Every Medigap policy must follow federal and state laws designed to protect you, and it must be clearly identified as "Medicare Supplement Insurance." Insurance companies can sell you only a "standardized" policy identified in most states by letters.

All policies offer the same basic benefits but some offer additional benefits, so you can choose which one meets your needs. 

Each insurance company decides which Medigap policies it wants to sell, although state laws might affect which ones they offer. Insurance companies that sell Medigap policies:

• Don't have to offer every Medigap plan
• Must offer the same coverage as every other insurer.  Therefore Plan G benefits are the same from company to company, the prices will be different, however, by law; the coverage is always the same.
• Must offer Medigap Plan A if they offer any Medigap policy
• Must also offer Plan C or Plan F if they offer any plan

Note:

As of January 1, 2020, Medigap plans sold to new people with Medicare aren't allowed to cover the Part B deductible. Because of this, Plans C and F are not available to people new to Medicare starting on January 1, 2020. If you already have either of these 2 plans (or the high deductible version of Plan F) or are covered by one of these plans before January 1, 2020, you’ll be able to keep your plan. If you were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020, but not yet enrolled, you may be able to buy one of these plans.

Plan A

Since the federal government requires all insurance companies to offer Plan A if they sell supplemental policies, it’s the most common and generally has the lowest premiums.

Plan A includes coverage for:

• Medicare Part A coinsurance & hospital     costs up to an additional 365 days after Medicare benefits stop
• Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayment
• 3 pints of blood
• Part A hospice care coinsurance and copayments

Plan B

Plan B is nearly identical to Plan A, but it also includes coverage for Part A deductibles.

Plan C

Plan C includes coverage for a number of additional expenses, including:

• Part A coinsurance & hospital costs up to an additional 365 days after Medicare benefits stop
• Part B coinsurance or copayment
• 3 pints of blood
• Part A hospice care coinsurance and copayments
• Skilled nursing facility coinsurance
• Part A deductible
• Part B deductible
• 80% of foreign travel emergency expenses (up to plan limits)

As of January 1, 2020, Plan C will no longer be available to anyone who is new to Medicare.

Plan D

Plan D is nearly identical to Plan C, but it does not cover Part B deductibles. Since Plan C is being phased out in 2020, it’s an ideal alternative if you’re seeking that level of coverage.

Plan F

Plan F is considered a “full coverage” plan. It includes: 

• Part A coinsurance & hospital costs up to an additional 365 days after Medicare benefits stop
• Part B coinsurance or copayment
• 3 pints of blood
• Part A hospice care coinsurance and copayments
• Skilled nursing facility coinsurance
• Part A deductible
• Part B deductible
• Part B excess charges
• 80% of foreign travel emergency expenses (up to plan limits)

As of January 1, 2020, Plan F will no longer be available to anyone who is new to Medicare.

Plan G

Plan G is nearly identical to Plan F, but it does not cover Part B deductibles. Since Plan F is being phased out in 2020, Plan G is an ideal alternative for anyone seeking a “full coverage” plan.

Plan K

Plan K is a low coverage with less expensive premiums. It fully covers Part A coinsurance & hospital costs up to an additional 365 days after Medicare benefits stop, as well as 50% of the following costs:

• Part B coinsurance or copayments
• 3 pints of blood
• Part A hospice care coinsurance and copayments
• Skilled nursing facility coinsurance
• Part A deductible

Starting in 2020, Plan K will have an out-of-pocket spending limit of $5,880. Once you’ve reached this amount, your plan will cover 100% of your eligible expenses.

Plan L

Plan L is similar to Plan K, but it offers slightly more coverage. It fully covers Part A coinsurance and hospital costs up to 365 days after medicare benefits stop. It also covers 75% of the following costs:

• Part B coinsurance or copayments
• 3 pints of blood
• Part A hospice care coinsurance and copayments
• Skilled nursing facility coinsurance
• Part A deductible

Starting in 2020, Plan L will have an out-of-pocket spending limit of $2,940. Once you’ve reached this amount, your plan will cover 100% of your eligible expenses.

Plan M

Plan M is a medium-coverage plan that includes the following:

• Part A coinsurance & hospital costs up to an additional 365 days after Medicare benefits stop
• Part B coinsurance or copayment
• 3 pints of blood
• Part A hospice care coinsurance and copayments
• Skilled nursing facility coinsurance
• 50% coverage of Part A deductibles
• 80% of medical expenses incurred during foreign travel

Plan N

Plan N is similar to Plan M, with a few minor differences. In this plan, you’ll have coverage for:

• Part A coinsurance & hospital costs up to an additional 365 days after Medicare benefits stop
• Part B coinsurance or copayment (you may be responsible for certain $20 - $50 copays)
• 3 pints of blood
• Part A hospice care coinsurance and copayments
• Skilled nursing facility coinsurance
• Part A deductibles
• 80% of medical expenses incurred during foreign travel

The chart below shows basic information about the different benefits Medigap policies cover.

Note

The Medigap policy covers coinsurance only after you've paid the deductible (unless the Medigap policy also pays the deductible).

The chart below shows basic information about the different benefits Medigap policies cover.

Yes = the plan covers 100% of this benefit
No = the policy doesn't cover that benefit
% = the plan covers that percentage of this benefit
N/A = not applicable

Note

The Medigap policy covers coinsurance only after you've paid the deductible (unless the Medigap policy also pays the deductible).