How Medicare Supplement Plans Stack Up by Coverage
Plan G covers more than Plan N. Plan F covers more than Plan G. But “more coverage” doesn’t automatically mean “better plan,” and that distinction has cost a lot of people real money. Here’s the full breakdown, ranked honestly.
There are ten standardized Medigap plans available in most states: A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N. Every insurer selling Plan G has to cover the same benefits. What changes is the price. So when you’re shopping, you’re really comparing two things: how much each plan covers, and whether that coverage is worth the premium difference.
Let me show you the plans ranked from highest to lowest coverage, then tell you where the real decision points actually are.
| Plan | Covers Part A Coinsurance | Covers Part B Coinsurance | Covers Part A Deductible | Covers Part B Deductible | Covers Part B Excess Charges | Foreign Travel Emergency | Out-of-Pocket Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plan F | Yes | 100% | Yes | Yes | Yes | 80% | None needed |
| Plan G | Yes | 100% | Yes | No | Yes | 80% | None needed |
| Plan C | Yes | 100% | Yes | Yes | No | 80% | None needed |
| Plan D | Yes | 100% | Yes | No | No | 80% | None needed |
| Plan N | Yes | 100% (with copays) | Yes | No | No | 80% | None needed |
| Plan B | Yes | 100% | Yes | No | No | No | None needed |
| Plan A | Yes | 100% | No | No | No | No | None needed |
| Plan L | Yes | 75% | 75% | No | No | No | $3,530 (2026) |
| Plan K | Yes | 50% | 50% | No | No | No | $7,060 (2026) |
| Plan M | Yes | 100% | 50% | No | No | 80% | None needed |
A few things jump out immediately. Plans F and C are the only ones covering the 2026 Part B deductible ($257), but they’ve been closed to new enrollees since January 2020. If you turned 65 on or after January 1, 2020, you can’t buy Plan F or Plan C. Some people already on those plans are grandfathered in, but the new enrollee pool is closed.
That leaves Plan G as the highest-coverage option for most people entering Medicare today.
The Plans Worth Talking About vs. The Ones You Can Skip
I’ll be direct: Plans A, B, K, L, and M exist. They’re legal. They’re sold. But in my experience, they’re rarely the right answer for someone making a careful decision about Medigap coverage.
Plan A only covers Part B coinsurance and Part A hospital coinsurance. It leaves you on the hook for the 2026 Part A deductible, which is $1,676 per benefit period. If you have a hospital stay, that hits fast. Plan A premiums aren’t low enough to justify that exposure.
Plans K and L use a cost-sharing structure with annual out-of-pocket limits. The idea sounds reasonable until you realize Plan K’s 2026 out-of-pocket limit is $7,060. For someone on a fixed income, that’s not protection, that’s a lottery ticket on your health.
The plans that actually deserve a serious look are Plan G, Plan N, and for some people, High Deductible Plan G. Those three cover the real range of what most people need, and the tradeoffs between them are honest and calculable.
Plan G vs. Plan N: The Real Decision Most People Are Making
If you’re enrolling in Medicare today and you want genuine coverage without surprise bills, you’re almost certainly choosing between Plan G and Plan N. Here’s what the difference actually costs you in practice.
Plan G pays 100% of Part B coinsurance after you meet the 2026 Part B deductible ($257 once per year). That’s your only out-of-pocket cost under Plan G, assuming you see Medicare-accepting doctors. Plan G also covers Part B excess charges, which protects you when a doctor charges more than Medicare’s approved amount.
Plan N covers Part B coinsurance too, but with two important exceptions: you pay up to a $20 copay per office visit and up to a $50 copay for emergency room visits that don’t result in admission. Plan N does not cover Part B excess charges.
So if a 65-year-old in Texas is quoted $145/month for Plan G and $105/month for Plan N, that’s a $40/month difference, or $480/year. If she has four office visits a year, those copays run her about $80. She’d save roughly $400 a year on Plan N, assuming her doctors all accept Medicare assignment. If one of them doesn’t, she could face excess charges on top of that.
The math favors Plan N for healthy people who see doctors infrequently. Plan G wins for people who use their coverage regularly or see specialists who may not accept Medicare assignment.
The Mistake I See Constantly: Buying Coverage Based on Premium Alone
This one frustrates me because it’s so preventable. A lot of people look at a comparison chart, see that Plan N is $40-$60 cheaper per month than Plan G, and sign up for Plan N without ever asking what their doctors charge.
Here’s what they’re missing. If your cardiologist or oncologist doesn’t accept Medicare assignment, they’re legally allowed to charge up to 15% above Medicare’s approved amount. Plan N doesn’t cover that. Plan G does. A 67-year-old in Ohio who sees a cardiologist four times a year for a chronic condition could face several hundred dollars in excess charges annually, which wipes out the premium savings from Plan N completely.
The other side of the mistake is overpaying for coverage you won’t use. I’ve seen people in good health lock into Plan G when Plan N would’ve saved them $4,000-$5,000 over five years with almost no difference in their actual care costs. Neither extreme serves you well.
The fix is simple: before you pick a plan, call your most important doctors and ask whether they accept Medicare assignment. That one phone call changes the math entirely.
High Deductible Plan G: The Option Most Agents Don’t Mention
High Deductible Plan G (HD-G) offers the same coverage as standard Plan G, but you pay the first $2,870 in Medicare-covered costs in 2026 before the plan kicks in. In exchange, your monthly premium drops dramatically, often to $40-$70/month for a 65-year-old, compared to $140-$180 for standard Plan G.
The math on this is actually compelling if you’re relatively healthy. Take a 65-year-old man in Florida paying $55/month for HD-G vs. $155/month for standard Plan G. That’s $1,200/year in savings. Even if he hits the full $2,870 deductible in a bad year, he’s still only out $1,670 more than he would’ve spent on Plan G premiums. In a good year with minimal care, he pockets most of that $1,200 difference.
The people HD-G works for: those who are genuinely healthy at enrollment, have some savings to cover the deductible if needed, and don’t have complex ongoing conditions. The people it doesn’t work for: anyone with a chronic condition generating regular specialist visits and procedures. For them, hitting that $2,870 deductible year after year isn’t a risk, it’s a near certainty.
Agents often steer people away from HD-G because the commissions are lower. I’d rather you know it exists and make the call yourself.
Bottom Line
For most people enrolling in Medicare today, Plan G is the right call. It covers everything except the $257 Part B deductible, protects you from excess charges, and gives you zero surprises when you actually use your coverage. If you’re in excellent health, don’t have complex conditions, and your doctors all accept Medicare assignment, Plan N can save you real money. And if you’re healthy and financially comfortable enough to absorb the deductible in a bad year, High Deductible Plan G is worth a serious look. Whatever you do, don’t pick based on premium alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Medicare supplement plan has the most coverage?
Plan F historically had the most coverage because it paid the Part B deductible in addition to everything Plan G covers. But Plan F is no longer available to people who became eligible for Medicare after January 1, 2020. For new enrollees, Plan G offers the highest level of coverage currently available.
Is Plan G really worth the higher premium over Plan N?
It depends on how you use healthcare. If you have multiple specialists, any doctors who don’t accept Medicare assignment, or a chronic condition requiring regular care, Plan G’s protection from excess charges and unlimited office visits without copays is genuinely worth the extra $30-$60 per month. If you’re healthy and see doctors only occasionally, the math may favor Plan N.
What’s the 2026 Part A deductible and which plans cover it?
The 2026 Part A deductible is $1,676 per benefit period. Plans G, N, C, D, F, and B all cover it in full. Plan M covers 50% of it. Plans K and L cover partial amounts. Plan A doesn’t cover it at all. This deductible applies each time you start a new benefit period, not just once per year, which makes it a real risk for people with recurring hospitalizations.
Can I switch Medicare supplement plans later if my needs change?
Yes, but it’s not as easy as it sounds. Outside of your initial enrollment window or a qualifying special enrollment period, you’ll likely face medical underwriting in most states. That means if your health has declined since you first enrolled, an insurer can deny you coverage or charge you a higher premium. This is why getting the coverage right at initial enrollment matters so much. Switching from Plan N to Plan G after a major diagnosis is often not possible at the same rates you’d have gotten at 65.
