Medicare Supplement

Before you compare Medigap in Mobile: what to check

MOBILE, Ala. — As 2027 approaches, people shopping for a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy in Mobile will see a familiar set of moving parts: which standardized plan letters they can buy, the yearly reset of the Part B deductible that Plans G and N are built around, and the rate filings insurers submit each year to the Alabama Department of Insurance. None of these are unique to Mobile, but they all shape what a Mobile County resident sees when they compare policies this fall and winter.

Medicare SupplementMobile, AL

Here is a plain-English look at what is actually changing, what is staying the same, and where to check the numbers for yourself.

Plan-letter eligibility: what you can actually buy

Medigap policies are standardized by letter, which means a Plan G from one company covers the same federally required benefits as a Plan G from another. What differs is the price and the customer service.

If you are newly eligible for Medicare today, the letters open to you in Alabama are A, B, D, G, G-HD (a high-deductible version of G), K, L, M and N. Plans C and F are still sold, but only to people who first became eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. That rule has not changed for 2027 — it is a federal cutoff that continues to work its way through the market as more beneficiaries age into Medicare after that date.

If you already have a Plan C or Plan F you bought years ago, you can keep it. The eligibility rule only affects who can newly enroll.

The Part B deductible reset — why it matters for Plans G and N

Plans G and N are the two most-discussed Medigap letters for new enrollees, and both are designed around the Part B deductible. With Plan G, you pay the Part B deductible out of pocket each year, and the plan picks up most of what is left. Plan N works similarly, with some office-visit and emergency-room copays layered on top.

Every January 1, that Part B deductible resets. CMS sets the new amount each fall for the coming year. Once the 2027 figure is published, you can find it on medicare.gov under Medicare costs. Until then, use the current-year figure as a placeholder when you are comparing plans — the structure of the coverage does not change, only the dollar amount you meet before the plan's share kicks in.

Rate-adjustment season in Alabama

Medigap premiums are not set by Medicare. Insurers file proposed rates with the Alabama Department of Insurance, which reviews them. Because filings happen on each company's own schedule, you may see one carrier adjust rates in the spring and another in the fall.

Two practical points for Mobile County shoppers:

• The same lettered plan (say, Plan G) can carry very different premiums from different insurers, even though the benefits are identical by law.
• A rate that looks attractive today reflects this year's filing. Ask the agent or the carrier how rates have moved over the past several years, and check the Alabama Department of Insurance's rate resources before you commit.

We do not publish specific premium figures here because they change with each filing and vary by age, tobacco use, ZIP code and underwriting.

Insurers selling Medigap in Alabama

The full roster of companies licensed to sell Medigap in Alabama, along with the plan letters each one offers, appears in the table below. It includes long-established names such as AARP - UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama, Mutual of Omaha (Omaha Insurance Company), State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company and Humana (Emphesys Insurance Company), along with a range of smaller carriers.

A few things to notice as you scan the list:

• Almost every insurer offers Plan A, because federal rules require any Medigap carrier to make Plan A available.
• Plan G and Plan N are widely offered across the market.
• The high-deductible version of Plan G (G-HD) is offered by a subset of carriers.
• Only a handful of carriers still sell Plans C, D or M, and Plans C and F are only available to those eligible before January 1, 2020.

For any changes to which companies are actively marketing in Alabama for 2027, the Medicare.gov Medigap policy search tool is the most current source; it pulls directly from state filings.

When you can switch, and when medical underwriting applies

Your strongest protection to buy any Medigap plan sold in Alabama, at the best available rate and without health questions, is your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period. That window begins the month you are 65 or older and enrolled in Part B.

Outside that window, and outside of specific guaranteed-issue situations, Alabama insurers can use medical underwriting to decide whether to offer you a policy and at what price. That is true whether you are switching from one Medigap plan to another or moving from a Medicare Advantage plan back to Original Medicare plus a Medigap policy. If you are thinking about a change for 2027, talk with your Alabama SHIP counselor before you drop existing coverage.

Where to check the official numbers

• medicare.gov — for the 2027 Part B deductible, the Medigap policy search, and general Medigap rules.
• Alabama Department of Insurance — for rate filings and consumer guides.
• Alabama SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) — for free, one-on-one help, including for Mobile County residents.
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) — 24/7 for questions about your specific situation.