Medicare Supplement

Shopping for a Medigap policy in Anchorage? Here are the plan letters Alaska sells

Medigap — also called Medicare Supplement Insurance — is a private policy that helps pay some of the out-of-pocket costs Original Medicare leaves behind, like coinsurance and copays. It rides alongside Part A and Part B. It is not Medicare Advantage, and it is not a drug plan.

What Medigap is, and what it is not

Because Medigap does not include Part D, most Anchorage residents who choose this path pair their Medigap policy with a stand‑alone Part D prescription drug plan. That way, Original Medicare handles most hospital and doctor bills, Medigap fills in the cost-sharing, and Part D covers medicines at the pharmacy.

The plan letters you can buy in Alaska

Medigap policies are federally standardized. That means a Plan G sold in Anchorage covers the same basic benefits as a Plan G sold anywhere else in the country (Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin standardize differently, but Alaska follows the federal letters).

For people newly eligible for Medicare today, Alaska offers these standardized letters:

• A
• B
• D
• G
• G with a high deductible (G-HD)
• K
• L
• M
• N

Plans C and F are still available, but only to people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. If that is you, you may keep a Plan C or F you already have, or buy one if you qualify.

The table below lists every plan letter side by side so you can compare the benefits each one includes.

How Medigap pairs with Original Medicare and Part D

Here is how the pieces fit together for someone in Anchorage who chooses this route:

• Part A and Part B (Original Medicare): Pays the bulk of hospital and outpatient care.
• Medigap: Picks up much of the coinsurance, copays and — depending on the letter — the Part A or Part B deductible.
• Part D: A separate drug plan you buy from a private insurer.

You cannot use a Medigap policy with a Medicare Advantage plan. If you switch to Advantage, you should not keep paying a Medigap premium, because it will not pay benefits alongside Advantage.

Key 2026 numbers to keep in mind

Even with Medigap, Part D has its own rules. For 2026:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100.
• The Part D deductible can be no more than $615.
• The old coverage gap (“donut hole”) is gone as of 2025 — there are three phases now.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs across the year in monthly payments if you want to.
• Higher-income enrollees may pay IRMAA surcharges on Part B and Part D; for a single filer in 2026, IRMAA begins above $109,000 in income.

Enrollment windows to know: the Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 – December 7, and the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 – March 31. Medigap has its own enrollment rules, described below.

The Alaska rules that shape your choice

Two things matter most when you shop for Medigap in Anchorage: when you buy and how the policy is priced.

Your Medigap Open Enrollment Period. This is a one-time, six-month window that starts the month you are 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. During this window, insurers must sell you any Medigap policy they offer at their best available rate, and they cannot turn you down or charge more because of your health. Outside that window, in most cases, medical underwriting can apply.

Guaranteed issue rights. Federal law gives you the right to buy certain Medigap policies without underwriting in specific situations — for example, if your Medicare Advantage plan leaves your area. Some states add extra rights, such as annual “birthday rule” windows. Whether any additional protections apply in Alaska, and exactly how they work, is a question best answered by the Alaska Division of Insurance or the state SHIP.

Pricing method. Medigap premiums can be set three ways: community-rated, issue-age-rated or attained-age-rated. Two policies with the same letter can cost very different amounts over time depending on which method the insurer uses. Ask each insurer how their policy is priced before you sign.

How to find and compare Anchorage policies

There is no single official list of every Medigap insurer in Alaska, but you have solid tools:

• Medicare.gov Medigap policy search. Enter your ZIP code to see the policies sold in Anchorage, along with each insurer's contact information.
• Alaska Division of Insurance Medigap rate guide. The state publishes information on companies licensed to sell Medigap in Alaska.
• Alaska SHIP. The State Health Insurance Assistance Program offers free, unbiased counseling by phone or in person.
• 1-800-MEDICARE. Available 24/7 for general Medicare questions.

Because premiums, underwriting rules and available insurers can change, it is worth checking these sources again before you enroll — even if you have shopped Medigap before.