Medicare Supplement

Before you renew Medigap in Phoenix, check these resets

Phoenix, Ariz. — If you have a Medigap policy in Phoenix, or you're thinking about buying one, a few things reset every year that are worth watching before 2027 begins. The plan letters you can buy have not changed — but the numbers behind Plans G and N reset with each new year, insurers file new rates with the state, and the lineup of companies selling Medigap in Arizona can shift.

Here's a plain-English guide to what to track heading into 2027, and where to look for the current figures when they land.

The plan letters you can still buy in Arizona

Medigap plans are standardized by letter across most states, including Arizona. That means a Plan G from one insurer covers the same core benefits as a Plan G from another — what differs is the price and the company behind it.

For people newly eligible for Medicare today, these standardized plans are available in Arizona: A, B, D, G, G-HD, K, L, M, and N.

Plans C and F remain closed to newcomers. If you became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020, you cannot buy Plan C or Plan F. People who were already eligible before that date can still buy or keep them where offered.

This rule hasn't changed for 2027, but it comes up every fall when readers compare notes with friends or relatives who bought Medigap years ago.

The yearly reset behind Plans G and N

Plans G and N are the two most-discussed Medigap letters for people new to Medicare. Both are designed around the Part B deductible — the amount you pay out of pocket for doctor and outpatient services each year before Medicare starts paying its share.

Here's why the reset matters:

• With Plan G, you pay the Part B deductible yourself each calendar year, and the plan picks up most costs after that.
• With Plan N, you also pay the Part B deductible, plus small copays for some office and ER visits.
• High-deductible Plan G has its own separate, higher deductible amount that also resets each year.

CMS announces the new Part B deductible late each fall. Once the 2027 figure is posted on medicare.gov, that becomes the number your Plan G or N is built around starting Jan. 1, 2027.

Rate-adjustment season: how Medigap prices change

Medigap premiums aren't set by Medicare. Each insurer files proposed rates with the Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions (DIFI), and those filings are public.

Rate changes typically take effect on a set date each year for each company — sometimes on your policy anniversary, sometimes on a fixed calendar date. Two things worth knowing:

1. Two people with the same plan letter from the same insurer can pay very different premiums depending on age, tobacco use, ZIP code, and how the company prices policies (issue-age, attained-age, or community-rated). 2. A rate increase does not change what your Medigap plan covers — the letter benefits are fixed by federal rules.

If you want to see what companies have filed for 2027, DIFI's rate-filing tools and the state's Medigap rate guide are the primary sources. Your local SHIP counselor can walk you through them for free.

Insurers entering or leaving Arizona

The list of companies selling Medigap in Arizona shifts from year to year. A carrier may stop selling new policies to newly eligible people, exit the state entirely, or enter the market for the first time. If your current insurer stops selling new policies, that generally does not cancel your existing coverage — but it can affect pricing over time as the pool of policyholders ages.

To see which companies are currently selling Medigap where you live:

• Use the Medigap policy search on medicare.gov and enter your Phoenix ZIP code.
• Review the Arizona Medigap rate guide published by DIFI.
• Call Arizona SHIP for one-on-one, unbiased help.

How to decide what to do before 2027

A few practical questions to work through:

• Are you newly eligible? Your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period — starting the month you're 65 and enrolled in Part B — is the one time you can buy any Medigap plan sold in Arizona without answering health questions.
• Do you already have Medigap? You can apply to switch companies or plan letters anytime, but outside of a guaranteed-issue situation, insurers in Arizona can generally use medical underwriting. Check with your current company and one or two others before deciding.
• Are you weighing Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage? These are different systems. Switching from Advantage back to Medigap later may involve underwriting, so think through both directions before you commit.

The Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7) is for Part D and Medicare Advantage — not Medigap — but it's still a natural time to review everything together.