What Do Medicare Medigap Plans Cover in 2026?

Direct Answer: Medigap Coverage Depends on the Plan Letter

Depends on which of Medicare's 10 standardized Medigap plan letters you buy. Every plan covers Medicare Part A hospital coinsurance and 365 extra hospital days beyond what Original Medicare pays. Beyond that floor, coverage varies sharply: Plan G covers nearly every remaining gap except the 2026 Part B deductible of $283, Plan N covers less in exchange for a lower premium, and Plan F (closed to enrollees newly eligible since 2020) covers the Part B deductible too.

What Original Medicare Doesn't Cover, the Gaps Medigap Fills

Original Medicare Part A and Part B leave several cost-sharing gaps that a Medigap policy is built to fill. Part A charges a $1,736 inpatient hospital deductible per benefit period in 2026, then $434 per day coinsurance for hospital days 61 through 90, and $868 per day for the 60 lifetime reserve days after that. A skilled nursing facility stay costs $217 per day in coinsurance for days 21 through 100 in 2026. Part B, which covers doctor visits and outpatient care, applies a $283 deductible in 2026 and then leaves beneficiaries responsible for 20% coinsurance with no annual cap, meaning a single serious illness can generate thousands of dollars in exposure. Providers who do not accept Medicare assignment can also add Part B excess charges of up to 15% on top of the Medicare-approved amount in states that allow it. Note that no Medigap plan covers prescription drugs; that gap requires a standalone Medicare Part D plan or a Medicare Advantage plan with built-in drug coverage.

How the 10 Medigap Plan Letters Compare

Medicare standardizes 10 Medigap plan letters nationwide (A, B, D, G, K, L, M, N, plus Plan C and Plan F for people who became Medicare-eligible before January 1, 2020, and high-deductible versions of F and G), so a Plan G policy covers the exact same benefits no matter which insurer sells it. The table above compares the four most commonly purchased letters in 2026. Plan G is the most popular choice among new enrollees because it covers every gap except the Part B deductible. Plan N trades a lower monthly premium for small office and emergency room copays plus exposure to Part B excess charges. High-Deductible Plan G carries the lowest premium of the group but requires you to pay a $2,950 annual deductible in 2026 before benefits start.

Medigap premiums for identical coverage vary enormously by state, age, gender, and tobacco use because private insurers, not the federal government, set the price. Plan G premiums for a 65-year-old in 2026 range from about $110 a month in low-cost states to more than $480 a month in high-cost states like New York, so comparing quotes from at least three to five carriers is worth the time.

What Medicare Advantage Offers Instead of Medigap

Medicare Advantage (Part C) is the main alternative to pairing Original Medicare with Medigap. Instead of filling cost-sharing gaps, a Medicare Advantage plan replaces Original Medicare entirely, bundling Part A and Part B benefits, usually Part D drug coverage, and often extra benefits like dental, vision, and hearing into one plan with a network of providers. Medicare Advantage plans cap your in-network out-of-pocket spending at $9,250 in 2026, but you cannot legally be sold a Medigap policy while enrolled in Medicare Advantage, so the two products are mutually exclusive rather than complementary. Monthly Medicare Advantage premiums are often $0, which is why healthier beneficiaries who are comfortable with network restrictions and prior authorization sometimes choose it over Medigap's higher, guaranteed premium.

Cost of Going Without Medigap in 2026

Sticking with Original Medicare alone means every Part B service carries an uncapped 20% coinsurance, so a $50,000 hospital-based procedure billed to Part B could leave you owing $10,000 with no annual ceiling. A single hospitalization that stretches past 90 days adds $868 per day in lifetime reserve day coinsurance in 2026, and a skilled nursing stay past day 20 adds $217 per day. Medigap premiums, which range from roughly $30 a month for High-Deductible Plan G to $480 a month for standard Plan G in expensive states, buy predictability against these open-ended exposures. Beneficiaries who skip Medigap and Medicare Advantage entirely are effectively self-insuring against costs that have no upper limit.

Medigap Eligibility and Enrollment Timing

You must be enrolled in both Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B to buy a Medigap policy. The strongest window to buy is your 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, which starts the month you turn 65 and are enrolled in Part B; during that window, insurers must sell you any plan they offer at their best available rate regardless of your health history, and they cannot use a preexisting condition to deny you or raise your price. Outside that window, most states allow insurers to use medical underwriting, meaning a preexisting condition can get you denied or charged more, though a handful of states (including Connecticut, New York, Maine, and Massachusetts) require year-round guaranteed issue. Beneficiaries under 65 who qualify for Medicare through disability have federal guaranteed issue rights in only some states, so a few instead bridge the gap with an ACA-compliant marketplace plan, which must still cover the ACA's 10 essential health benefits, until they turn 65.

Alternatives if Medigap Doesn't Fit Your Budget

A Medigap premium isn't the only way to manage Original Medicare's cost-sharing gaps. Five alternatives are worth comparing before you commit to a policy:

• Medicare Advantage (Part C): bundles Parts A, B, often D, plus extra benefits with a capped $9,250 (2026) in-network out-of-pocket maximum, usually for a lower premium than Medigap. See [Medigap vs Medicare Advantage](/en/qa/medigap-vs-medicare-advantage).
• Medicare Savings Programs and dual Medicaid eligibility: for beneficiaries with limited income, state Medicare Savings Programs (QMB, SLMB, QI) or full Medicaid can pay Part A and Part B premiums, deductibles, and coinsurance instead of a private Medigap policy. Check the [eligibility screener](/en/screener).
• Employer or union retiree coverage: some retirees keep employer-sponsored retiree health coverage that supplements Medicare and can cost less than buying a standalone Medigap policy.
• Hospital indemnity or critical illness insurance: pays a fixed cash benefit for a hospital stay or specific diagnosis at a lower premium than Medigap, but with far narrower and less predictable coverage.
• PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly): combines Medicare and Medicaid benefits with wraparound medical and support services for eligible frail seniors who need nursing-home-level care but want to stay at home.

How to Find and Compare a Medigap Plan in 2026

Start at Medicare.gov's Medigap plan finder tool, which lists every insurer licensed to sell each plan letter in your state along with sample premiums. Request quotes from at least three to five carriers for the same plan letter, since the benefits are identical but the price is not. Apply during your 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period whenever possible so insurers cannot use medical underwriting, and ask each carrier directly whether it offers a household discount, a high-deductible option, or a lower-cost Select plan that uses a limited network for non-emergency care.

Does Original Medicare cover the same things as Medigap?

No. Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) pays roughly 80% of most covered services after deductibles, leaving you responsible for coinsurance, copays, and hospital deductibles with no annual cap. Medigap is separate private insurance you buy on top of Original Medicare specifically to cover some or all of that remaining 20% and the deductibles, depending on which plan letter you choose.

Can I have Medigap and Medicare Advantage at the same time?

No. Federal law prohibits insurers from knowingly selling you a Medigap policy while you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, because the two products cover the same gaps in different ways. If you switch from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare, you can then apply for Medigap, though guaranteed issue rights may be limited outside your original enrollment window.

What is the cost of Medigap premiums in 2026?

It varies by plan letter, state, age, and insurer. Plan G, the most comprehensive option for new enrollees, runs about $110 to $480 a month in 2026 depending on where you live. High-Deductible Plan G costs roughly $30 to $60 a month but requires you to pay a $2,950 annual deductible before benefits begin. Plan N typically costs less than standard Plan G in exchange for small copays and excess-charge exposure.

What standalone insurance options exist besides Medigap?

Medicare Advantage is the main alternative, bundling Original Medicare with a capped out-of-pocket maximum of $9,250 in 2026 and often extra benefits. Hospital indemnity or critical illness insurance offers a cheaper, narrower cash-benefit alternative. Low-income beneficiaries may qualify for state Medicare Savings Programs or full Medicaid instead of paying a private Medigap premium at all.

Are Medigap plans the same in every state?

Almost. The 10 standardized plan letters (A, B, D, G, K, L, M, N, plus C, F, and high-deductible versions) cover identical benefits nationwide, except in Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, which use their own state-standardized Medigap structures. Premiums always vary by state and insurer even when the benefit letter is the same.

When can I buy Medigap without medical underwriting?

During your 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, which starts the month you turn 65 and are enrolled in Part B. During that window, insurers must sell you any plan they offer regardless of your health history and cannot charge you more for a preexisting condition. Outside that window, most states allow medical underwriting, though a few states require year-round guaranteed issue.

What if I can't afford a Medigap premium?

Consider a lower-cost letter like Plan N or High-Deductible Plan G, check whether you qualify for a state Medicare Savings Program or Medicaid dual eligibility that pays your Medicare cost-sharing directly, or compare Medicare Advantage plans, which often carry $0 monthly premiums with a capped annual out-of-pocket maximum.

What's the difference between Medigap and Medicare Advantage?

Medigap supplements Original Medicare and lets you see any provider nationwide that accepts Medicare, in exchange for a higher monthly premium. Medicare Advantage replaces Original Medicare with a network-based plan, usually a $0 or low premium, bundled drug and extra benefits, and a capped out-of-pocket maximum, in exchange for network restrictions and possible prior authorization.