit that limit is exactly the kind of financial stress most people are trying to avoid when they buy Medigap in the first place.
What Plan G Premiums Actually Look Like in 2026
Plan G isn’t free, and the cost matters. Premiums for a 65-year-old enrolling in Plan G typically run between $100 and $200 per month, depending on where you live, which insurer you choose, and whether you’re male or female. That’s a wide range, and the state you’re in makes a significant difference. Someone in Florida or New York is going to pay more than someone in Iowa or Indiana, sometimes by $60 or $70 a month for identical coverage.
Here’s something a lot of people don’t realize: the coverage under Plan G is standardized by federal law. Every Plan G in your state covers exactly the same things. The only difference between a $120/month Plan G and a $175/month Plan G from a different company is the price and the insurer’s financial reputation. That means you should shop hard on price, because you’re not sacrificing anything by choosing the lower-cost option from a stable insurer.
The High-Deductible Plan G is worth mentioning too. It offers the same coverage as regular Plan G, but you pay out of pocket until you hit a $2,870 deductible in 2026, and then the plan kicks in. Premiums are often $40 to $70 per month as a result. If you’re healthy and want catastrophic protection at a lower monthly cost, this version deserves a serious look.
The Biggest Mistake People Make When Choosing a Medigap Plan
I’ve seen this mistake more times than I can count: people choose a cheaper plan when they’re healthy, thinking they’ll upgrade later if their health declines. They pick Plan N or Plan K to save money in their mid-60s, and then at 70 they develop a serious health issue and want to switch to Plan G. By then, in most states, they’ve lost their guaranteed issue rights, and the insurer can medically underwrite them. They can be charged more or even denied coverage based on their health history.
Guaranteed issue rights, which is the period when you can enroll in any Medigap plan without health questions, only last for six months after you first enroll in Medicare Part B. After that window closes, the protections largely disappear in most states. A few states, like New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, have continuous open enrollment protections, but most of the country doesn’t.
This is why getting the most coverage upfront, when you’re healthy and premiums are at their lowest, often makes more long-term sense than trying to optimize your monthly bill at age 65. You’re locking in your insurability. That’s worth something real. A 65-year-old in excellent health paying $140 a month for Plan G has a very different set of future options than someone who chose a cheaper plan and is now uninsurable at 72 with a recent cancer diagnosis.
The math on saving $30 a month for five years versus being permanently locked out of better coverage doesn’t usually favor the short-term savings strategy.
Who Should Actually Consider Something Other Than Plan G
Plan G is the right answer for most people. But not everyone. I want to be straight with you about the exceptions.
If you’re in excellent health, you see a doctor once or twice a year, you’re comfortable with a small amount of cost-sharing, and you’re willing to actively track whether your doctors accept Medicare assignment, Plan N can save you real money over time. The $20 to $40 monthly savings adds up to $240 to $480 per year. Over five years, that’s potentially more than the $257 Part B deductible you’d pay with either plan.
High-Deductible Plan G is a legitimate option if you want a true safety net without high monthly premiums and you have savings to cover the deductible gap if something happens. Think of it as catastrophic protection. It’s not ideal for someone who already has frequent medical needs, but for a healthy 65-year-old who rarely uses healthcare, it can work.
If you have very limited income and even $120 a month feels like a stretch, I understand that a lower-premium plan or even looking at Medicare Advantage might be a more realistic fit. Medigap assumes you can afford a consistent monthly premium, and if that’s genuinely not possible, the planning conversation looks different.
Bottom Line
Plan G covers the most of any Medicare supplement plan available to new enrollees in 2026, and for most people, it’s the right choice. The only thing you’re paying yourself is the $257 annual Part B deductible, and in exchange you get complete protection against hospital bills, specialist visits, excess charges, and even overseas medical emergencies. Shop multiple insurers for the best price on identical coverage, enroll during your initial guaranteed issue window, and don’t let short-term premium savings talk you into a plan you might regret at 72.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Plan G better than Plan F?
For anyone who became Medicare-eligible after January 1, 2020, Plan F isn’t available, so the comparison is moot. For those who do have access to Plan F, the difference is that Plan F covers the Part B deductible ($257 in 2026) and Plan G doesn’t. Plan F premiums are typically higher than Plan G by more than $257 per year, which means Plan G usually wins on total cost even when you account for paying the deductible yourself.
Can I switch from Plan G to a different Medigap plan later?
In most states, switching Medigap plans after your initial enrollment window closes means going through medical underwriting. Insurers can ask health questions and decline to cover you based on pre-existing conditions. New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts are exceptions with year-round protections, but if you’re in most other states, assume that the plan you choose now is the plan you’re likely keeping long-term unless your health is still excellent when you want to change.
Does Plan G cover dental, vision, or hearing?
No. Medigap plans, including Plan G, only fill the gaps in Original Medicare. Since Original Medicare doesn’t cover routine dental, vision, or hearing, Plan G doesn’t either. You’d need separate standalone coverage for those benefits. This is one area where Medicare Advantage plans often look attractive, though they come with tradeoffs like networks and prior authorization requirements that Plan G users never deal with.
What happens if I need a lot of hospital care? Does Plan G cover it all?
Yes, and this is where Plan G really earns its keep. Without any Medigap coverage, a long hospital stay could cost you thousands, because Medicare’s Part A deductible of $1,676 in 2026 applies per benefit period, not per year, and coinsurance costs kick in after 60 days. Plan G covers all of that, plus it extends your hospital coverage for up to 365 additional days after Medicare benefits are exhausted. If you’re facing a serious illness or surgery, Plan G is genuinely the most protection you can have short of carrying Medicaid alongside Medicare.
