Medicare Supplement

Medigap in San Bernardino: which plan letters California lets you buy today

Medigap — also called Medicare Supplement Insurance — is a private policy that helps pay some of the out‑of‑pocket costs Original Medicare leaves behind, like coinsurance and hospital costs after Part A runs out. San Bernardino is in San Bernardino County, and the same federal Medigap rules apply here as everywhere else in California.

Medicare SupplementSan Bernardino, CA

What Medigap is, and how it fits with Original Medicare

A Medigap policy only works with Original Medicare (Part A and Part B). You cannot use a Medigap plan with a Medicare Advantage plan. And Medigap does not include prescription drug coverage, so most people who choose this path also enroll in a stand‑alone Part D drug plan.

The plan letters California sells today

Medigap plans are standardized by the federal government. That means a Plan G from one company covers the same medical benefits as a Plan G from another. (Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin standardize differently, but California uses the federal letters.)

If you are newly eligible for Medicare today, these letters are available in California:

• Plans A, B, D, G, G high‑deductible, K, L, M and N.
• Plans C and F remain available only to people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020.

Each letter offers a different mix of coverage — from more basic (like Plan A) to more comprehensive (like Plan G) to cost‑sharing plans (K and L) and high‑deductible options (G-HD). Which one fits depends on how you want to balance monthly premium against out‑of‑pocket costs when you use care.

Who sells Medigap in San Bernardino

Availability is set at the state and county level. In San Bernardino County, the insurers licensed to sell Medigap in California include AARP - UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, AFLAC, American Retirement Life Insurance Company (CIGNA), Anthem BlueCross - California, Bankers Life (Underwritten by Washington National Insurance Company), Blue Shield of California Life & Health Insurance Company, Continental Life Insurance Company of Brentwood, Tennessee (Aetna), Everence Association Inc., Humana (Humana Insurance Company), Insurance Company of North America, Lumos Insurance, Mutual of Omaha (United World Life Insurance Company), State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, United American Insurance Company and USAA Life Insurance Company.

The table below lists every insurer and the specific letters each one sells in California. Since benefits are standardized, use the table to see which companies carry the letter you're interested in, then compare on price and service.

California rules that shape the choice

Two state‑level rules matter most when you're shopping.

First, California uses a "birthday rule." Each year, around your birthday, most Medigap enrollees get a window to switch to another Medigap policy of equal or lesser benefits without going through medical underwriting. This is more generous than federal law and is unique to a handful of states. The exact length of the window and the details can change, so confirm current rules with the California Department of Insurance or your local SHIP counselor.

Second, California requires most insurers to use a specific pricing method for Medigap. How a plan is priced — for example, by your age at issue versus your current age — affects how the premium changes over time. Two policies with the same letter and the same benefits can cost very different amounts, and can rise at different rates, depending on the company and the pricing method. Always ask which method the insurer uses before you buy.

How Medigap pairs with Part D in 2026

Because Medigap doesn't cover most retail prescriptions, a stand‑alone Part D plan usually rounds out the picture. A few 2026 program facts worth knowing:

• The Part D out‑of‑pocket cap is $2,100 for 2026.
• The Part D maximum deductible is $615.
• The old coverage gap ("donut hole") was eliminated in 2025; Part D now has three phases.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your drug costs across the year in monthly amounts instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA income‑based surcharges for Part B and Part D begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

You can change Part D plans during the Annual Enrollment Period, October 15 – December 7. Medigap does not follow that calendar — you can apply for a Medigap policy at any time of year, but outside of specific guaranteed‑issue windows the insurer can use medical underwriting to decide whether to accept you and at what rate.

How to decide which letter is right for you

Start by thinking about how you use care and how predictable you want your costs to be. Some questions to walk through:

• Do you prefer a higher monthly premium and very few surprises when you use care, or a lower premium with more cost‑sharing when something happens?
• Are you comfortable with a high‑deductible version if it means a lower premium?
• Do you travel a lot, including outside the U.S.? Some letters include foreign travel emergency coverage.
• Are you inside your six‑month Medigap Open Enrollment Period (which starts the month you're 65 and enrolled in Part B)? During that window, insurers cannot turn you down or charge more based on health.

Once you've narrowed down a letter, compare insurers that sell that letter side by side. Because the benefits are identical, differences come down to price, pricing method, customer service and how the company has raised rates in the past. California's rate guides, published by the state insurance department, are a good starting point for that comparison.