Medicare Supplement

Medigap in Gilbert for 2026: plan letters, the Part B reset and rate filings

GILBERT, Ariz. — If you have a Medigap policy in Gilbert, or you are thinking about buying one, a handful of things quietly reset every year. The plan letters you can choose from, the Part B deductible that Plans G and N are built around, and the rates insurers charge all move on their own calendars. Here is what is changing heading into 2026, and where to look for the numbers that apply to you.

Medicare SupplementGilbert, AZ

The plan letters you can actually buy

Medigap policies are standardized by letter, which means a Plan G sold by one company covers the same core benefits as a Plan G sold by another. What differs is the price and the customer service, not the benefits inside the letter.

For anyone newly eligible for Medicare today, the available letters in Arizona are A, B, D, G, G-HD (the high-deductible version of G), K, L, M and N. Plans C and F are only available if you were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. That federal rule has not changed for 2026, but it is the single most common source of confusion for people helping a parent shop — a plan a neighbor bought years ago may simply not be for sale to you.

The Part B deductible resets in January

Plans G and N are designed around the Part B deductible. Both pay your Part B coinsurance after you meet that deductible, but neither pays the deductible itself. Plan G-HD sets a much higher yearly out-of-pocket amount before coverage kicks in.

Every January, the Part B deductible resets to a new federal figure. The 2026 amount is published by CMS on medicare.gov — check it there before you assume last year's number still applies. If you are comparing G, G-HD and N, the size of that reset is one of the numbers that actually matters to your wallet.

Rate-adjustment season in Arizona

Medigap premiums are not set by Medicare. In Arizona, insurers file rate changes with the Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions, and those filings are what drive the letter you get in the mail saying your premium is going up (or, less often, staying flat).

A few practical points for Gilbert readers:

• A rate change applies to everyone in your rating class, not to you personally. It is not a reaction to your claims.
• Because Medigap letters are standardized, if your rate rises sharply you can shop the same letter at another insurer. Outside your one-time Medigap Open Enrollment window, though, insurers in Arizona can generally use medical underwriting, so approval is not guaranteed.
• The state insurance department publishes a Medigap rate guide that you can request or download. It is the cleanest way to see the current landscape without a sales call.

Insurers entering or leaving

Medigap carriers can enter or exit the Arizona market between years. We are not listing insurers here because that list moves, and an outdated name is worse than none. The Medicare.gov Medigap policy search will show every company currently offering a policy at your Gilbert ZIP code, along with the letters each one sells.

If your current insurer stops writing new Medigap business in Arizona, that usually does not cancel your existing policy — but it is worth confirming in writing with the company, and worth a call to SHIP if the letter you received is unclear.

What to do this fall

The Medigap calendar does not line up with Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7). That window is for Part D and Medicare Advantage. Medigap has its own rules — most importantly the six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period that starts when you are 65 and enrolled in Part B, during which insurers cannot turn you down or charge you more for health reasons.

Still, fall is a natural time to:

1. Pull out your current Medigap policy and note the letter. 2. Check medicare.gov for the 2026 Part B deductible. 3. Watch for a rate-change notice from your insurer and, if one arrives, compare the same letter with other companies using the Medicare.gov search tool. 4. Review your Part D drug plan separately during AEP, because Part D is where the 2026 program-level changes are largest — including a $2,100 out-of-pocket cap, a $615 maximum deductible, and the optional Medicare Prescription Payment Plan that lets you spread drug costs across the year.