Medicare Supplement

Which Medigap Plan Letters Can Pinellas Shoppers Buy?

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — As 2027 approaches, Medigap shoppers in Pinellas County are watching a familiar rhythm: the same standardized plan letters, a fresh Part B deductible number that resets every January, and a wave of rate filings that insurers submit to the state. None of that changes the basic promise of a Medigap policy — it helps pay some of what Original Medicare does not — but it does change what you should check before you renew, switch, or buy for the first time.

Medicare SupplementSt. Petersburg, FL

Here is a plain-English snapshot of what is shifting, what is staying the same, and where to look for the numbers as they land.

The plan letters available in 2027

Medigap plans are standardized by the federal government, which means a Plan G from one insurer covers the same benefits as a Plan G from another. What differs is the premium and the company behind it.

For anyone newly eligible for Medicare, these are the letters you can shop in Florida: A, B, D, G, G-HD, K, L, M, and N. Plans C and F are closed to newly eligible enrollees — they are only for people who became eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. If you were eligible before that date and never enrolled, you may still be able to buy them; check with each insurer.

That eligibility rule is not new for 2027, but it continues to be the most common point of confusion for St. Petersburg readers who see older relatives on Plan F and wonder why they cannot buy the same policy.

The Part B deductible reset — why it matters for Plans G and N

Every January, the Part B deductible resets. Once you meet it during the year, Plan G picks up the Part B coinsurance that Medicare does not cover. Plan N works similarly but leaves you responsible for small copays at some office and emergency visits, and for any Part B excess charges.

Because Plans G and N are built around that yearly deductible, the 2027 dollar figure is worth knowing before you decide whether to keep your current plan or shop. CMS publishes the new Part B deductible each fall for the following year at medicare.gov. Watch for that number, then compare it against what you actually spent on Part B services in 2026 to see how a Plan G or Plan N would have worked out for you.

Rate-adjustment season in Florida

Medigap premiums are not set by Medicare. Each insurer files its rates with the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, and those filings drive the premium changes you see at renewal. Some insurers use age-attained pricing (premiums go up as you get older), others use issue-age or community rating — Florida allows different approaches, and the approach affects how your premium moves over time.

There are a few practical steps for St. Petersburg residents this season:

• Read the renewal notice your insurer mails you. It will show the new premium and the effective date.
• If the increase is larger than you expected, call two or three other insurers on the list below for a quote on the same plan letter. Because benefits are standardized, you are comparing apples to apples on coverage.
• Ask whether you can pass medical underwriting to switch. Outside of your one-time Medigap Open Enrollment Period (the six months starting when you are 65 and enrolled in Part B), Florida insurers can generally use health questions to decide whether to offer you a new policy and at what rate.

Insurers entering or leaving the state

Medigap carriers come and go from state markets, and the roster changes from year to year. Rather than list carriers in prose, the table below shows every insurer currently selling Medigap in Florida along with the plan letters each offers — names such as AARP - UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, Florida Blue, Humana, and Mutual of Omaha (United World Life Insurance Company) appear alongside smaller regional and specialty carriers.

If a carrier stops selling new Medigap policies in Florida, that generally does not cancel your existing coverage — closed blocks continue, though premiums in a closed block can behave differently than in an open one. If you get a notice about a carrier change, do not drop your policy until you have a new one in place.

Where to check the numbers as they land

• Medicare.gov — for the official 2027 Part B deductible once it is published, and to compare Medigap policies sold in your ZIP code.
• Florida Office of Insurance Regulation — for insurer rate filings.
• SHINE (Florida's SHIP) — free, unbiased counseling for Medicare questions, including Medigap. You can reach SHINE through the Florida Department of Elder Affairs.
• 1-800-MEDICARE — for general Medicare questions any time.