Medicare Supplement

Which Medigap plan letters can Irvine shoppers pick in 2026?

IRVINE, Calif. — If you are shopping for a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy in Orange County this fall, a handful of things reset with the new plan year, and a few rules have been in place long enough that some shoppers still get tripped up by them. Here is a plain-English guide to what changes in 2026, what does not, and where to look up the numbers that matter for your ZIP code.

What actually changes on January 1

Two things reset at the top of every year that Medigap shoppers should keep in mind.

First, the Part B deductible resets. That matters because Plan G pays your Part B costs after you meet that deductible yourself, and Plan N works similarly (with small copays for some office and ER visits). The dollar amount is set each year by CMS — check the current figure at medicare.gov before you compare plans, because quotes you saw last fall used last year's number.

Second, insurers file new Medigap premiums with the California Department of Insurance. Rates can move up or down and vary by insurer, age, ZIP code, tobacco use, and how the carrier prices its book (issue-age, attained-age, or community-rated). There is no single statewide increase to quote — you have to check your own policy and any policy you are considering.

Which plan letters you can actually buy

The standardized Medigap plan letters available to people newly eligible for Medicare today are A, B, D, G, G-HD (high-deductible G), K, L, M, and N. Plans C and F remain available only to people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. That rule has not changed for 2026, but it still surprises shoppers who were told years ago that Plan F was "the Cadillac plan." If you became eligible in 2020 or later, it is not on the menu.

Every insurer selling a given letter (say, Plan G) must offer the same federally standardized benefits. What differs between carriers is price, customer service, how they raise rates over time, and any extras (like gym or hearing discounts) bolted on outside the standardized benefits.

California's special rules worth knowing

California has consumer protections that go beyond the federal baseline. The "birthday rule" lets people already on a Medigap policy switch to another Medigap policy of equal or lesser benefits from any insurer during a set window around their birthday, without new medical underwriting. If you are outside your initial six-month Medigap open enrollment window and outside a birthday-rule window, insurers can generally use medical underwriting to accept, decline, or price your application.

None of these state rules have been repealed for 2026, but the details (like the exact length of the birthday-rule window) are worth confirming with the California Department of Insurance or your local SHIP before you apply.

Rate-adjustment season: how to check what your policy is doing

Irvine is in Orange County, and Medigap premiums are set by insurer and ZIP code, not by the city. If you already have a Medigap policy, you will typically get a rate notice from your insurer before your renewal. Two things to do when it arrives:

1. Compare the new premium to what similar plan letters cost from other California insurers. The California Department of Insurance publishes a Medigap rate guide, and Medicare.gov's Medigap policy search shows every insurer offering each plan letter in your ZIP code. 2. Ask about underwriting. If you are healthy and outside a guaranteed-issue window, you may qualify to switch; if not, staying put may be the right call. A SHIP counselor can walk through this with you at no cost.

Insurers entering or leaving

We are not publishing an insurer roster for California in this piece, because the Medigap market moves throughout the year and the authoritative source is the Medicare.gov Medigap policy search for your ZIP code. Enter your Irvine ZIP, and you will see every insurer currently selling each standardized plan letter, along with contact information to request a quote.

How Medigap fits with the rest of Medicare in 2026

A Medigap policy pairs with Original Medicare — it does not replace Part D drug coverage, and you cannot use it with a Medicare Advantage plan. A few 2026 program-level facts that affect the broader picture:

• Part D has a $2,100 out-of-pocket cap for 2026, and the maximum Part D deductible is $615.
• The old coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone as of 2025; Part D now has three phases.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs across the year in monthly payments if you choose.
• IRMAA surcharges on Part B and Part D premiums start above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.
• Annual Enrollment runs October 15 – December 7; Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment runs January 1 – March 31. Medigap has its own enrollment rules and is not tied to those windows.