Medicare Supplement

Minnesota does Medigap differently: what St. Paul shoppers should check for 2026

ST. PAUL — If you are shopping for a Medicare Supplement policy here this fall, the first thing to know is that Minnesota does not use the same Medigap plans as most other states. That matters for how you compare policies, how you read rate notices, and how you use tools like the Medicare.gov plan finder heading into 2026.

Medicare SupplementSt. Paul, MN

Minnesota is one of a small handful of states that standardizes its own Medigap policies instead of the federal A through N lettered plans. In St. Paul — which sits in Ramsey County — that means when you look at a rate guide or a policy brochure, you will see Minnesota-specific plan names rather than the "Plan G" or "Plan N" familiar to shoppers in other states.

How Minnesota's Medigap plans are structured

Instead of the A–N letters, Minnesota offers two core policies — a Basic plan and an Extended Basic plan — that you can customize with optional riders (for example, riders that add coverage for the Part A deductible or Part B excess charges). The state also offers Minnesota versions of Plans K, L, M and N, plus high-deductible options.

When you compare policies from two different insurers in St. Paul, you are comparing the same standardized Minnesota plan side by side. The core benefits inside each plan are set by state rule; what differs is the premium, the company's customer service, and whether the policy uses attained-age, issue-age, or community-rated pricing.

The yearly Part B deductible reset

Every January 1, the Medicare Part B deductible resets. That reset matters for Medigap shoppers because some plans pay the Part B deductible for you and others do not. In Minnesota, whether a policy covers that deductible depends on which plan you choose and which optional riders you add.

The 2026 Part B deductible amount is set by the federal government and is published each fall on Medicare.gov. Check the current figure there before you sign anything, and make sure you understand which piece of the deductible your policy is designed to pick up.

Rate-adjustment season: how to check

Medigap premiums are not set by Medicare and are not the same from one company to the next, even for the exact same Minnesota-standardized plan. Insurers file proposed rate changes with the Minnesota Department of Commerce, which regulates insurance in the state. Fall and early winter are when many rate adjustments take effect.

If you already have a Medigap policy and you get a renewal notice with a higher premium, you can:

• Ask your insurer, in writing, what the new premium is and when it takes effect.
• Look up the Minnesota Medigap rate guide published by the Department of Commerce, which shows premium ranges by company and plan.
• Compare current premiums for the same standardized plan through the Medicare.gov Medigap policy search by entering your St. Paul ZIP code.

Switching Medigap policies outside of your initial six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period may involve medical underwriting, so talk with the state SHIP before you cancel anything.

Insurers coming or going

Insurer participation in the Minnesota Medigap market can shift from year to year — a company may stop selling new policies, exit the state, or begin offering coverage here. There is no confirmed list of insurer entries or exits included in the data for this article, so the safest way to see who is currently selling Medigap in St. Paul is to run the Medicare.gov Medigap policy search for your ZIP code. That tool pulls directly from the state's list of licensed companies.

Other 2026 Medicare figures to keep in mind

Medigap is one part of a bigger picture. A few program-wide numbers for 2026 that affect St. Paul readers:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 for 2026.
• 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 bills if you choose to opt in.
• IRMAA surcharges for higher-income enrollees begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.
• Annual Enrollment Period: October 15 – December 7. Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: January 1 – March 31.

Medigap has its own enrollment rules separate from those windows — the best time to buy is usually your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, which starts the month you are 65 or older and enrolled in Part B.