Medicare Supplement Plan G: Coverage, Costs, and How It Works

If you have Original Medicare and want to limit your out-of-pocket surprises, a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan fills the gaps Medicare does not. Among the lettered plans, Plan G is the most comprehensive one available to people new to Medicare, which is why it has become the most popular choice. Here is exactly what it does.

What Plan G Is

Plan G is one of the standardized Medicare Supplement plans. "Standardized" means the benefits of Plan G are set by law and are identical no matter which insurance company sells it. A Plan G from one insurer covers exactly the same things as a Plan G from another; only the price and customer service differ. That is the single most important fact for shopping: you are comparing price, not coverage.

What Plan G Covers

Plan G pays for nearly all of the cost-sharing Original Medicare leaves to you:

• Part A hospital deductible
• Part A coinsurance and hospital costs (plus 365 extra days after Medicare benefits end)
• Part B coinsurance or copayments
• Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayments
• Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance
• First three pints of blood
• Part B excess charges (when a provider charges more than Medicare approves)
• Foreign travel emergency care, up to plan limits

What Plan G Does Not Cover

Plan G does not cover the annual Part B deductible (you pay that yourself), and Medigap plans in general do not include prescription drug coverage, dental, vision, or hearing. For drugs you would add a separate Part D plan. For dental, vision, and hearing you would consider a standalone policy or other options.

What Plan G Costs

Because coverage is identical across insurers, price is where Plan G plans differ, sometimes substantially for the very same benefits. Premiums depend on your age, location, tobacco use, and how the insurer rates the plan (community-rated, issue-age, or attained-age). The takeaway: never assume the first Plan G quote is the best one. Comparing several carriers is the main way to save money on identical coverage.

Plan G vs Plan F

Plan F was long the most complete Medigap plan because it also covered the Part B deductible. However, Plan F is only available to people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. If you became eligible after that, Plan G is effectively the top-tier plan you can buy. The only coverage difference is the Part B deductible, so for new enrollees the choice is usually Plan G.

Plan G vs Plan N

Plan N usually has a lower premium than Plan G, but in exchange you pay small copays for some office and emergency-room visits, and Plan N does not cover Part B excess charges. If you want the lowest predictable cost and do not mind small copays, Plan N can be a good value; if you want the most complete coverage available to new enrollees, Plan G is the choice.

When to Enroll

The best time to buy any Medigap plan, including Plan G, is your Medigap Open Enrollment Period: the six months that begin when you are 65 and enrolled in Part B. During that window you have guaranteed-issue rights, so insurers cannot deny you or charge more for health reasons. Outside that window, medical underwriting may apply. A few states also have annual rules like the birthday rule that let you switch plans more easily.

If you want help comparing Plan G prices from multiple carriers for your age and area, a licensed advisor can do that for you at no cost.