Medicare Supplement
Medigap Plan Letters Explained: A Bangor Reader's Guide
BANGOR, Maine — If you've ever tried to compare Medicare Supplement plans and felt like you were reading an eye chart — Plan A, Plan B, Plan G, Plan N — you're not alone. Those letters are actually one of the most consumer-friendly parts of Medicare, once you know what they mean.
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Key takeaways
- Medigap plans are standardized, so a plan with a given letter, like Plan G, covers the same benefits no matter which insurance company sells it, though the price and company can differ.
- There are currently 10 standardized Medigap plans available to new enrollees in most states, though Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin use a different system, while Maine follows the standard federal lettering used in most of the country.
- The best time to buy a Medigap policy is during your Medigap Open Enrollment Period, a six-month window that starts the month you turn 65 or older and enroll in Part B, since insurers can review your health and deny or charge more outside that window in most states.
- Medigap cannot be used with Medicare Advantage, and its enrollment rules are separate from the Oct. 15–Dec. 7 Annual Enrollment Period and the Jan. 1–March 31 Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period.
Here's a plain-language look at what Medigap does, how the standardized letters work, and where to turn for personalized help.
What Medigap actually does
Medigap, also called Medicare Supplement Insurance, is private insurance that works alongside Original Medicare (Part A and Part B). It helps pay some of the costs Original Medicare doesn't cover on its own — things like coinsurance, copayments, and certain deductibles.
A few important points from Medicare.gov:
- You need to be enrolled in both Part A and Part B to buy a Medigap policy.
- Medigap only works with Original Medicare. It does not work with Medicare Advantage.
- Medigap generally doesn't include prescription drug coverage. For that, most people add a stand-alone Part D plan.
- You pay a monthly premium to the private insurer, on top of your Part B premium.
Think of Medigap as a partner to Original Medicare — it fills in some of the gaps in cost-sharing, which is where the name comes from.
Why the letters exist
Medigap plans are standardized by law in most states. That means a Plan G sold by one insurance company covers the exact same set of benefits as a Plan G sold by another. The letter tells you what's covered.
What can differ between companies:
- The monthly premium
- Customer service and how rate increases are handled
- Extra perks a company may bundle in
So when two companies both offer "Plan G," the benefits inside are the same — the price and the company behind it are what vary.
Three states — Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin — standardize their Medigap plans differently. Maine follows the standard federal lettering system used in most of the country.
The plan letters, in plain English
There are currently 10 standardized Medigap plans available to new enrollees in most states: A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N.
A few things to know about how the letters line up:
- Plans C and F are only available to people who became eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. If you turned 65 after that date, those two aren't options for you.
- Plans K and L have out-of-pocket limits built in but cover a smaller share of certain costs until you hit that limit.
- Plan N typically has lower premiums but may involve small copays for some office and emergency room visits.
- Plan G has become one of the most commonly discussed options for newer enrollees because of what Part B changes in 2020 left on the table.
The right letter for one person isn't automatically right for another. It depends on your health, your budget, whether you travel, and how you prefer to handle costs — steady monthly premiums versus paying more at the point of care.
When you can buy — and why timing matters
The best window to buy a Medigap policy is your Medigap Open Enrollment Period. This is a six-month window that starts the month you're 65 or older and enrolled in Part B.
During this window:
- Insurers can't turn you down because of health problems.
- They can't charge you more based on your health history.
- You have "guaranteed issue" rights for any Medigap plan sold in your state.
Outside that six-month window, in most states insurers can use medical underwriting — meaning they can review your health and either deny coverage or charge more. There are some limited guaranteed-issue situations after that, but they're narrow.
That timing rule is one of the most important things Medicare beginners in Bangor tell counselors they wish they'd known earlier.
How Medigap fits with the rest of Medicare
Bangor is in Penobscot County, where — as in the rest of Maine — residents choose between two main paths for their Medicare coverage:
1. Original Medicare (Parts A and B), often paired with a stand-alone Part D drug plan and, optionally, a Medigap policy. 2. Medicare Advantage (Part C), which bundles Part A, Part B, and usually Part D into one private plan. Medigap cannot be used with Medicare Advantage.
For 2026, a few program-level figures are worth keeping in mind regardless of which path you choose:
- Part D has a new out-of-pocket cap of $2,100 for covered drugs.
- The Part D maximum deductible is $615.
- The old coverage gap ("donut hole") was eliminated in 2025; Part D now has three phases.
- The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs across the year in monthly installments if you opt in.
- IRMAA income-related surcharges begin above $109,000 for a single filer in 2026.
Two dates to circle: Oct. 15 – Dec. 7 is Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period for Part D and Medicare Advantage. Jan. 1 – March 31 is the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period. Medigap has its own enrollment rules, separate from those windows.
By the numbers
Medicare Part B premium, 2006–2026
The standard monthly Part B premium has climbed from $88.50 in 2006 to $202.90 in 2026. Hover any point for that year’s premium.
Source: CMS. Standard premium shown; in some hold-harmless years many existing enrollees paid less. Confirm at Medicare.gov.
By the numbers
How people get Medicare in Penobscot County
(MA penetration in Penobscot County)
MA penetration from CMS enrollment data; Medigap share is an estimate. U.S. average is about 54% Medicare Advantage. These are area-level figures, not plan-specific.
Explore
The parts of Medicare
Explore
When can you enroll? An interactive year
Enrollment windows are federal and the same nationwide. Confirm your personal dates at Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to buy Medigap when I first sign up for Medicare?
If Plan G is Plan G everywhere, why do prices differ so much?
Can I switch Medigap plans later if my needs change?
- CMS — Medicare basics (medicare.gov)
For personalized answers, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local SHIP.