Medigap Plan F vs. Plan G: The Definitive 2026 Comparison Guide

Many Medicare beneficiaries choose Original Medicare because it offers broad access to doctors and hospitals nationwide. However, that flexibility can come with significant out-of-pocket costs—especially early in the year:

• Original Medicare Part B includes an annual deductible.
• Once the deductible is met, beneficiaries typically pay 20% coinsurance for most Medicare-covered Part B services.
• If you are hospitalized, Medicare Part A requires a deductible for each benefit period. (A benefit period begins when you are admitted to the hospital and ends after you have been out of the hospital or a skilled nursing facility for 60 consecutive days.)

To help cover some of these out-of-pocket costs, some people add a Medigap policy—also called Medicare Supplement Insurance—which helps pay for certain expenses that Original Medicare does not cover.

What are Medigap Plan F and Medigap Plan G?

Medigap plans are sold by private insurance companies, but the benefits for each plan letter are standardized in most states. In practical terms, that means a Plan G must cover the same standardized benefits regardless of the carrier, though monthly premiums, pricing methods, and customer service can vary.

Plan F and Plan G are among the most comprehensive Medigap options because they help reduce many of Original Medicare’s deductibles and coinsurance costs.

What do Plan F and Plan G have in common?

Both Plan F and Plan G cover key “gaps” in Original Medicare, including:

Part A (Hospital Insurance) gaps covered

• Benefit period deductible (the deductible required when a hospital benefit period begins)
• Hospital coinsurance and hospital costs, including additional hospital days after Medicare coverage limits
• Skilled Nursing Facility coinsurance
• Hospice coinsurance or copayments

Part B (Medical Insurance) gaps covered

• Coinsurance or copayments (typically the 20% share after Medicare pays)
• Excess charges (when a provider is allowed to bill more than the Medicare-approved amount, within legal limits)

Other coverage

• Foreign travel emergency care (up to plan limits)

A Note for Residents of MA, MN, and WI If you live in Massachusetts, Minnesota, or Wisconsin, Medigap works differently. These states do not use the standard lettered plans (A through N) used in the rest of the country. Instead, they offer «Basic» and «Extended» benefit packages that can be customized with riders to match the coverage of a Plan F or Plan G. If you are in one of these states, your options will look different, but the core choice between «full coverage» and «deductible-sharing» remains the same.

What’s the coverage difference between Plan F and Plan G?

The difference is straightforward:

• Plan F covers the Medicare Part B deductible ($283 in 2026), leaving you with $0 out-of-pocket for Medicare-covered services.
• Plan G does not cover the Part B deductible.

How Is a High Deductible* Option Different From a Standard Plan?

In some states, you can choose a High-Deductible* version of Plan F or G. For 2026, this deductible is $2,950.

Pro Tip: It’s vital to understand that this is not like a standard employer high-deductible plan. With a High-Deductible Medigap plan, Medicare still pays its 80% share first. You are only responsible for the «gaps»—the remaining 20% coinsurance or your hospital deductibles—out of your own pocket. You only pay until those small «gap» payments reach the 2026 deductible limit of $2,950. Once that limit is hit, your Medigap plan triggers and covers 100% of your remaining Medicare-covered costs for the rest of the calendar year.

Why can’t newer Medicare beneficiaries buy Plan F?

Federal rules prevent Medigap plans covering the Part B deductible from being sold to people new to Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. Because Plan F pays the Part B deductible, it typically can’t be sold to newly eligible beneficiaries.

In practical terms:

• If you became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020, you generally can’t buy Medigap Plan F.
• If you were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020, you may still be able to purchase Plan F (availability depends on your state and carrier).

Which Plan is Right for You?

Choosing between these two depends on your budget and how you prefer to pay for care. Choose Plan F if you are eligible and want the «set it and forget it» convenience of zero out-of-pocket costs for all Medicare-covered services. However, if you want the best long-term value, this is most likely Plan G. Most beneficiaries find that the annual premium savings on Plan G are significantly higher than the $283 Part B deductible they have to pay, and those premium differences are likely to continue to grow. By choosing Plan G, you are essentially «self-insuring» that small deductible in exchange for lower monthly costs.

Before you choose:

• Know your window: The easiest time to enroll is typically your 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period (starts when you’re 65+ and enrolled in Part B). Outside that window, you may face medical underwriting in many states.
• Confirm Plan F eligibility: If you became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020, Plan F generally isn’t available—so Plan G is usually the closest alternative for comprehensive coverage.

Understanding Long-Term Premium Trends While Plan F currently offers the most coverage, it is important to consider future costs. Because Plan F is now a «closed» group—meaning no one new to Medicare after January 1, 2020, can join—the pool of people in these plans is getting older. Without younger, typically healthier members joining to balance the risk, insurance companies often raise premiums more aggressively to cover the increasing claims of an aging group. In contrast, Plan G remains open to all new enrollees, creating a more stable and diverse pool that may lead to more predictable premium increases over time.

Compare apples to apples: Make sure you aren't accidentally comparing a 'Standard' plan directly to a 'High-Deductible' one—the price gap is huge because the coverage is different. Once you’ve picked one version, shop around. Since the benefits are identical by law, you’re simply looking for the best price for the exact same product.

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