Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan N

There are nine areas in which Medicare Supplement Insurance provides coverage for some of Medicare's out-of-pocket expenses. Of these nine coverage areas, Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan N provides full benefits for six of them. These include:

1. Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs
   In 2021, coinsurance payments under Medicare Part A can reach as high as $371 per day for hospital stays of between 61 and 90 days and up to $742 per day for inpatient stays longer than 90 days. Medigap Plan N provides full coverage for these coinsurance costs.
   
   

2. Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayment
   After meeting the deductible for Part B of Medicare, patients are typically required to pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount for most covered services. Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan N picks up the cost of this coinsurance (although a copayment of up to $20 may be required for some office visits and copayments of up to $50 may be required for emergency room visits that do not result in an inpatient admission).
   
   

3. First three pints of blood
   The cost of the first three pints of blood required for a transfusion are not covered by Original Medicare but this expense is covered in full by Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan N.
   
   

4. Medicare Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment
   Part A requires small coinsurance (up to 5% for inpatient respite care) and copayments (up to $5 for products related to pain relief and symptom control) for hospice care. Medigap Plan N covers these costs in full.
   
   

5. Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance
   Inpatient stays at a skilled nursing facility can cost $185.50 per day for days 21-100 in 2021. However, Medigap Plan N provides full coverage of this coinsurance requirement. 
   
   

6. Medicare Part A deductible
   Medicare Part A comes with a deductible of $1,484 in 2021 that can reset throughout the year based on a patient's benefit period. Once again, Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan N covers this cost in full.

What Medigap Plan N Partially Covers

In addition to the six areas of full coverage, Medigap Plan N also provides partial coverage in one other area. While Original Medicare does not provide coverage for most medical services received in foreign countries, Medigap Plan N offers 80% coverage for most services received outside of the U.S.

What Medigap Plan N Does Not Cover

There are two Medigap coverage areas in which Medigap Plan N does not offer any coverage. These include:

1. Medicare Part B deductible
   Plan N does not provide any coverage for the Medicare Part B deductible. The Medicare Part B deductible is $203 per year in 2021.
   
   
2. Medicare Part B excess charges
   Sometimes, the amount that a doctor or other health care provider is allowed to charge a Medicare patient is slightly higher than what Medicare will actually cover. This difference is called an excess charge. Only two Medicare supplement plans provide coverage for these excess charges — Medigap Plan F and Plan G.

Medigap Comparison 

How does Medigap Plan N stack up against the other nine Medicare Supplement Insurance plans?

• Medigap Plan N offers more coverage than Medigap Plans A, B, K, L and M.
  
  
• Medigap Plan N differs from Medigap Plan C in that Plan C covers the Medicare Part B deductible. 

  Important: Plan C is not available to beneficiaries who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020.

• The only difference between Medigap Plan N and Medigap Plan D is that Plan D does not require the small copayments for certain office visits or emergency room visits that do not result in admission. (*Medigap Plan N is the only plan that requires these copayments)
  
  
• Medigap Plan N differs from Medigap Plan F in that Plan F offers full coverage for the two areas (Medicare Part B deductible and excess charges) that are not covered by Medigap Plan N. 

  Important: Plan F is not available to beneficiaries who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020

• Medigap Plan G provides coverage for the Medicare Part B deductible, the only other distinguishing feature from it and Medigap Plan N aside from the aforementioned copayments.

The following chart offers a side-by-side comparison of each Medigap plan.

How to Enroll 

The best time to enroll in Medigap Plan N (or any other Medicare supplement plan) is during your 6-month Medigap open enrollment period.¹ During this time, you may not be charged more for Medigap Plan N (or denied coverage altogether) due to medical underwriting.

The cost of Medigap Plan N, as with any Medigap plan, can be based on a number of factors including age, location, insurance company and more. The best way to find the lowest cost for Medigap Plan N is to compare quotes from insurance carriers in your area.

Speak with a licensed agent to find the plan that's right for you. Call 1-800-995-4219 today.

¹ https://www.medicare.gov/supplement-other-insurance/when-can-i-buy-medigap/when-can-i-buy-medigap.html