Medicare Supplement

Worcester Medigap in 2027: Massachusetts rules, the Part B reset, and rate season

WORCESTER, Mass. — If you have a Medigap policy in Worcester, or you are thinking about buying one for 2027, a few things are worth knowing before the calendar flips. Massachusetts does not sell Medigap the way most states do, the Part B deductible resets every January in a way that matters for how these policies pay, and insurers file their rates with the state each year. Here is a plain-English snapshot of what is changing and what is staying put.

Medicare SupplementWorcester, MA

Massachusetts plays by its own Medigap rules

Most states sell Medigap using federal plan letters — Plan G, Plan N and so on. Massachusetts does not. The state has its own standardized Medigap policies: Core, Supplement 1 and Supplement 1A. When you compare policies in Worcester, you are comparing those three, not the letter plans you may see in national ads or on TV.

That matters if you are moving to Worcester from another state, or if a relative in Florida is telling you what to buy. The names, the benefits and the way the plans line up are different here. Compare apples to apples using the Massachusetts plan names.

The Part B deductible resets every January

Medicare Part B has a deductible that starts over every January 1. Whatever you paid toward it in 2026 does not carry into 2027. That yearly reset is built into how Medigap works: some Massachusetts Medigap policies help cover the Part B deductible, and others leave it to you.

The 2027 Part B deductible amount will be announced by CMS. Once it is set, that new figure is what applies from January 1 forward — for your doctor visits, outpatient care and anything else Part B covers. If your policy is one that pays the deductible for you, the reset happens quietly in the background. If it is not, plan for that first-of-the-year cost.

Rate season: how to check what your premium is doing

Medigap premiums are not set by Medicare. In Massachusetts, insurers file their proposed Medigap rates with the Massachusetts Division of Insurance, which reviews them. That review is where any rate change for 2027 will show up first — often before your renewal letter arrives in the mail.

If you want to see what your carrier has filed, or what other carriers are charging for the same standardized plan, the Division of Insurance publishes rate information and consumer guides. Medicare.gov's Medigap policy search is another place to compare policies side by side.

Two practical points:

• Because Massachusetts standardizes the plans, a Supplement 1 from one insurer covers the same things as a Supplement 1 from another. Premium and customer service are what differ.
• Massachusetts has continuous or annual open enrollment protections for Medigap that most states do not offer, which can give you more flexibility to switch. Confirm the current rules with SHINE (the state's SHIP) before you cancel anything.

Who sells Medigap in Massachusetts

Six insurers are licensed to sell Medigap policies in Massachusetts. Worcester is in Worcester County, and residents here can shop from the same statewide list. The table on this page shows them all; in alphabetical order they are AARP – UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company; Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts; Fallon Health and Life Assurance Company Inc.; Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Inc.; Health New England; and Tufts Insurance Company.

Not every insurer offers all three standardized plans, so use the table to see which company sells Core, Supplement 1 or Supplement 1A.

A few 2026 program facts that still shape 2027 decisions

Medigap sits alongside Original Medicare, so the broader Medicare numbers matter too:

• Part D's out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 for 2026, with the coverage gap eliminated as of 2025.
• The Part D maximum deductible is $615.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your drug costs across the year in monthly payments.
• IRMAA surcharges for higher-income beneficiaries begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.
• Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period is October 15 – December 7, and Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment runs January 1 – March 31.

Medigap itself is not tied to those enrollment windows the way Advantage and Part D are — but if you are reviewing everything at once, keep the dates in mind.