What is covered by Medicare Supplement Plans?
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What Is Medicare Supplement Insurance?
Medicare Supplement Insurance, or Medigap, is private coverage designed to help with out-of-pocket expenses like copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles that Original Medicare doesn’t cover. Medicare Supplement insurance plans are standardized by the federal government, which means that all plans of the same type must offer the same basic benefits. Understanding your Medicare Supplement plan options is an important step in making the right coverage decision, and knowing the enrollment periods ensures you don't miss your window.
The appeal of a Medigap plan often comes down to predictability.
"You pay a monthly premium for no surprise bills from copays or deductibles that exceed the Part B deductible. After that, the Medigap picks up what Original Medicare doesn't."
— Harold Randolph, a licensed Medicare agent in Michigan
For beneficiaries who want budget certainty more than a low monthly premium, that trade is the whole point.
The 10 Standardized Medicare Supplement Plan Types
Medicare Supplement insurance plans are available in 10 different plan types, labeled A through N. Each plan type offers a different set of benefits, with some plans providing more comprehensive coverage than others. The benefits covered by each plan type are as follows:
- Plan A: Basic benefits — Part A hospital coinsurance and hospital costs up to 365 days after Medicare benefits end, Part B coinsurance or copayment, the first three pints of blood each year, and Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment
- Plan B: All Plan A benefits plus the Part A hospital deductible
- Plan C: All Plan B benefits plus skilled nursing facility coinsurance, the Part B deductible, and foreign travel emergency care. Not available to people newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020.
- Plan D: All Plan B benefits plus skilled nursing facility coinsurance and foreign travel emergency care
- Plan F: All Plan C benefits plus Part B excess charges. This is the most comprehensive Medigap plan available, but is not available to people newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020.
- Plan G: All Plan D benefits plus Part B excess charges (does not cover the Part B deductible)
- Plan K: 100% of Part A hospital coinsurance plus 50% coverage of Part A deductible, Part B coinsurance or copayment, blood, skilled nursing facility coinsurance, and hospice care. Includes an annual out-of-pocket limit
- Plan L: Same categories as Plan K but covers 75% instead of 50%, with a lower annual out-of-pocket limit
- Plan M: All Plan D benefits, but covers only 50% of the Part A hospital deductible
- Plan N: All Plan D benefits, but requires copays of up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 for emergency room visits that don't result in inpatient admission. Does not cover Part B excess charges or the Part B deductible.
Choosing the Right Medicare Supplement Plan
With ten plan types to choose from, selecting the right Medicare Supplement plan depends on your healthcare needs, budget, and how much financial risk you're comfortable with. Plans with more comprehensive coverage — like Plan F (for those who were eligible before 2020, with current Plan F pricing still climbing) and Plan G — tend to have higher premiums but lower out-of-pocket costs when you need care. On the other hand, plans like K and L offer lower premiums but require you to share more of the costs through coinsurance.
Agents are often blunt about which plan offers the best overall value.
"The only one that I recommend to people is the Plan G, which replaced Plan F in 2020, as the most comprehensive plan on the market. Other Medigap plans are less expensive, but there's a reason for that. Be very careful when a broker suggests Plan N or anything other than Plan G."
— Steve and Sue Brauer, licensed Medicare agents in Arizona
That said, lower-premium options like Plan K can make sense for the right person, as long as you understand the trade-off.
"Plan K covers only 50% of coinsurance/copayment costs for benefits such as Part B cost share, blood, Part A hospice, skilled nursing, and the Part A deductible. Plan K offers no coverage for Part B deductible, Part B excess charges, or foreign travel emergency."
— Paul Dzierzanowski, a licensed Medicare agent in Florida
Plan K's annual out-of-pocket limit provides a ceiling on total spending, which for budget-focused enrollees in generally good health can be acceptable. For anyone managing chronic conditions, it usually isn't.
It's also worth noting that Plan G premiums can vary significantly depending on where you live, so comparing rates across multiple insurance carriers is essential. Sorting through these options means getting past common Medicare myths and misconceptions. A licensed Medicare agent can help you evaluate which plan type best fits your situation and find competitive rates in your area. You can also review commonly asked questions about Medicare Supplement plans to learn more about how these plans work in practice.
Plan G vs. Plan N: The Most Popular Medicare Supplement Plans
Among the more popular plans are Plan F, Plan G, and Plan N. The decision between Plan G and Plan N is where most new enrollees end up spending the most time.
"Medigap Plan G and Plan N are both Medicare Supplement plans that help cover costs left by Original Medicare, but Plan N usually has a lower premium with more cost-sharing. Plan G covers almost all Medicare-approved out-of-pocket costs except the small annual Part B deductible. Plan N requires copays for some doctor and ER visits and does not cover Part B excess charges."
— Ann Sanfelippo, a licensed Medicare agent in Florida
Those excess charges are an underrated wrinkle. They occur when a provider doesn't accept Medicare assignment and bills up to 15% over the approved amount.
"Plan G will pay 100% after you pay the Part B deductible. Plan N is similar, however, you have copays for office visits and the ER, and Plan N does not cover excess charges."
— Kristen Skinner, a licensed Medicare agent in Oklahoma
If you're in a state where excess charges are still legal and you see specialists who balance-bill, Plan G is the safer choice. For a full breakdown of what a Plan N enrollee typically pays this year, see our look at current Plan N pricing.
Medicare Supplement Coverage Comparison Chart
The table below shows which benefits each standardized Medigap plan covers. "Yes" means the plan pays 100% of that benefit; percentages indicate partial cost-sharing. Plans C and F are only available to people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020.
| Benefit | A | B | C | D | F | G | K | L | M | N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part A hospital coinsurance & 365 extra days | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Part B coinsurance or copayment | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 50% | 75% | Yes | Yes* |
| Blood (first 3 pints) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 50% | 75% | Yes | Yes |
| Part A hospice care coinsurance/copay | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 50% | 75% | Yes | Yes |
| Skilled nursing facility coinsurance | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 50% | 75% | Yes | Yes |
| Part A deductible | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 50% | 75% | 50% | Yes |
| Part B deductible | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Part B excess charges | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Foreign travel emergency (up to plan limits) | No | No | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | No | No | 80% | 80% |
| Out-of-pocket annual limit | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No |
*Plan N pays 100% of the Part B coinsurance, except for copayments of up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 for emergency room visits that don't result in an inpatient admission.
Once you see how the plans stack up, the next step is comparing quotes. Reach out to a licensed Medicare Agent in your area to get personalized pricing for the plans you're considering.
