If you’re choosing a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan, two options dominate the conversation: Plan G and Plan N. They’re the most popular choices for people newly eligible for Medicare because they offer strong coverage at a reasonable price. But they’re not identical, and the difference between them can be worth hundreds of dollars a year — in either direction, depending on how you use care. This guide breaks down exactly how they compare in 2026 and how to decide.
is the 2026 Medicare Part B deductible — and importantly, neither Plan G nor Plan N covers it. Only older Medigap plans (like Plan F, no longer sold to new enrollees) covered the Part B deductible.
Source: CMS, 2026What Medigap does in the first place
Original Medicare (Parts A and B) covers a lot but leaves real gaps: a Part A hospital deductible of $1,736 per benefit period in 2026, 20% coinsurance on most Part B services with no annual cap, and more. A Medigap policy pays most of those gaps, so a hospital stay or a serious illness doesn’t become a financial event. Plan G and Plan N are two of the standardized Medigap options — the letters are set by the government, so a Plan G from one insurer covers the same things as a Plan G from another; only the price and service differ.
What both plans cover
Plan G and Plan N are more alike than different. Both cover: your Part A hospital coinsurance (plus 365 extra days after Medicare’s run out), the Part A deductible ($1,736 in 2026), skilled nursing facility coinsurance (days 21–100), Part A hospice coinsurance, the first three pints of blood, your Part B coinsurance (the 20% Medicare doesn’t pay), and foreign-travel emergency care (80% up to a $50,000 lifetime maximum after a $250 deductible). For most people, that broad shared coverage is the whole point — comprehensive protection against the big costs.
| Feature | Plan G | Plan N |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly premium | Higher | Lower ($20–$50 less typical) |
| Office-visit copay | None | Up to $20 |
| ER copay | None | Up to $50 (waived if admitted) |
| Part B excess charges | Covered | Not covered |
| Part A deductible ($1,736) | Covered | Covered |
| Part B deductible ($283) | Not covered | Not covered |
| Part B coinsurance (20%) | Covered | Covered |
The three real differences
Everything comes down to three things. First, premium: Plan N typically costs $20 to $50 a month less than Plan G. Second, copays: Plan N charges up to $20 for office visits and up to $50 for emergency-room visits (the ER copay is waived if you’re admitted), while Plan G has none. Third, Part B excess charges: Plan G covers them; Plan N does not. Understand those three, and you understand the whole decision.
What are Part B excess charges?
This one sounds scary but is increasingly rare. A “Part B excess charge” happens when a doctor does not accept Medicare “assignment” and is allowed to bill up to 15% above the Medicare-approved amount. Plan G covers that extra charge; Plan N leaves you to pay it. In practice, the vast majority of doctors accept Medicare assignment, and a few states even prohibit excess charges entirely — so for many people this is a small or non-existent risk. But if you see providers who don’t accept assignment, Plan G’s protection matters more.
How the average premium compares
Medigap premiums vary widely by age, location, gender and carrier, but for context, the average Plan G premium has run around $164 a month. Plan N typically lands $20–$50 lower. Because the coverage letters are standardized, it pays to shop carriers — two insurers can charge very different premiums for the identical Plan G or Plan N, so comparing across companies is one of the biggest ways to save. That’s exactly what an independent agent does for you.
When Plan N wins
Plan N is often the smarter buy for healthier people who don’t see the doctor constantly and whose providers accept Medicare assignment. The math is simple: add up your likely yearly copays (office visits × up to $20, plus any ER visits × $50) and any excess-charge exposure. If that total stays below the premium you save by choosing Plan N over Plan G, Plan N comes out ahead. For someone who sees a doctor a handful of times a year, the copays are modest and the lower premium wins over 12 months.
When Plan G wins
Plan G is the better fit if you value maximum predictability — no copays to think about, and protection against excess charges — or if you use a lot of care. If you have frequent specialist visits, ongoing treatment, or you see providers who don’t accept Medicare assignment, the copays and excess-charge exposure on Plan N can add up past the premium savings. Plan G also appeals to people who simply prefer “set it and forget it” coverage where almost nothing comes as a surprise bill.
A quick way to decide
- Estimate your yearly copays on Plan N: office visits (up to $20 each) + ER visits (up to $50 each).
- Compare that to your premium savings (Plan G premium minus Plan N premium, times 12).
- Consider excess-charge risk: do your doctors accept Medicare assignment? (Most do.)
- Weigh predictability: do you prefer zero surprise costs, or a lower monthly bill with small copays?
- Shop carriers — identical coverage, different prices.
Don’t forget Part D and timing
Neither Plan G nor Plan N includes prescription drug coverage — with Medigap you buy a standalone Part D drug plan, which now has a $2,100 out-of-pocket cap for 2026. Also crucial: the best time to buy any Medigap plan is during your one-time, six-month Medigap Open Enrollment window, when you can’t be turned down or charged more for health reasons. After that, in most states insurers can medically underwrite your application. Our guide to Medicare enrollment periods explains the timing.
A worked cost example
Numbers make the choice concrete. Suppose Plan G costs $164 a month and a comparable Plan N costs $129 — a $35 monthly difference, or $420 a year in premium savings with Plan N. Now estimate your copays on Plan N: if you see the doctor 10 times a year at $20 each ($200) and visit the ER once at $50, that’s about $250 in copays. In that scenario, Plan N still saves you roughly $170 over the year ($420 saved minus $250 in copays), assuming no excess charges. But if you see specialists 25 times a year, your copays could approach or exceed the premium savings, and Plan G’s predictability starts to win. The right answer genuinely depends on how much care you use — which is why we run your specific numbers.
Why isn’t Plan F an option?
You may hear about Plan F, historically the most comprehensive Medigap plan because it also covered the Part B deductible. By law, Plan F (and the high-deductible Plan F) is no longer sold to people who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. If you were eligible before then, you may still be able to buy it, but for anyone newly aging into Medicare, Plan G is effectively the “most complete” option available — it matches Plan F except for the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026). That’s why the modern decision usually comes down to Plan G versus Plan N.
Plan G/N vs. Medicare Advantage
It’s worth stepping back: Plan G and Plan N are both Medigap plans, which pair with Original Medicare and a standalone Part D plan. The alternative path is Medicare Advantage, which bundles everything through a private plan with a network and copays. Medigap (G or N) means higher predictable premiums but the freedom to see any provider that accepts Medicare nationwide, with little to pay when you use care. Advantage means lower premiums but a network and pay-as-you-go costs. If you’ve already decided you want Medigap’s freedom and predictability, then G vs. N is your next decision. If you’re still weighing Medigap against Advantage, start there first.
Switching plans later — and underwriting
Can you switch from Plan N to Plan G (or between carriers) later? Sometimes — but timing matters. During your one-time, six-month Medigap Open Enrollment window, you have guaranteed issue: no health questions. Outside that window, in most states an insurer can medically underwrite your application, meaning they can charge more or decline you based on your health. So while you’re not locked in forever, switching later isn’t guaranteed to be easy or cheap. That’s a strong reason to think the G-vs-N decision through carefully at the start, when your options are widest — which is exactly what we help you do.
How Medigap premiums are priced
One more thing that affects long-term cost: how a plan is priced. Medigap policies use one of three pricing methods. Community-rated plans charge the same premium regardless of age. Issue-age-rated plans base your premium on your age when you buy, and it doesn’t rise just because you get older. Attained-age-rated plans start lower but increase as you age. Two Plan G policies with the same coverage can cost very differently over 20 years depending on the pricing method — so the lowest premium today isn’t always the lowest total cost over time. We factor this in when we compare carriers for you.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Choosing on premium alone, without factoring copays (Plan N) or long-term pricing method.
- Not shopping carriers — identical coverage can cost very different amounts across insurers.
- Missing the Medigap Open Enrollment window, then facing medical underwriting.
- Forgetting the standalone Part D plan you’ll need with either Medigap plan.
- Overpaying for excess-charge protection you may not need if your doctors accept assignment.
What about High-Deductible Plan G?
There’s a third option worth knowing: High-Deductible Plan G (HDG). It offers the same comprehensive Plan G coverage, but you pay a much lower monthly premium in exchange for meeting an annual deductible (set each year) before the plan starts paying. For healthy people who rarely use care and want to keep premiums low while still capping their worst-case exposure, HDG can be attractive. The trade-off is that in a heavy-care year you pay that deductible out of pocket first. It’s a less common choice than standard Plan G or Plan N, but for the right person it’s a smart middle path — and we’ll mention it if it fits your situation.
The bottom line
Plan G and Plan N are both excellent, comprehensive Medigap plans — the choice is about trade-offs, not right versus wrong. Plan G buys maximum predictability (no copays, excess charges covered) for a higher premium. Plan N trades small copays and excess-charge exposure for a lower premium that often wins for healthier people. Estimate your copays, compare them to your premium savings, consider your providers, and shop carriers. Do that, and you’ll land on the plan that fits both your health and your budget.
How Medigap pays your bills day to day
Once your Plan G or Plan N is in force, using it is refreshingly quiet. You keep seeing any provider nationwide that accepts Medicare, with no networks and no referrals, and at the desk you simply show two things: your red, white and blue Medicare card and your Medigap card. Original Medicare pays its share of a covered service first, and in most cases the claim then 'crosses over' automatically to your Medigap insurer, which pays its portion directly to the provider — you usually don’t file any paperwork. With Plan G, there’s typically nothing left for you to pay once your Part B deductible is met for the year. With Plan N, you may owe your copay right at the visit — up to $20 for an office visit or up to $50 for the emergency room, and the ER copay is waived if you’re admitted. Two more things are worth knowing. Standardized Medigap policies are guaranteed renewable, so as long as you pay your premium the insurer can’t drop you because your health changed or because you started using more care. And because the coverage letter is set by the government, moving to a different insurer later never changes what a Plan G or Plan N covers — only the premium and the company behind it. That steadiness is a big part of why people choose Medicare Supplement coverage in the first place.
Two retirees, one decision each
The clearest way to see the trade-off is through two people, because the same two plans can point to opposite answers. Picture Carol and Frank, both newly on Medicare and both healthy today. Carol sees her doctor only a couple of times a year, all her providers accept Medicare assignment, and she’d rather keep her monthly premium as low as she reasonably can — she’s comfortable paying a small copay now and then. Frank sees several specialists, expects ongoing treatment, and dislikes the idea of tracking copays or opening a surprise bill; he wants his costs settled the moment he pays his premium. Neither of them is making a mistake. Carol leans toward Plan N, where the lower premium — typically $20 to $50 a month below Plan G — usually outruns her modest copays across a year. Frank leans toward Plan G, where there are no copays and Part B excess charges are covered, so almost nothing arrives unexpectedly. Same coverage letters, same carriers to shop, different conclusions — driven entirely by how each of them actually uses care.
| Consideration | Carol | Frank |
|---|---|---|
| Health and usage | Healthy, a few visits a year | Several specialists, ongoing care |
| What she/he values | Lowest steady premium | No copays, no surprises |
| Providers accept assignment | Yes | Wants excess charges covered too |
| Leans toward | Plan N | Plan G |
| Why | Copays likely stay under the premium savings | Predictability outweighs the premium savings |
The lesson isn’t that one plan beats the other — it’s that the right answer is personal. Add up your own likely office and ER visits against the premium you’d save, factor in whether your doctors accept assignment, and the plan that fits usually comes into focus.
The free-look period if you switch later
Suppose you start on Plan N to keep your premium low, and a year or two later your health or your care needs shift and Plan G looks like the better fit. If you can qualify — remember that outside your one-time, six-month Medigap Open Enrollment window most states let insurers medically underwrite your application — Medigap builds in a safety net when you buy the new policy: a free-look period. During that short window you can hold the new policy while you decide whether to keep it, and if you change your mind you can cancel and get your premium back. The single most important rule when switching is this: don’t cancel your existing policy until the new one is fully in force and you’ve decided to keep it. If you drop the old plan first and something goes wrong with the new application, you could be left with a gap in coverage. A practical way to use the free-look period is to keep both policies briefly, confirm the new plan is active and paying claims the way you expect, and only then cancel the old one. You’ll pay two premiums for that short overlap, which is a small price for avoiding any lapse. We walk clients through this timing so the handoff is clean.
When you get a second chance without underwriting
Your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment window is the golden window — no health questions asked — but it isn’t the only time you may be protected. In certain situations, federal rules give you 'guaranteed-issue' rights, meaning an insurer must sell you specified Medigap plans, can’t turn you down for health reasons, and can’t charge you more because of your health. These protections generally arise around specific coverage changes — for example, if a plan you relied on leaves your area or ends, if you lose certain coverage through no fault of your own, or if you tried Medicare Advantage when you first joined Medicare and want to move back to Original Medicare within the trial period. The catch is that guaranteed-issue rights are time-limited and situation-specific; miss the window and you may be back to medical underwriting in most states. They also don’t necessarily open every plan letter to you. Because the details are narrow and the clock is short, this is exactly the kind of thing worth confirming with a licensed agent before you make a move. If you think a life or coverage change might open one of these windows, our overview of enrollment periods is a good starting point, and we can check your particular situation.
What to gather before you compare
You’ll get faster, more accurate answers — and a cleaner comparison of Plan G against Plan N — if you have a few details ready before you sit down with an agent. None of it is complicated, and most of it you already know off the top of your head:
- The doctors and hospitals you want to keep, so we can confirm they accept Medicare assignment (which drives your Part B excess-charge risk on Plan N).
- Roughly how often you see a doctor in a year, plus any planned procedures or ongoing treatment — the raw material for the copay-versus-premium math.
- Your date of birth and ZIP code, since Medigap premiums vary by age and location.
- Your current coverage, if any, and whether you’re inside your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment window or would face underwriting.
- A list of your prescriptions, so we can pair your Medigap choice with the right standalone Part D drug plan.
- Your budget comfort zone — whether you’d rather pay a steady premium and forget it, or a lower premium with occasional copays.
With those in hand, comparing carriers on identical Plan G or Plan N coverage becomes one focused conversation rather than several. If you’d like help pulling it together, reach out and we’ll take it from there.
Can my spouse and I choose different plans?
Yes — and plenty of couples do. Medigap policies are individual, not household, so you and your spouse each apply separately and each get your own premium based on your own age, location and health history. That means one of you can choose Plan G while the other chooses Plan N, which makes perfect sense when your health and care patterns differ. If one spouse manages a chronic condition and sees specialists often, Plan G’s no-copay predictability may suit them, while a healthier spouse might come out ahead on Plan N’s lower premium. It’s worth asking each carrier whether they offer a household or multi-policy discount when two people in the same home enroll, since that can quietly lower the premium on otherwise identical coverage — one more reason comparing carriers pays off. You’ll also each need your own standalone Part D drug plan, chosen around the specific medications each of you takes. When we work with couples, we run the Plan G versus Plan N comparison for each person on their own rather than assuming you should match, because the plan that fits one of you isn’t automatically the plan that fits the other.
What happens to my Medigap plan if I move?
One of the quiet advantages of Plan G and Plan N is that they travel well. Because both are Medigap plans that pair with Original Medicare, they work with any provider nationwide that accepts Medicare — there’s no network tied to a particular city or state, and no referrals to chase. So if you move across town in Duval County, to another part of Florida, or to a different state entirely, your coverage keeps paying its share exactly the same way. That’s a real contrast with Medicare Advantage, where a move can take you outside a plan’s service area and force a change. A couple of nuances are worth knowing. Your premium can differ by where you live, so a move — especially to a new state — may change what you pay even though the coverage letter stays the same. And if you decide to switch to a different carrier after moving, you could face medical underwriting outside a protected window. But the core coverage itself isn’t disrupted by relocating, and you generally don’t need to re-enroll in a new Medigap plan just because you changed addresses. If a move is on the horizon, it’s a good moment to have us re-shop your premium for the new location.
How we help
As a local independent agency in Jacksonville, we compare Plan G and Plan N across the carriers we represent, run the copay-vs-premium math for your situation, confirm your doctors accept assignment, factor in pricing method, and pair your choice with the right Part D plan — all at no cost. The “best” plan depends on your health, your budget and your tolerance for small copays, and we help you see the trade-off clearly. If you’re deciding between Plan G and Plan N, book a free consultation.
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