Medicare Supplement

Who can still buy Plans C and F in El Paso County?

COLORADO SPRINGS — If you have a Medigap policy in El Paso County, or you are shopping for one this fall, a few moving parts are worth understanding before 2026 begins. The menu of plan letters you can buy has not changed, but the numbers those plans are built around do reset each January, and insurers file new rates with the state on their own schedules.

Medicare SupplementColorado Springs, CO

Here is a plain-English look at what is actually shifting, what is not, and where to check the specifics for your ZIP code.

What is (and isn't) changing about plan letters

The standardized Medigap plan letters are set by federal rules, and for 2026 the lineup available to people newly eligible for Medicare is the same as it was in 2025: Plans A, B, D, G, high-deductible G, K, L, M, and N.

Plans C and F — the two that used to pay the Part B deductible for you — are still off the menu for anyone who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. If you were eligible before that date, you can generally still buy or keep them.

Because the letters are standardized, a Plan G from one insurer covers the same medical costs as a Plan G from another insurer. What differs between companies is the premium, customer service, and any extra perks — not the core benefits.

The Part B deductible reset that matters for Plans G and N

Plans G and high-deductible G, along with Plan N, are built around the Part B deductible: you pay that deductible each year, and then your Medigap picks up its share.

That deductible resets every January 1. The 2026 figure is set by CMS and posted on medicare.gov's "Medicare costs" page — check there for the current number rather than relying on last year's amount. High-deductible Plan G also has its own separate annual deductible that CMS updates each year.

None of this changes what your plan covers. It just means the meter starts over in January, so a claim in early 2026 may look different from one in late 2025.

Rate-adjustment season in Colorado

Medigap premiums are not fixed by Medicare. Each insurer files proposed rates with the Colorado Division of Insurance, and those filings are reviewed by the state. Increases can take effect at different times of year depending on the company.

Two things to know:

1. A premium change on your policy is not a change to your benefits. Plan G is still Plan G. 2. You can compare current rates for your ZIP code using the Medigap policy search on medicare.gov, and Colorado publishes a Medigap rate guide through the Division of Insurance and the state's SHIP program.

If you want to switch to a lower-priced policy, remember that outside your initial six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period (which starts when you are 65 and enrolled in Part B), insurers in Colorado can generally use medical underwriting and may charge more or decline coverage based on your health.

Insurers entering or leaving

We do not have a confirmed list of insurers entering or leaving the Colorado Medigap market for 2026 to share here. The most reliable way to see who is selling which plan letters in Colorado Springs right now is:

• The Medigap policy search at medicare.gov/medigap-supplemental-insurance-plans — enter your ZIP code.
• The Colorado Division of Insurance Medigap rate guide.
• Colorado's SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program), which offers free one-on-one counseling.

How this fits with the rest of Medicare in 2026

Medigap sits alongside Original Medicare and, if you have one, a stand-alone Part D drug plan. A few 2026 program facts worth knowing while you review your coverage:

• Part D has a new $2,100 annual out-of-pocket cap on covered drugs.
• The Part D maximum 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 installments.
• IRMAA surcharges on Part B and Part D premiums start above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.
• The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 – December 7; Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment runs January 1 – March 31. Medigap itself has no AEP.