Comparing plans
Choosing Between Medigap Plan F vs. Plan B
by Christian Worstell | Published January 14, 2022 | Reviewed by John Krahnert
What's the difference between Medigap Plan F and Plan B?
Plan F is the only plan that covers all nine standardized benefit areas, while Plan B covers five of them. Whether you need all of the benefits of Plan F depends on your circumstances and your budget.
Important: Plan F and Plan C are not available to beneficiaries who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020.
Understanding Medigap Benefits
There are nine benefit areas a Medigap plan (also called Medicare Supplement Insurance) may cover. All Medigap plans must provide at least partial coverage for four of them:
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Part A hospital care coinsurance and hospital costs
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Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment
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Part B coinsurance or copayment
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First 3 pints of blood
The plans may cover — either partially or in full — some, all or none of the five additional benefits.
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Medicare Supplement Benefits
Part A coinsurance and hospital coverage
Part B coinsurance or copayment
Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment
First 3 pints of blood
Skilled nursing facility coinsurance
Part A deductible
Part B deductible
Part B excess charges
Foreign travel emergency
| Medicare Supplement Benefits | A | B | C* | D | F1* | G1 | K2 | L3 | M | N4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part A coinsurance and hospital coverage | ||||||||||
| Part B coinsurance or copayment | 50% | 75% | ||||||||
| Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment | 50% | 75% | ||||||||
| First 3 pints of blood | 50% | 75% | ||||||||
| Skilled nursing facility coinsurance | 50% | 75% | ||||||||
| Part A deductible | 50% | 75% | 50% | |||||||
| Part B deductible | ||||||||||
| Part B excess charges | ||||||||||
| Foreign travel emergency | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% |
* Plan F and Plan C are not available to Medicare beneficiaries who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. If you became eligible for Medicare before 2020, you may still be able to enroll in Plan F or Plan C as long as they are available in your area.
+ Read more1 Plans F and G offer high-deductible plans that each have an annual deductible of $2,490 in 2022. Once the annual deductible is met, the plan pays 100% of covered services for the rest of the year. The high-deductible Plan F is not available to new beneficiaries who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020.
2 Plan K has an out-of-pocket yearly limit of $6,620 in 2022. After you pay the out-of-pocket yearly limit and yearly Part B deductible, it pays 100% of covered services for the rest of the calendar year.
3 Plan L has an out-of-pocket yearly limit of $3,310 in 2022. After you pay the out-of-pocket yearly limit and yearly Part B deductible, it pays 100% of covered services for the rest of the calendar year.
4 Plan N pays 100% of the Part B coinsurance, except for a copayment of up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 copayment for emergency room visits that don’t result in an inpatient admission.
- Read lessPlan F Coverage
Medigap Plan F offers all nine basic benefits available to Medigap insurance plans. 55% of Medicare beneficiaries that were enrolled in a Medigap plan had Plan F.1
Plan F's popularity may be due to the fact that it is the most comprehensive type of Medigap policy.
In addition to the four basic Medigap benefits, Plan F also covers:
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Medicare Part A deductible
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Medicare Part B deductible
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Medicare Part B excess charges
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Skilled nursing care
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Foreign travel emergency care
Plan F may be more expensive than other plans. When deciding which Medigap plan benefits you the most, it's important to consider the monthly premiums and the type of health care services you require.
Plan F is no longer available for sale to new Medicare beneficiaries who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. If you were already eligible for Medicare before that date, you may still be able to buy Plan F if it is available where you live.
If you already had Medigap Plan F before Jan. 1, 2020, you can keep your plan as long as you continue to pay your plan premiums on time.
Plan B Coverage
Medigap Plan B coverage includes full coverage for the four basic Medigap benefits, plus the Medicare Part A deductible.
In 2022, the Medicare Part A deductible is $1,556 per benefit period.
If you don't mind paying your Medicare Part B deductible ($233 in 2022) out of pocket — or don't think you'll need help paying for skilled nursing care, Part B excess charges or emergency medical care abroad — Medigap Plan B might be an attractive, more affordable option.
But if you enjoy the peace of mind of having "first-dollar" coverage for your health care expenses — and want coverage for every Medigap benefit area — Plan F may be the plan for you, if you're qualified to apply for it.
A licensed insurance agent can help you compare Medigap plans available where you live. Call to speak with a licensed agent today, or compare plans online for free with no obligation to enroll.
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1 AHIP. State of Medigap 2019 Trends in Enrollment and Demographics. (May, 2019). Retrieved from www.ahip.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/IB_StateofMedigap2019.pdf.
Christian Worstell is a health care and policy writer for MedicareSupplement.com. He has written hundreds of articles helping people better understand their Medicare coverage options.
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