What Is Medicare Supplement Plan G?
Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Plan G has the best coverage for new Medicare enrollees.
Medicare Supplement Plan G is the most popular Medigap plan because it pays for almost all of the costs you're responsible for with Original Medicare (Parts A and B).
Plan G costs $159 per month, on average, which is more expensive than most Medigap plan choices. But the extra cost can be worth it since Plan G will pay for nearly all of your medical costs, except your Part B deductible.
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What is Medicare Supplement Plan G?
Medicare Supplement Plan G has the best coverage for people new to Medicare.
Sometimes called Medigap Plan G, it fills most of the coverage gaps left by Original Medicare. For example, if you are hospitalized, you have to pay a $1,676 Medicare Part A deductible . Plan G covers your deductible, so you don't have to pay it yourself.
There are 10 Medicare Supplement plans. Each plan is represented by a letter. Plan G is the most popular plan overall, and Medigap Plan F is the second most popular plan type.
Most popular Medigap plans
- Plan G: 39% of all Medigap plans sold
- Plan F: 36% of all Medigap plans sold
- Plan N: 10% of all Medigap plans sold
Medigap Plan F offers slightly more coverage than Plan G because it also pays for your $257 per year Medicare Part B deductible. However, Plan F costs $480 per year more than Plan G, which makes it a bad option for most people. Also, you can only get Plan F if you were eligible for Medicare before 2020.
To buy Medicare Plan G, you have to have Original Medicare, which refers to Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B.
You can't buy any Medigap plan, including Plan G, if you have a Medicare Advantage plan.
What does Medicare Plan G cover?
When you go to the doctor or the hospital, Original Medicare will pay its share of the bill. But you may still have some costs to pay yourself. Medicare Plan G helps with those costs. After Medicare Part A or B has paid its portion of your medical bills, Plan G pays some or all of the rest.
Example: Plan G coverage for a hospital stay
Imagine you get sick with a bad case of the flu, and you have to be admitted to the hospital. Without Medigap Plan G, you will have to pay your $1,676 Part A deductible before Medicare starts to pay its share. And if you are hospitalized for more than 60 days, you pay $419 per day in coinsurance.
But if you have Medicare Supplement Plan G, you wouldn't pay anything yourself. Plan G pays for your deductible and Part A coinsurance. Not only does this eliminate your share of the medical bills, it could also free you up from the worry about how to pay.
Remember that Plan G is a supplemental insurance plan. It's not your main insurance coverage. While Medigap plans reduce or eliminate what you have to pay, Original Medicare still pays for most of your medical costs.
Medicare Plan G coverage
Plan G has the same coverage no matter which company you buy it from. That's because Medigap plans are standardized, which means coverage doesn't vary between companies.
Medicare Plan G benefits | Coverage |
|---|---|
| Medicare Part A coinsurance | |
| Medicare Part B coinsurance | |
| Blood (three pints) | |
| Part A hospice care coinsurance | |
| Skilled nursing facility coinsurance | |
| Part A deductible | |
| Part B deductible | |
| Part B excess charges | |
| Foreign travel emergency | 80% |
Medicare Plan G does not cover your Medicare Part B deductible, which is $257 for 2025. Each year, you have to pay for doctor visits and other non-hospital medical services until you have reached the deductible. Then Medicare will cover about 80% of your outpatient health care costs. Plan G then covers the remaining 20% of the bills, so you don't have to pay anything but the $257 yourself each year.
There is a high-deductible version of Plan G available. With this plan, you will have a lower monthly rate, but will have to pay $2,870 of your medical costs before the plan will start paying.
Medicare Plan G pros and cons
Pros
Cons
How much does Medicare Supplement Plan G cost?
Medicare Plan G costs $159 per month on average for a 65-year-old woman who does not smoke. You'll often see a range of prices for Medicare Supplement policies because each insurance company uses a different pricing method for plans. Your exact price for Plan G will also be determined by your location, health, age and gender.
The high-deductible version of Plan G costs an average of $49 per month. Remember: with this plan, you have to pay the first $2,870 of your medical costs before the plan starts paying.
Plan G costs by company
When you shop for Medicare Plan G, you should compare rates from different companies so you can get the best price. Because the coverage is the same no matter which company you choose, comparing rates, customer satisfaction ratings and extra benefits is the best way to choose a Medigap company. Wellcare and Cigna have some of the cheapest rates for Plan G.
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AARP/UnitedHealthcare is one of the most popular companies for Medicare Supplement plans, and it tends to have low rates for Plan G. On the other hand, Plan G from Humana costs an average of $178 per month, which is 11% more than the national average.
Average cost of Plan G from different insurance companies
Company | Plan G rate |
|---|---|
| Wellcare | $135 |
| Cigna | $150 |
| AARP/UHC | $157 |
| Aetna | $158 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $174 |
| Humana | $178 |
| Mutual of Omaha | $180 |
Average monthly rates are for a 65-year-old woman who doesn't smoke.
How to buy Medigap Plan G
Medigap Plan G is sold by private health insurance companies, so you have to work directly with a company to sign up.
However, not all insurance providers offer Plan G. Shopping around and comparing rates can be helpful to find the best Plan G for you.
Getting Original Medicare is the first step to getting Plan G. Starting three months before you turn 65, you have six months to enroll in Medicare. This is called your initial enrollment period. If you're retired and getting Social Security, you'll automatically be enrolled in Medicare. Remember, you have to sign up for Original Medicare and have Parts A and B before you can sign up for Medigap.
You can get a Medicare Supplement plan starting in the first month that your Medicare Part B coverage is active. You then have six months to sign up. This is called Medigap open enrollment, and it's the best time to buy a Medigap policy, since you will get the lowest rates and can't be denied coverage.
If you miss your first window, your Medigap options might be more limited and you could pay more. After your Medigap open enrollment, health insurance companies might charge you more based on your health status. You might be denied coverage entirely. And there's no guarantee that a company will sell you a Medigap policy if you miss your Medigap open enrollment window.
It's best to buy Plan G when you are first eligible for Medicare so you get the best rates. That's because insurance companies aren't allowed to charge you higher rates due to health issues or refuse to sell you a policy because of preexisting conditions during this time.
Medicare Plan G vs. Plan F
Medicare Supplement Plan F covers the Medicare Part B deductible, and Plan G does not. But you can only buy Plan F if you were eligible for Medicare before Jan. 1, 2020. Plan G's coverage is nearly as good as Plan F, though, which is why it is the most popular plan for those new to Medicare Supplement coverage.
Medicare Plan G vs. Plan N
Medicare Supplement Plan N has cheaper rates than Plan G. Plan N costs on average $121 per month, which is 24% less than Plan G.
However, Plan G provides slightly more coverage than Plan N. Plan G pays for Medicare Part B excess charges, and Plan N does not. Part B excess charges aren't common, but if you are hit with one and you have Plan N, you have to pay out of pocket.
Neither Plan N nor Plan G covers the Medicare Part B deductible.
Frequently asked questions
Is Medicare Plan G worth it?
Plan G is usually worth it if you have medium to high medical costs. In this case, you'll usually save enough money on your medical bills to outweigh the monthly cost for Plan G. But if you don't need much medical care, it might make more sense to just have Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan, which combines your Medicare coverage into one policy.
What doesn't Plan G cover?
Plan G doesn't cover your Part B deductible, which is $257 in 2025. It also only covers 80% of the costs for medical care outside of the United States. Medigap plans don't cover prescription drugs, long-term care, or vision and dental needs.
What is the difference between Plan G and a Medicare Advantage plan?
Plan G is a Medicare Supplement plan that works with Original Medicare Parts A and B to pay the bulk of your medical bills. A Medicare Advantage plan works as your main insurance. It bundles Parts A and B together and usually includes coverage for prescription drugs.
Methodology
ValuePenguin uses rate data for all private insurance companies to calculate average Medicare Supplement rates. Rates are for a 65-year-old woman who doesn't smoke, doesn't qualify for a household discount and signed up during her initial enrollment when medical status can't be used as a rating factor. Average rates exclude Select plans and plans in states that have their own Medigap systems.
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Availability of benefits and plans varies by carrier and location and may be limited to certain times of the year, unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 73 organizations that offer 5,110 products in your area. Contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP), to get information on all of your options.
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Medicare supplement insurance is available to people age 65 or older enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B, and in some states to those under age 65 eligible for Medicare due to disability or end stage renal disease.
Medicare Advantage and Part D plans and benefits are offered by these carriers: Aetna Medicare, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Anthem Blue Cross, Aspire Health Plan, Cigna Healthcare, Dean Health Plan, Devoted Health, Florida Blue Medicare, GlobalHealth, Health Care Service Corporation, Healthy Blue, Humana, Molina Healthcare, Mutual of Omaha, Premera Blue Cross, Medica Central Health Plan, SCAN Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Health Plan, Simply, UnitedHealthcare, Wellcare and WellPoint.
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