Medicare Supplement

Turning 65 in Grand Rapids? Your Medigap window

If you live in Grand Rapids and you have Original Medicare (Part A hospital and Part B medical), a Medigap policy — sometimes called a Medicare Supplement — helps pay some of the costs Medicare leaves behind. That includes things like coinsurance, copays, and, for some plan letters, the Part A hospital deductible.

Medicare SupplementGrand Rapids, MI

What Medigap is, in plain English

Medigap is sold by private insurance companies, but the benefits inside each plan letter are standardized by the federal government. That means a Plan G from one company covers the same medical services as a Plan G from another. Grand Rapids is in Kent County, and the same statewide Medigap rules apply here as anywhere else in Michigan.

The plan letters you can buy in Michigan today

For people newly eligible for Medicare today, Michigan insurers can sell these standardized Medigap letters:

• Plan A
• Plan B
• Plan D
• Plan G and Plan G-HD (a high-deductible version of G)
• Plan K
• Plan L
• Plan M
• Plan N

Two older letters, Plan C and Plan F, are closed to anyone who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. If you were eligible before that date and never enrolled, you may still be able to buy them.

Each letter covers a different mix of benefits. For example, high-deductible plans ask you to pay more out of pocket before coverage kicks in, while Plan N uses small copays for some office and emergency visits. Medicare.gov has a side-by-side chart that shows exactly what each letter covers.

How Medigap fits with Original Medicare and Part D

Medigap only works with Original Medicare. You cannot use a Medigap policy with a Medicare Advantage plan — in fact, it is illegal for someone to sell you a Medigap policy if they know you have Advantage, unless you are switching back to Original Medicare.

Medigap also does not include prescription drug coverage. If you want help paying for medicines, you generally add a stand-alone Part D drug plan. A few program-level facts to keep in mind for 2026:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100.
• 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 across the year in monthly amounts if you choose.
• IRMAA income-based surcharges on Part B and Part D start above $109,000 for a single filer in 2026.

The rules that shape your choice in Michigan

The single most important rule is the Medigap Open Enrollment Period. It is a six-month window that starts the month you are both 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. During that window, any Medigap insurer in Michigan must sell you any policy they offer, at the same price they charge healthy people your age, without asking about your health.

Outside that window, in most cases, insurers in Michigan can use medical underwriting — they can look at your health history and decide whether to sell you a policy and at what price. There are limited federal guaranteed-issue rights that protect you in certain situations, such as when a plan ends or you lose other coverage.

Michigan does not have a statewide “birthday rule” like some other states, so it is worth confirming your rights before you try to switch policies. For Michigan-specific questions, the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) and the state’s SHIP counselors (called MMAP — the Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program) can walk you through your options for free.

Who sells Medigap in Michigan

Many companies sell Medigap policies in Michigan, and each one decides which letters to offer. Well-known names on the list include AARP - UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Humana (Humana Insurance Company of Kentucky), Mutual of Omaha (Omaha Supplemental Insurance Company), and State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, among many others. Local and regional insurers such as Health Alliance Plan of Michigan, McLaren Health Plan Inc, Priority Health Insurance Company, and Michigan Farm Bureau Health Plans also sell Medigap here.

The table below lists every insurer selling Medigap in Michigan and which plan letters each one carries. Because the benefits inside each letter are standardized, comparing a Plan G to a Plan G — or a Plan N to a Plan N — really comes down to price, customer service, how the company handles rate changes over time, and whether your doctors accept Original Medicare (which nearly all do nationwide).

How to decide, step by step

1. Start with your health and budget picture. Do you prefer a predictable monthly premium and lower surprises, or are you comfortable paying more when you use care in exchange for a lower premium? 2. Pick a letter first, then shop insurers. Because Plan G at Company X covers the same services as Plan G at Company Y, choosing the letter narrows the field. 3. Check your enrollment window. If you are inside your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, you have the widest choice. Outside of it, ask whether you qualify for a guaranteed-issue right. 4. Add a Part D plan if you need drug coverage. Medigap does not include it. 5. Get help. MMAP counselors in Michigan offer free, unbiased guidance, and 1-800-MEDICARE can answer basic questions any time.