Medicare Supplement

Medigap in Reno: the plan letters Nevada sells and how to think about them

If you have Original Medicare and live in Reno, a Medigap policy — also called a Medicare Supplement — is what helps pay the out-of-pocket share Part A and Part B leave behind. Reno is in Washoe County, but Medigap is regulated at the state level, so the menu of policies is the same across Nevada. What changes is which insurers sell which letters, and how each company prices them.

The Medigap letters you can actually buy in Reno

Every Medigap policy sold in Nevada follows a federal template. That means a Plan G from one company covers the same medical costs as a Plan G from another. The differences come down to price, customer service, and how the company handles rate changes over time.

How Medigap fits with the rest of Medicare

Medigap sits on top of Original Medicare. Medicare pays its share of a covered service first, then your Medigap plan pays some or all of what's left, depending on the letter you chose.

A few things Medigap does not do:

• It does not work with a Medicare Advantage plan. You cannot use both at once.
• It does not include Part D prescription drug coverage. You buy that separately.
• It does not cover long-term custodial care, most dental, vision, or hearing.

Because Medigap and Part D are sold separately, many Reno residents end up carrying three cards: Original Medicare (red, white, and blue), a Medigap policy, and a stand-alone Part D plan.

The plan letters, in plain English

Federal rules define what each letter covers. Here is the short version:

• Plan A — the most basic set of benefits every insurer must offer.
• Plan B — Plan A plus the Part A hospital deductible.
• Plan D — broader coverage than A or B, without the Part B deductible.
• Plan G — one of the most comprehensive options for new enrollees; you pay the Part B deductible, and most other gaps are covered.
• High-deductible Plan G — same benefits as Plan G, but you pay costs yourself until you hit the annual deductible.
• Plan K and Plan L — cost-sharing plans with an annual out-of-pocket limit.
• Plan M — splits the Part A deductible with you.
• Plan N — lower premiums in exchange for small copays at doctor and ER visits.
• Plans C and F — closed to anyone newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020.

Because coverage is standardized, "shopping for Medigap" mostly means picking the letter that matches how you want to pay — more upfront each month, or more at the point of care — and then comparing insurers on that same letter.

Who sells Medigap in Nevada

Nevada has a long list of insurers licensed to sell Medigap, and not every company sells every letter. Some offer only the most common plans (A, F, G, N); others offer the wider menu, including high-deductible G. The table below lists every insurer and the plans each one sells in the state.

A few examples of how the offerings differ: AARP – UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company sells Plans A, B, C, F, G, K, L, and N. AFLAC sells A, F, G, and N. Mutual of Omaha (Omaha Insurance Company) sells A, F, G, high-deductible G, and N. United American Insurance Company carries one of the widest menus, including Plans A, B, C, D, F, high-deductible F, G, high-deductible G, K, L, and N.

Because every insurer has to follow the same federal templates for what each letter covers, the meaningful differences between companies are price, pricing method (how premiums change with age), and customer experience.

The rules that shape your choice in Nevada

A few rules matter more than others when you are buying a policy in Reno:

Your Medigap Open Enrollment Period. This is a one-time, 6-month window that starts the month you are 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. During this window, you can buy any Medigap plan sold in Nevada, and insurers cannot turn you down or charge more because of health problems. Outside this window, in most cases, insurers can use medical underwriting.

Guaranteed issue rights. Federal law gives you the right to buy certain Medigap plans without underwriting in specific situations — for example, if a Medicare Advantage plan leaves your area or if you drop Advantage during your first year (a "trial right"). Nevada may add protections beyond federal law; the Nevada Division of Insurance can confirm what applies to your situation.

Pricing method. Nevada allows insurers to use different methods to set premiums (community-rated, issue-age, or attained-age). Two Plan G policies with the same starting price can move very differently over 10 or 15 years. Ask each company which method it uses before you sign.

Part D is separate. Medigap will not pay for prescriptions. For 2026, Part D has a $2,100 annual out-of-pocket cap, a maximum deductible of $615, and the old coverage gap is gone (as of 2025). There is also an optional Medicare Prescription Payment Plan that spreads drug costs across the year.

How to decide, step by step

1. Confirm you want Original Medicare plus Medigap, not Medicare Advantage. You can only carry one or the other. 2. Pick the plan letter that matches how you like to pay — steadier monthly premiums with fewer surprises (like Plan G), or lower premiums with some cost-sharing (like Plan N or high-deductible G). 3. Shop that same letter across the insurers licensed in Nevada. Ask each one about its pricing method and its rate-increase history. 4. Enroll in a stand-alone Part D plan for prescription coverage. 5. Time it well. If you are in your 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, use it — that is your strongest guarantee of getting the plan you want.