Medicare Supplement

Is Plan C or F Still an Option for You in Huntington Beach?

If you have Original Medicare and live in Huntington Beach, a Medicare Supplement policy — better known as Medigap — is the sidecar that helps pay the deductibles, copays and coinsurance Medicare Parts A and B leave behind. The plans are federally standardized by letter, so a Plan G from one insurer covers the same medical costs as a Plan G from another. What changes is the company selling it, the price, and the state rules that shape how and when you can switch.

Medigap in Huntington Beach: what you can actually buy in California

Huntington Beach is in Orange County, and California residents shopping today can choose from Medigap Plans A, B, D, G, high-deductible G, K, L, M and N. Plans C and F are still around, but only for people who became eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020.

How Medigap works alongside Original Medicare and Part D

Medigap only works with Original Medicare, not with Medicare Advantage. You keep your red, white and blue Medicare card, see any doctor or hospital in the country that accepts Medicare, and your Medigap plan picks up the share Medicare does not pay — things like the Part A hospital deductible, the 20% Part B coinsurance, or extra hospital days.

Medigap does not cover prescriptions. If you want drug coverage, you enroll in a stand-alone Medicare Part D plan. In 2026, Part D plans can charge a deductible of up to $615, and once your out-of-pocket drug spending hits $2,100 for the year, you pay nothing more for covered drugs. The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread those drug costs across the year in monthly installments instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.

The plan letters you can buy in California

California follows the federal standardization used in 47 states (Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin do it differently). The letters available today to someone new to Medicare are:

• Plan A — the base benefits every Medigap plan must include.
• Plan B — adds the Part A deductible.
• Plan D — broader coverage of Medicare cost-sharing.
• Plan G and high-deductible G — the most comprehensive plans open to new enrollees; high-deductible G trades a yearly deductible for a lower premium.
• Plan K and Plan L — cost-sharing plans that pay a percentage until you hit an out-of-pocket limit.
• Plan M — a middle-ground option.
• Plan N — covers most gaps but leaves some office-visit and ER copays.

Plans C and F are only available to people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020, because federal law closed those two letters to newer beneficiaries.

Who sells Medigap in California

Several insurers are approved to sell Medigap policies to California residents. The table below lists every carrier and the plan letters each one offers. Familiar names include AARP – UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, Anthem BlueCross – California, Blue Shield of California Life & Health Insurance Company, Humana, Mutual of Omaha and State Farm, among others. Not every insurer sells every letter, so if you have your eye on a specific plan — Plan G, for example — you will want to compare quotes only from the companies that offer it.

Because the benefits inside a given letter are identical by federal rule, the shopping question comes down to price, customer service, and how the insurer handles rate increases over time.

California rules that shape your choice

Two rules matter most in California:

Guaranteed issue at first eligibility. When you first enroll in Part B at age 65 or older, you have a six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period. During that window, insurers cannot turn you down or charge more because of your health. Miss it, and — outside of specific guaranteed-issue situations — insurers can medically underwrite you.

The California "birthday rule." California is one of a handful of states with an annual right to switch Medigap plans without medical underwriting around your birthday. It applies to certain plan changes, and the exact window and rules have been updated in recent years. Because the details can affect whether a switch is possible, confirm the current rule with the California Department of Insurance or with HICAP (California's State Health Insurance Assistance Program, or SHIP) before you make a move.

When you can enroll or switch

Your first and best chance is the six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period that starts the month your Part B coverage begins. Outside that window, California's birthday rule and federal guaranteed-issue rights (for example, if a plan leaves your area) may open a door.

Two other Medicare dates to keep on your calendar — although they apply to Medicare Advantage and Part D, not Medigap:

• Annual Enrollment Period: October 15 – December 7.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period: January 1 – March 31.

If your income is above $109,000 as a single filer in 2026, you may also pay an IRMAA surcharge on your Part B and Part D premiums.