Medicare Supplement
Medigap Plan Comparison: Plan G vs Plan N
Compare Medicare Supplement Plan G vs Plan N side by side. Both are standardized Medigap plans, but they handle copays, Part B excess charges, premiums, and out-of-pocket costs differently.
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Written & Reviewed by
William Gray
Founder, The Medicare Dude · Independent Medicare Broker · Licensed Since 1998
Reviewed for accuracy:
Plan G and Plan N cover the same standardized benefits — the difference is cost-sharing and monthly premium. Once you understand the tradeoff, comparing actual carrier rates is the next step.
How Standardized Medigap Benefits Work
Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans are standardized by the federal government. Every insurance company that sells Plan G must offer the same core benefits as every other company selling Plan G. The same is true for Plan N. This means the benefit structure you see in the comparison table below applies regardless of which carrier you choose.
What does vary between carriers is the monthly premium. Two people with identical Plan G coverage from different insurers may pay meaningfully different premiums for the same benefits. That is why comparing rates across carriers — rather than simply picking a familiar name — matters.
Plan G and Plan N are currently the two most commonly purchased Medigap plans for people new to Medicare. Plan G offers more comprehensive cost coverage; Plan N typically carries a lower monthly premium in exchange for certain cost-sharing provisions.
Plan G vs Plan N: Side-by-Side Comparison
| Benefit | Plan G | Plan N |
|---|---|---|
| Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs | Covered | Covered |
| Medicare Part A deductible | Covered | Covered |
| Medicare Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment | Covered | Covered |
| Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance | Covered | Covered |
| Medicare Part B deductible Neither Plan G nor Plan N covers the Part B deductible. You pay it once per year before benefits apply. | Not covered | Not covered |
| Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayment Plan N covers Part B coinsurance but may require a copayment of up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 for emergency room visits that do not result in inpatient admission. | Covered | Covered — with copays |
| Medicare Part B excess charges Excess charges occur when a provider does not accept Medicare assignment and bills above the Medicare-approved amount. Plan G covers these; Plan N does not. | Covered | Not covered |
| Foreign travel emergency (up to plan limits) Both plans include foreign travel emergency coverage up to standardized plan limits, after a deductible. | Covered | Covered |
| Blood (first 3 pints) | Covered | Covered |
Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs
Medicare Part A deductible
Medicare Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment
Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance
Medicare Part B deductible
Neither Plan G nor Plan N covers the Part B deductible. You pay it once per year before benefits apply.
Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayment
Plan N covers Part B coinsurance but may require a copayment of up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 for emergency room visits that do not result in inpatient admission.
Medicare Part B excess charges
Excess charges occur when a provider does not accept Medicare assignment and bills above the Medicare-approved amount. Plan G covers these; Plan N does not.
Foreign travel emergency (up to plan limits)
Both plans include foreign travel emergency coverage up to standardized plan limits, after a deductible.
Blood (first 3 pints)
Benefit structures reflect standardized federal plan designs. Carrier availability, premium amounts, and specific plan terms vary by insurer, location, and applicant factors. This table is for educational reference only and does not constitute a complete description of any specific policy.
The Two Differences That Matter Most
Part B Excess Charges
When a provider does not accept Medicare assignment, they may bill up to 15% above the Medicare-approved amount. This is called a Part B excess charge.
Plan G covers these excess charges. You owe nothing beyond the Part B deductible.
Plan N does not cover excess charges. If your provider bills above the Medicare-approved amount, you are responsible for that difference.
Practical note: Many providers accept Medicare assignment, which means excess charges may not arise frequently. However, specialists and certain providers in some markets are more likely to bill excess charges.
Office Visit and ER Copayments
Plan G covers Part B coinsurance in full. After the Part B deductible, you typically owe nothing for covered outpatient services.
Plan N covers Part B coinsurance but may require a copayment of up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 for emergency room visits that do not result in an inpatient admission.
For someone who visits the doctor frequently, these copayments can add up over the course of a year and should be factored into any premium comparison.
Who May Prefer Each Plan Structure
Neither plan is universally better. Do not compare Plan G and Plan N by premium alone: compare the actual premium difference available to you with the benefit and cost-sharing differences. Consider how much you value predictable medical costs, whether Plan N's applicable office-visit and emergency-room copayments and lack of Part B excess-charge coverage fit your providers and expected care, and whether you may want to change policies later. Outside applicable guaranteed-issue rights or other protections, medical underwriting may apply when you change Medicare Supplement policies.
Plan G may be worth considering if…
- You see specialists or providers who may not accept Medicare assignment
- You prefer knowing your out-of-pocket exposure is limited to the annual Part B deductible
- You visit the doctor frequently and want to avoid per-visit copayments
- You value simplicity and predictability in your coverage
Plan N may be worth considering if…
- You are generally healthy and visit the doctor infrequently
- Your providers accept Medicare assignment, reducing excess charge exposure
- The premium difference between Plan G and Plan N is meaningful in your market
- You are comfortable with modest per-visit copayments in exchange for a lower monthly cost
Important: This comparison is educational. The plan that is right for you depends on your specific situation, your providers, and the actual premium difference available in your ZIP code. An independent Medicare broker can run a side-by-side rate comparison across carriers for both plans at no cost to you.
Enrollment Timing and Underwriting
The best time to enroll in a Medigap plan is during your Medigap Open Enrollment Period — the six-month window that begins when you are 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B. During this window, insurance companies cannot use medical underwriting to deny coverage or charge higher premiums based on your health history.
Outside of this initial enrollment window, switching from one Medigap plan to another — or enrolling for the first time — may require medical underwriting in most states. An insurer can review your health history and may decline coverage or offer it at a higher rate.
Florida-specific note: Florida does not currently have a general annual Medigap Birthday Rule that would allow beneficiaries to switch plans without underwriting once per year. Outside of applicable guaranteed-issue rights, changing Medicare Supplement plans in Florida may require medical underwriting.
Guaranteed-issue rights apply in specific circumstances — such as losing other coverage — and allow enrollment in certain Medigap plans without underwriting.
Learn about Medicare guaranteed-issue rights.
Humana members losing coverage in 2027 may qualify for Plan G without underwriting.
When a Medicare Advantage plan is terminated, affected members typically receive a guaranteed-issue right to enroll in a Medicare Supplement plan during a specific window. Plan G is among the federally protected options — this bypasses the standard underwriting rules described above.
Why Premiums Vary Even for the Same Plan
Because Medigap plan benefits are standardized by plan letter, premiums are the primary financial variable to compare. However, companies can also differ in available discounts, rate history, customer service, financial strength, and underwriting administration. Premiums for the same plan can vary substantially between insurers in the same ZIP code — sometimes by hundreds of dollars per year.
Factors that affect how a carrier prices a plan include their rating methodology (community-rated, issue-age-rated, or attained-age-rated), their claims experience, and their market strategy. Learn how Medicare Supplement premiums are determined.
Plan G and Plan N now represent the majority of new Medigap enrollment
According to Telos Actuarial’s 2026 Medicare Supplement market projection, Plans G and N represented approximately 57.6% of all Medigap covered lives in 2025 — up from 19.2% in 2016. Among recently issued policies, G and N now account for approximately 86% of new Medigap business, compared to 31.6% in 2016.
Within the G/N segment, Plan N is growing faster on a percentage basis. Telos projects Plan N’s share of recently issued G/N business grew from approximately 14.6% in 2022 to 17.8% in 2025, with recent-cohort growth of approximately 130,000 policies (+27%) versus Plan G’s approximately 340,000 (+13%). These are Telos Actuarial projections, not guaranteed outcomes.
The shift reflects the impact of MACRA (2020), which channeled new Medicare enrollees toward plans that do not cover the Part B deductible. Popularity does not determine the right choice for any individual — the better plan depends on your providers, usage patterns, and the premium difference in your area.
Plan G vs Plan N in Florida
Florida Medicare Supplement premiums are filed with and approved by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR). Because Medigap benefits are federally standardized, a Plan G from one carrier covers exactly the same benefits as a Plan G from any other — the only variable is the premium.
In Florida, Plan G is typically the most comprehensive option available to new Medicare enrollees. The only out-of-pocket cost under Plan G is the annual Part B deductible ($283 in 2026). Plan N carries a lower premium in exchange for copays of up to $20 on some office visits and up to $50 on emergency room visits that do not result in inpatient admission, plus exposure to Medicare excess charges.
Premium spread between carriers for the same plan and ZIP code can be significant in Florida. An independent broker can run a real-time comparison across all carriers writing in your area — at no cost to you.
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Third option to consider
High-Deductible Plan G — same benefits, lower premium
High-Deductible Plan G provides the same standardized benefits as Plan G after you meet the annual CMS deductible. The monthly premium is typically substantially lower than standard Plan G — making it worth comparing if you are generally healthy and want catastrophic protection at a lower cost. It is also one way to build a broader protection strategy around Original Medicare as an alternative to Medicare Advantage.
Compare HDG vs. Medicare Advantage →Compare Plan G and Plan N Rates — Free, No Obligation
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