If you’re turning 65 or already enrolled in Original Medicare, you’ve probably heard the word “Medigap” thrown around by insurance agents, well-meaning relatives, or the pile of mail that shows up right before your birthday. Medigap — short for Medicare Supplement Insurance — can genuinely protect you from thousands of dollars in unexpected medical bills. But the pricing is confusing, the plan letters look like alphabet soup, and the enrollment timing rules can cost you real money if you get them wrong.

Here’s a practical, no-fluff breakdown of what Medigap actually costs in 2026, how Plan G and Plan N (the two most popular options today) compare, and how to shop smart before you commit to a monthly premium you’ll likely pay for the rest of your life.

What Medigap Actually Covers

Medigap is private insurance sold by private companies, but it’s specifically designed to fill the “gaps” left by Original Medicare (Part A and Part B). Instead of paying your own copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles out of pocket, your Medigap policy picks up some or all of that cost, depending on which plan letter you choose.

A few things to understand before you shop:

• You must already have Medicare Part A and Part B to buy a Medigap policy — it’s a supplement, not a replacement.
• Medigap only works alongside Original Medicare. It does not coordinate with Medicare Advantage plans.
• Medigap does not include prescription drug coverage. You’ll need a separate Part D plan if you want drug coverage.

Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage — don’t confuse the two. Medicare Advantage (Part C) is an alternative way to get your Medicare benefits through a private plan, usually with a network of doctors and often a $0 premium. Medigap is the opposite approach: you keep Original Medicare and add a supplement policy that reduces your out-of-pocket costs but usually comes with a real monthly premium. You cannot have both a Medigap policy and a Medicare Advantage plan at the same time.

The Lettered Plans, Explained Simply

Every Medigap plan is standardized by the government, which means Plan G sold by one insurance company covers exactly the same benefits as Plan G sold by any other company in the same state. The only thing that changes between insurers is the price, customer service, and financial stability of the company — not the coverage itself.

Plan F used to be the most popular option because it covered nearly everything, including the Part B deductible. But Plan F (and Plan C) closed to anyone who became newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. That’s why Plan G and Plan N have become the two most commonly purchased plans today — they’re the closest options still open to new enrollees.

Plan G vs. Plan N: Quick Comparison

Feature	Plan G	Plan N
Part A coinsurance & hospital costs	100% covered	100% covered
Part B coinsurance (typically 20%)	100% covered	100% covered, except copays below
Office visit copay	None	Up to $20 per visit
ER visit copay (not admitted)	None	Up to $50 per visit
Part B excess charges	Fully covered	Not covered (you pay the difference)
Part B annual deductible	Not covered (you pay it)	Not covered (you pay it)
Typical monthly premium	Higher	Lower, often 15-25% less than Plan G

In plain terms: Plan G costs more per month but leaves you with almost no surprise bills once you’ve met the Part B deductible. Plan N costs less per month but asks you to pay small copays at the doctor’s office or ER, plus any Part B excess charges if your doctor doesn’t accept Medicare’s approved amount.

What Medigap Costs in 2026

There’s no single national price for Medigap — your premium depends heavily on your state, your age, your gender, whether you use tobacco, and which insurance company you choose. That said, here are typical monthly premium ranges reported across the industry for 2026:

• Plan G: roughly $120 to $240 per month for a 65-year-old, depending on state and insurer.
• Plan N: roughly $100 to $190 per month for a 65-year-old, depending on state and insurer.

These are estimates only — always get a personalized quote for your ZIP code before deciding. And remember: your Medigap premium is on top of, not instead of, your Medicare Part B premium (which most people pay separately, often deducted from Social Security).

Why Your Premium Can Rise Every Year — Even With No Claims

Insurers use one of three pricing methods, and it’s worth knowing which one your policy uses before you sign up:

• Community-rated: Everyone with the same plan pays the same premium regardless of age. Premiums can still rise due to inflation and healthcare costs, but not because you got older.
• Issue-age-rated: Your premium is locked in based on your age when you first bought the policy. It won’t increase just because you get older, but it can still rise for other reasons (inflation, claims experience across the pool).
• Attained-age-rated: Your premium is based on your current age and typically increases every year as you get older — often the cheapest option at 65 but the most expensive by your late 70s or 80s.

A simple worked example: Say a 65-year-old buys an attained-age-rated Plan G at $130/month. By age 75, even without filing a single claim, that same policy could realistically run $220-$260/month once you factor in both the aging rate bumps and annual inflation adjustments insurers apply industry-wide. An issue-age-rated or community-rated policy from a different insurer might start slightly higher at 65 but end up cheaper by 75. This is exactly why asking about the pricing method — not just the starting premium — matters before you enroll.

The Medigap Open Enrollment Period — Timing Matters

This is the single most important timing rule in this entire guide: you get a one-time, 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period that starts the month you’re both 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B.

During this window, insurance companies must sell you any Medigap policy they offer at their best available rate — they cannot deny you coverage or charge you more because of pre-existing health conditions. This is called “guaranteed issue.”

What happens if you miss it? Outside that 6-month window, in most states, insurers can use medical underwriting. That means they can charge you a higher premium, add a waiting period for pre-existing conditions, or deny your application outright based on your health history. A handful of states have their own rules that offer some year-round protections, so it’s worth checking your specific state’s regulations.

If you delayed Part B because of employer coverage (for example, you or your spouse were still working with group health insurance), your Medigap Open Enrollment Period doesn’t start until you actually enroll in Part B — not when you turned 65. Make sure you understand this distinction so you don’t accidentally let your guaranteed-issue window pass while you’re still covered at work.

How to Compare Plans Before You Buy

Because every insurer’s Plan G is legally required to cover the same benefits as every other insurer’s Plan G, price comparison is really about the company, not the coverage. Here’s how to shop smart:

• Compare only within the same letter. Comparing Plan G’s premium to Plan N’s premium tells you about cost, not value — compare Plan G prices across companies, and separately compare Plan N prices across companies.
• Use Medicare.gov’s official Plan Finder to see standardized coverage details and get a sense of insurers licensed in your state.
• Talk to a free State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) counselor. These are unbiased, government-funded advisors — not commissioned agents — who can walk you through your specific situation at no cost.
• Check AARP-branded plans (administered by UnitedHealthcare), which are popular but not automatically the cheapest — always compare the actual quoted premium against other carriers in your state rather than assuming the well-known brand name means the best price.

Questions Worth Asking Any Agent or Insurer

• What has this specific plan’s rate increase history looked like over the past 5 years?
• Is there a household discount if my spouse also enrolls with the same company?
• Do you offer a high-deductible version of this plan, and how much could that save me per year?

Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage — Which Fits Your Budget

This is the big fork in the road for most people approaching 65, and there’s no universally “right” answer — it depends on how you value predictability versus premium cost.

• Medigap + Part D generally means higher monthly premiums but very predictable, low out-of-pocket costs when you actually need care. You can see almost any doctor or hospital nationwide that accepts Medicare, with no referrals or network restrictions.
• Medicare Advantage often has a lower (sometimes $0) monthly premium and may bundle in extras like dental or vision, but usually restricts you to a network of doctors and can involve copays, referrals, and annual out-of-pocket maximums that add up if you have a serious health event.

As a rough guideline: people who travel frequently, want maximum flexibility in choosing doctors, or have chronic conditions that require frequent, predictable care tend to lean toward Medigap despite the higher premium. People who are relatively healthy, budget-conscious month-to-month, and comfortable with a local provider network often lean toward Medicare Advantage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I switch Medigap plans later without new underwriting?

Generally, no — once your one-time guaranteed-issue Open Enrollment Period ends, switching to a different Medigap plan later usually requires medical underwriting in most states, meaning you could be charged more or denied based on your health. A few states offer limited year-round or annual switching rights, so check your state’s specific rules before assuming you can switch freely later.

Does Medigap cover prescription drugs?

No. Medigap policies sold today do not include prescription drug coverage. If you want help paying for medications, you’ll need to enroll in a separate Medicare Part D prescription drug plan alongside your Medigap policy.

Is AARP’s Medigap plan actually cheaper?

Not necessarily. AARP-branded Medigap plans (administered by UnitedHealthcare) are widely marketed and trusted, but “same letter, same coverage” still applies — always get quotes from several insurers in your state before assuming the AARP option is the lowest price. In some states and age groups it’s competitive; in others, a lesser-known regional insurer may beat it.

Medigap isn’t a one-size-fits-all decision, and the “best” plan really comes down to your health situation, budget, and how much predictability you want in your monthly healthcare spending. The single biggest mistake to avoid is missing your 6-month guaranteed-issue window — mark that date on your calendar the moment you enroll in Part B, get a few real quotes for Plan G and Plan N side by side, and ask each insurer directly about their rate increase history before you sign anything.