Medicare Supplement

Medigap in Chandler: how the standardized letter plans work, and what they leave to you

CHANDLER, Ariz. — If you are turning 65 in Chandler, or moving off an employer plan, you have probably heard the term "Medigap" and wondered what it actually does. The short answer: Medigap, also called Medicare Supplement insurance, is a private policy that helps pay the out-of-pocket costs Original Medicare leaves for you — things like the Part A hospital deductible, coinsurance and some other cost-sharing.

Here is a plain-English guide to how these plans are set up, what the letters mean, and where Medigap fits alongside the rest of your Medicare coverage in 2026.

What Medigap is — and what it isn't

Medigap works only with Original Medicare (Part A hospital and Part B medical). You keep your red, white and blue Medicare card, and you add a Medigap policy from a private insurer. When you see a doctor, Medicare pays its share first, then your Medigap plan picks up some or all of what is left, depending on the letter you chose.

A few things Medigap is not:

• It is not Medicare Advantage. You cannot have both at the same time. Medicare Advantage (Part C) replaces the way you get your Part A and Part B benefits; Medigap sits on top of Original Medicare.
• It does not include prescription drug coverage. For drugs, you generally need a separate Part D plan.
• It does not usually cover routine dental, vision, hearing aids or long-term care.

How the standardized letters work

In most states, including Arizona, Medigap policies are standardized by the federal government. That means a Plan G from one insurer covers the same core benefits as a Plan G from another insurer. Insurers can differ on price, customer service and extras, but the medical benefits inside each letter are set.

The plans currently sold to people newly eligible for Medicare are lettered A, B, D, G, K, L, M, and N. Two older plans, C and F, are no longer sold to people who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020, though people who were already eligible before that date can sometimes still buy them.

Here is the general idea, from lightest to most comprehensive:

• Plan A and Plan B cover the basic benefits, including Part A coinsurance and hospital costs.
• Plan G is the most comprehensive plan available to new enrollees. It covers most cost-sharing after you pay the Part B deductible yourself.
• Plan N is similar to G but asks you to pay small copays for some office and emergency room visits.
• Plans K and L are lower-premium options that cover a percentage of costs (50% or 75%) up to a yearly out-of-pocket limit, after which they pay 100%.
• Plan M splits the Part A deductible with you and leaves out the Part B deductible.

There is also a high-deductible version of Plan G (and, for those still eligible, Plan F) that has a lower premium but requires you to meet a set deductible before the plan starts paying.

For the detailed benefit chart, Medicare publishes a side-by-side comparison at medicare.gov.

When you can buy a Medigap plan

Timing matters more with Medigap than most people realize. Your Medigap Open Enrollment Period is a one-time, 6-month window that starts the month you are 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. During that window, insurers must sell you any Medigap plan they offer at their best available rate, regardless of your health history.

Outside that window, in most cases insurers can use medical underwriting — meaning they can ask health questions and either charge you more or turn you down. There are limited "guaranteed issue" situations (for example, if a plan you had is ending), but they are narrower than most people expect.

Chandler is in Maricopa County, where a wide range of Medigap carriers do business, so there is usually meaningful choice at purchase time. Just remember: availability of a plan letter is a federal standard, but which insurers sell that letter, and at what price, varies.

How Medigap fits with Part D and 2026 costs

Because Medigap doesn't cover prescriptions, most people who choose Original Medicare + Medigap also enroll in a stand-alone Part D drug plan. A few 2026 numbers worth knowing:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026. Once your covered drug spending reaches that amount, you pay $0 for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• The maximum Part D deductible is $615.
• The old coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone — as of 2025, Part D has three phases instead of four.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your drug costs across the calendar year in monthly bills rather than paying at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA — the income-related surcharge that can raise your Part B and Part D premiums — begins above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

Deadlines to keep on your calendar

• Medicare Annual Enrollment Period: Oct. 15 – Dec. 7. This is the main window each fall to join, switch or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. Medigap is not tied to this window — you can apply for a Medigap policy any time of year, but outside your one-time 6-month open enrollment, underwriting may apply.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period: Jan. 1 – March 31. If you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch to another Advantage plan or back to Original Medicare (and then apply for Medigap) during this window.