Medicare Supplement

Why the Jan. 1 Part B Reset Matters for Plans G and N

MORENO VALLEY, Calif. — As 2026 approaches, Medigap shoppers in Riverside County are running into the same three questions every fall: which lettered plans they are still allowed to buy, how the yearly Part B deductible reset changes what Plans G and N cover on Jan. 1, and whether their current insurer is raising rates. None of these are Moreno Valley–specific rules — Medigap is standardized by the federal government and regulated at the state level — but the timing of the reset and California's rate-filing season make late fall the right moment to check.

The plan letters you can actually buy

Medigap plans are standardized by letter, so a Plan G from one insurer covers the same federally defined benefits as a Plan G from another. What differs is the premium, the company's customer service, and how the price changes over time.

If you became eligible for Medicare on or after Jan. 1, 2020, Plans C and F are not available to you. The letters open to newly eligible enrollees are A, B, D, G, G-HD (high-deductible G), K, L, M and N. People who were eligible before that date can still buy or keep C and F if an insurer offers them.

The table below lists every insurer selling Medigap in California and the letters each one offers, in alphabetical order. Use it as a starting point for a shopping list, not a ranking.

Why the Part B deductible reset matters on Jan. 1

Plans G and N — the two most commonly chosen letters for people newly eligible — are designed around the Part B deductible. Under Plan G, you pay the Part B deductible yourself each calendar year, and the plan then covers the Part B coinsurance. Plan N works similarly, with small copays for certain office and emergency visits.

The Part B deductible is set by CMS and resets every Jan. 1. That means the out-of-pocket amount you're responsible for at the start of the year changes with it. The 2026 figure is published on medicare.gov; check it there so you know what to expect before your first doctor visit of the new year.

The high-deductible version of Plan G (G-HD) works the same way but with a much larger annual deductible before the plan pays. That deductible amount is also federally set and adjusted yearly.

Rate-adjustment season in California

Fall and winter are when many Medigap insurers file rate changes with the California Department of Insurance. Unlike Medicare Advantage and Part D — which have a fixed Annual Enrollment Period from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 — Medigap does not have a yearly open-enrollment window for switching. Your best time to enroll without medical underwriting is your one-time, six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period that starts when you're 65 and enrolled in Part B.

If you already have a Medigap policy and receive a renewal notice showing a higher premium, you can:

• Look up the insurer's filing on the California Department of Insurance website (insurance.ca.gov) to see what was filed and approved.
• Call your insurer and ask how the new rate compares to other plan letters they offer.
• Contact California's SHIP program, HICAP, at 1-800-434-0222 for a free, unbiased review.

Remember that switching Medigap plans in California generally allows the new insurer to use medical underwriting, which can affect whether you're accepted or what you pay. There are limited guaranteed-issue situations — a HICAP counselor can walk you through them.

Insurers entering or leaving the state

Medigap carriers can enter or exit the California market, and they can also add or drop specific plan letters. The insurers currently selling Medigap in the state are listed in the table on this page, along with the letters each one offers. If your current insurer is no longer selling to new applicants, that alone does not cancel your policy — but it is worth calling to confirm your renewal terms.

Because Moreno Valley is in Riverside County, the same statewide roster of insurers is available to you as to anyone else in California. Availability is not city-specific for Medigap.

What to do before Jan. 1

• Confirm which plan letters you're eligible to buy (whether you became eligible for Medicare before or after Jan. 1, 2020).
• Look up the 2026 Part B deductible on medicare.gov so you know what a Plan G or N will require of you out of pocket at the start of the year.
• If you received a rate increase notice, check the filing on insurance.ca.gov and call HICAP before switching.
• Keep in mind the separate Part D changes for 2026: a $2,100 out-of-pocket cap on covered drugs, a $615 maximum deductible, and the optional Medicare Prescription Payment Plan that lets you spread drug costs across the year.