Medicare Supplement

Medigap in Indianapolis: which standardized letters an Indiana buyer can still pick

INDIANAPOLIS — If you're shopping for a Medicare Supplement policy in Indianapolis, the first thing worth knowing is that the coverage itself is set by the federal government, not the salesperson. Every Medigap policy sold in Indiana follows a standardized menu of plan letters — so a Plan G from one company covers the same medical items as a Plan G from another. What actually differs is the price and the company behind it.

That standardization is meant to make comparison shopping easier. It also means the choice comes down to two things: which letter fits your budget and health needs, and which insurer to buy that letter from. Here is how the pieces fit together for someone living in Marion County.

What Medigap is — and what it is not

Medigap is private insurance that helps pay some of the out-of-pocket costs Original Medicare leaves behind, like coinsurance, copays and hospital deductibles. It sits on top of Parts A and B.

A few points that trip people up:

• Medigap only pairs with Original Medicare. If you're on a Medicare Advantage plan, you can't also use a Medigap policy.
• Medigap does not include prescription drug coverage. If you want drug coverage, you enroll separately in a Part D plan.
• Medigap policies are guaranteed renewable as long as you pay the premium, even if your health changes.

The plan letters you can buy in Indiana today

Federal law sets the benefits inside each lettered plan. In Indiana, someone newly eligible for Medicare can choose among Plans A, B, D, G, high-deductible G, K, L, M, and N.

Plans C and F still exist, but only for people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. If that's you, you can keep a C or F policy you already have, or buy one if you qualify.

A quick way to think about the letters:

• Plans like G and N are the most comprehensive options available to new enrollees.
• High-deductible G trades a lower premium for a larger upfront deductible before coverage kicks in.
• Plans K and L cap your out-of-pocket costs each year but share more of the cost-sharing with you along the way.
• Plans A, B, D and M cover different combinations in between.

The table below lists every plan letter available in Indiana so you can compare the standardized benefits side by side. What that table cannot show is price — that varies by insurer, age, tobacco use, ZIP code and how the company sets its rates.

How Medigap pairs with Part D

Because Medigap doesn't cover drugs, most Indianapolis residents who choose Original Medicare plus Medigap also enroll in a stand-alone Part D drug plan.

A few 2026 program figures to keep in mind when you compare Part D plans:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026. Once your covered drug spending hits that, you pay nothing more for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• The maximum Part D 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 into monthly payments instead of paying big amounts at the pharmacy counter.
• Higher-income enrollees may pay an IRMAA surcharge on top of the Part D premium, starting above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

The rules that shape when you can buy

Timing matters more with Medigap than many people realize, because outside of certain windows, insurers in most states can ask health questions and decide whether to sell you a policy — or charge more.

Your strongest window is the Medigap Open Enrollment Period: a one-time, six-month stretch that starts the month you're 65 and enrolled in Part B. During that window, any insurer selling Medigap in Indiana must sell you any plan they offer at their standard rate, regardless of your health.

There are also federal "guaranteed issue" rights in specific situations — for example, if a Medicare Advantage plan leaves your area or you move out of its service area. Indiana may have additional protections beyond the federal minimum, so it's worth asking the state insurance department or SHIP before you assume you can't switch.

The Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7) and the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31) are for Medicare Advantage and Part D — not Medigap. You can apply for Medigap at any time of year, but outside a guaranteed-issue window, approval isn't automatic.

How to compare insurers in Marion County

Because the benefits inside each letter are identical across companies, the comparison is really about price and service. Indiana does not publish an official insurer list here, so use these resources:

• The Medigap policy search on Medicare.gov. Enter your ZIP code and it will show which insurers sell each plan letter in your area.
• The Indiana Department of Insurance's Medigap rate guide, which shows rate information filed by companies licensed to sell in the state.
• Indiana SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program), which offers free one-on-one counseling.

When you call an insurer, ask how it prices its policies — companies use different methods (community-rated, issue-age or attained-age), and that affects how the premium changes as you get older.