Medicare Supplement

How Medigap letters work for Medicare in Grand Junction

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — If you have Original Medicare and you've started shopping for extra coverage, you've probably seen letters like Plan G, Plan N, or Plan K attached to something called a "Medicare Supplement" or "Medigap" policy. Those letters aren't random. They're a system built by federal law to make comparing coverage easier — and once you know how it works, the whole picture gets a lot clearer.

Making sense of Medigap in Grand Junction

Here in Grand Junction, where many neighbors are weighing how to fill the gaps in Original Medicare, understanding these letters is one of the most useful things you can do before making a decision.

What Medigap actually does

Medigap is private insurance that works alongside Original Medicare (Part A hospital and Part B medical). It doesn't replace Medicare — it helps pay some of the out-of-pocket costs Medicare leaves behind, such as coinsurance, copayments, and deductibles.

A few key points from Medicare.gov worth knowing up front:

• You must be enrolled in Part A and Part B to buy a Medigap policy.
• Medigap only works with Original Medicare. It does not pair with a Medicare Advantage plan.
• Most Medigap policies do not include prescription drug coverage. For that, you'd typically add a separate Part D plan.
• You pay a monthly premium to the insurance company on top of your Part B premium.

Why the plans are labeled with letters

Here's the part that trips people up: Medigap plans are standardized by the federal government. That means Plan G sold by one company covers exactly the same set of benefits as Plan G sold by another company. Same with Plan N, Plan K, and every other letter.

What can differ between companies is:

• The monthly premium
• Customer service and how claims are handled
• Extra perks a carrier might tack on (like a fitness benefit)

So when you compare two "Plan G" policies, you're really comparing price and service — not the core coverage.

A quick note: Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin use their own standardized systems. In Colorado, including Mesa County, the standard letter plans apply.

The letters you'll see

There are 10 standardized Medigap plans currently offered to new enrollees. They are labeled A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N. Two of those — Plan C and Plan F — are only available to people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. If you became eligible on or after that date, those two are off the table for you.

Each letter offers a different mix of coverage for things like:

• Part A hospital coinsurance and extra hospital days
• Part B coinsurance or copayment
• The first three pints of blood
• Hospice care coinsurance
• Skilled nursing facility coinsurance
• The Part A deductible
• The Part B deductible (only on older plans)
• Part B "excess charges" (when a provider charges more than Medicare approves)
• Foreign travel emergency coverage (up to plan limits)

Plans K and L work a little differently — they cover a percentage of certain costs and include an annual out-of-pocket limit. Plan N has small copays for some office and ER visits.

Medicare.gov publishes a side-by-side chart of what each letter covers. It's the single most useful tool for narrowing things down.

How to think about choosing a letter

There's no universal "right" plan. But a few questions can help you focus:

1. How often do you see doctors or specialists? If you have frequent visits, a plan that covers more coinsurance may feel steadier. 2. Do you travel outside the U.S.? Some letters include foreign travel emergency coverage; others don't. 3. Are you comfortable with some cost-sharing in exchange for a lower premium? Plans like K, L, and N generally have lower premiums but ask you to pay more when you use care. 4. When did you become Medicare-eligible? That determines whether Plans C and F are even options. 5. Are you inside your Medigap Open Enrollment window? This is the 6-month period that starts the month you're 65 and enrolled in Part B. During this window, companies generally can't turn you down or charge more due to health history. Outside of it, medical underwriting can apply.

That last point matters. Grand Junction is in Mesa County, and the county-level availability of Medicare Advantage plans, Part D drug plans, and Medigap carriers can all look different. But the Medigap Open Enrollment protection is a federal rule, not a local one.

Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage — a common mix-up

People often ask if they can have both. You can't. Medicare Advantage (Part C) is a different path — it bundles Part A, Part B, and usually Part D into a single plan from a private company, often with its own network. Medigap is designed for people who stay with Original Medicare and want help with the gaps.

If you're weighing the two paths, the enrollment calendar matters:

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

And even though this article isn't about drug coverage, it's worth remembering that in 2026, Part D has a $2,100 out-of-pocket cap and a maximum deductible of $615. The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan can also spread drug costs across the year if that helps your budget.