What is Medigap Plan G
Medigap Plan G (sometimes incorrectly called part G) is one of the standardized Medicare Supplement Insurance plan options available in most states. (Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin have different options).
Medicare Supplement Plan G is the fastest growing Medigap plan.1 Learn more about what Plan G covers, its cost and why it might be the right Medigap plan for you.
Find Medigap Plan G in your area.
Find a planWhat Does Medigap Plan G Cover?
Plan G currently provides coverage for each of the standardized Medigap benefits except for the Medicare Part B deductible.
In 2020, changes to Medigap coverage requirements made Plan G the most comprehensive of any Medigap plan available to newly eligible Medicare beneficiaries (see below for more information).
Plan G Benefits
Standard Medicare Supplement Insurance benefits |
Plan G |
---|---|
Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs |
✓ |
Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayment |
✓ |
First 3 pints of blood |
✓ |
Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment |
✓ |
Coinsurance for skilled nursing facility |
✓ |
Medicare Part A deductible |
✓ |
Medicare Part B deductible |
|
Medicare Part B excess charges |
✓ |
Foreign travel emergency |
80% |
Medicare Part A Coinsurance
Medicare Part A is known as hospital insurance, and it includes cost-sharing measures like coinsurance. Inpatient hospital stays covered by Medicare Part A require coinsurance fees if they exceed 60 days.
Medigap Plan G pays for all of these coinsurance fees.
Medicare Part B Coinsurance and Copayment
Medicare Part B usually charges a coinsurance and copayments for doctor visits and other outpatient care. Medicare Part B typically pays for 80% of the Medicare-approved amount for covered services, leaving a 20% coinsurance in most cases.
Plan G pays the 20% coinsurance or copayment costs.
First 3 Pints of Blood
Original Medicare only covers the fourth pint of blood and beyond. If you need blood while in the hospital, Medigap Plan G covers the cost of the first 3 pints.
Part A Hospice Care Coinsurance or Copayment
Hospice care provides medical treatment and care during a terminal illness. Medicare covers these services, but it requires copayments. These copayments include $5 for each symptom and pain relief prescription drugs and 5% of the Medicare-approved amount for inpatient respite care.
Plan G covers these costs completely.
Coinsurance for Skilled Nursing Facility
You have to pay coinsurance after you are admitted to a skilled nursing facility as an inpatient for more than 20 days.
The coinsurance charge is $200 per day for days 21-100 of an inpatient skilled nursing facility stay in 2023. After day 100, you are responsible for all costs.
Plan G fully covers your skilled nursing facility coinsurance.
Medicare Part A Deductible
Medicare Part A comes with a deductible, which is $1,600 per benefit period in 2023. Medigap Plan G will cover your deductible in full for each benefit period you require.
Medigap Plan G will cover your deductible in full for each benefit period you require.
Medicare Part B Excess Charges
Doctors can bill a procedure for up to 15% higher than what Medicare pays for it. The extra expenses are called “excess charges.”
If there are any excess charges for an approved visit, a person insured under Plan G would be fully covered.
Foreign Travel Emergency
This benefit provides coverage for medical care provided outside of the United States. Medigap Plan G pays for 80% of the billed charges after a $250 deductible has been met for the year.
For more detailed information, read our page about Medicare Supplement Insurance benefits.
Compare Medigap plan benefits in your area.
Find a planWhat Is High-Deductible Plan G?
There is a regular Plan G and a high-deductible Plan G.
If you choose the high-deductible Plan G, you must meet a yearly deductible of $2,700 in 2023 before the plan covers anything.
The high-deductible version of Plan G may have lower premiums than the regular Plan G, but it also comes with much higher out-of-pocket costs.
How Does Medigap Plan G Compare to Other Plans?
You can use this Medigap plans comparison chart to compare Medigap Plan G vs. Plan F vs. Plan N and the other standardized Medigap plans. (Use the scroll bar at the bottom to view all plans and information.
Scroll to the right to continue reading the chart
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 morePlan G Enrollment Statistics
The popularity of Plan G is on the rise among Medicare beneficiaries, with Plan G being the fastest-growing Medigap plan.1
How Much Does Medigap Plan G Cost?
The average Medigap Plan G premium in 2022 was $137 per month.
The only benefit not covered by Plan G — the annual Medicare Part B deductible — costs just $226 per year in 2023 (around $19 per month).
Beneficiaries who have a choice between Plan G and Plan F may benefit from choosing Plan G if the cost of the plan is at least $19 lower per month than Plan F.
How Did Medigap Plans Change in 2020?
The popularity of Plan G increased even faster beginning in 2020.
- Starting in 2020, the highly-popular Plan F and Plan C are no longer available to new Medicare beneficiaries who first became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020.
- If you were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020, you may be able to enroll in Medigap Plan C or Plan F if the plans are available where you live. If you currently have Plan C or Plan F, you will be allowed to stay with either plan coverage going forward.
With Plan F and Plan C no longer offered to new Medicare beneficiaries after 2020, Plan G is now the Medigap plan that offers coverage for more standardized benefits than any other Medigap plan available for sale.
When Is the Best Time to Sign Up for Plan G?
A great time to enroll in Medigap is during your Medigap Open Enrollment Period (OEP).
Your Medigap Open Enrollment Period lasts for 6 months, and it starts as soon as you are at least 65 years old AND enrolled in Medicare Part B.
If you sign up for a Medigap plan during your Medigap Open Enrollment Period, Medicare Supplement Insurance companies can’t use your health status to determine your eligibility for a plan. They also can’t charge you more for a Medigap plan based on your health.
You may be able to enroll in a Medigap plan anytime outside of your Medigap Open Enrollment Period. You may face medical underwriting if you do so, unless you qualify for a guaranteed issue right.
If you have a guaranteed issue right, Medigap insurance companies can’t use your health to determine your eligibility or plan rates.
A licensed insurance agent can help you determine whether or not you qualify for a guaranteed issue right. Not all plan types may be available for purchase if you have a guaranteed issue right.
How Do I Sign up for Plan G?
You may have Plan G options available in your area. A licensed insurance agent can help you compare Medigap plans available near you and help you find a plan that fits your coverage and budget needs.
Find Medigap Plan G in your area.
Find a planOr call now to speak with a licensed insurance agent:
1-800-995-4219
1 AHIP. The State of Medicare Supplement Coverage. (March, 2022). Retrieved from https://www.ahip.org/documents/202202-AHIP_MedicareSuppCvg-02_v03.pdf.
2 TZ Insurance Solutions LLC internal sales data, 2022. This data is based on the Medicare Supplement Insurance policies TZ Insurance Solutions LLC has sold. It is not a comprehensive national average of all available Medicare Supplement Insurance plan premiums.