Medicare Supplement

Medigap A through N: What the letters mean

CAPE CORAL, Fla. — If you have Original Medicare, you have probably heard about Medigap policies sold by letter names like Plan G or Plan N. Those letters are not marketing labels. They are a federal shorthand that tells you exactly what a policy covers, no matter which insurance company sells it.

Medicare Supplement Insurance, better known as Medigap, is private coverage that helps pay some of the out-of-pocket costs Original Medicare leaves behind — things like coinsurance, copays, and hospital deductibles. In most states, including Florida, Medigap policies are standardized into lettered plans, so a Plan G from one carrier covers the same core benefits as a Plan G from another.

What Medigap actually does

Original Medicare covers a big share of your hospital and doctor bills, but not all of it. You are still responsible for the Part A hospital deductible, the Part B coinsurance (usually 20%), and other cost-sharing that has no yearly cap. Medigap fills in some or all of those gaps, depending on which lettered plan you pick.

Medigap only works alongside Original Medicare. You cannot use it with a Medicare Advantage plan — those two paths are separate choices.

How the standardized letters work

In most states, Medigap plans are sold under ten standardized letters: A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N. Federal rules require every insurance company selling a lettered plan to include the same core benefits in that plan. So the difference between carriers is not the coverage — it is the price, the customer service, and sometimes extra perks.

A few important notes about the letters:

• Plans C and F are no longer sold to people who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. If you were eligible before that date, you may still be able to buy them.
• Plans K and L have lower premiums but cap how much they pay in a year, after which they pick up the rest.
• Plan N generally has lower premiums than Plan G, but you may pay small copays at doctor and emergency room visits.

Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin standardize their Medigap plans differently, but Florida uses the standard letter system.

Medigap in Cape Coral

Cape Coral is in Lee County, where residents on Original Medicare can shop Medigap policies from a range of licensed carriers. Because the benefits within each lettered plan are identical by federal rule, the smart comparison is not "which plan is best" but rather which letter fits your budget and health needs — and then which company offers that letter at a price and service level you like.

You can compare Medigap policies available in your ZIP code using the plan finder at medicare.gov.

When to enroll — and why timing matters

The most protected time to buy a Medigap policy is during your Medigap Open Enrollment Period. This is a six-month window that starts the month you are 65 or older AND enrolled in Part B. During this period, insurance companies cannot deny you a policy or charge you more because of health problems.

Outside that window, in most cases, carriers can use medical underwriting. That means they can review your health history and either turn you down or charge a higher premium. This is different from the fall Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7), which applies to Medicare Advantage and Part D — not Medigap.

What Medigap does not cover

Medigap policies do not include prescription drug coverage. If you want help paying for medications, you will need a separate Part D plan. For 2026, Part D has a $2,100 annual out-of-pocket cap and a maximum deductible of $615, and the old coverage gap ("donut hole") no longer exists — the benefit now has three phases. There is also a Medicare Prescription Payment Plan that lets you spread drug costs across the year in monthly installments.

Medigap also generally does not cover routine dental, vision, hearing aids, or long-term care.