Medicare Supplement

How Medigap's Lettered Plans Work: A Clear Guide

LONG BEACH, N.Y. — If you've ever tried to shop for a Medicare Supplement policy, you know the alphabet soup can feel overwhelming. Plan A, Plan G, Plan N, Plan K, Plan L — the letters seem random, and the sales pitches don't always help you understand what you're buying.

Long Beach seniors, here's what Medigap actually does

The good news? Medigap plans are standardized by the federal government. That means a Plan G sold by one company covers the exact same things as a Plan G sold by another. Once you understand that, choosing gets a lot simpler.

Here's a plain-English walk-through.

What Medigap is — and what it isn't

Medigap, also called Medicare Supplement Insurance, is a private policy that helps pay some of the out-of-pocket costs Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) leaves behind — things like coinsurance, copayments, and deductibles.

A few important points from Medicare.gov:

• Medigap only works with Original Medicare. You cannot use a Medigap policy to cover costs on a Medicare Advantage plan.
• Medigap does not include prescription drug coverage. If you want drug coverage, you'll need to enroll in a separate Part D plan.
• You pay a monthly premium to the insurance company for Medigap, on top of your Part B premium.
• Medigap policies are guaranteed renewable as long as you pay the premium, even if you have health problems.

Why the letters exist

Before standardization, comparing supplement policies was nearly impossible. Congress fixed that. Today, in most states, Medigap plans are sold under standardized letter names: A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N. (Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin have their own systems.)

Each letter represents a specific package of benefits. So when you're comparing a Plan G from Company 1 with a Plan G from Company 2, the coverage is identical. The differences come down to price, customer service, and the company's track record.

That's a big deal. It means once you decide which letter fits your needs, you can shop on price and service alone.

A quick tour of what the letters cover

Every standardized Medigap plan covers at least a core set of benefits, including Part A hospital coinsurance and an extra 365 days of hospital coverage after Medicare benefits end. From there, the letters differ in how much of the rest they pick up — things like the Part B deductible, skilled nursing coinsurance, foreign travel emergency care, and Part A hospice coinsurance.

A few general notes to keep in mind:

• 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, you can't buy them.
• Plans K and L are cost-sharing plans, meaning they pay a percentage of covered costs and have an annual out-of-pocket limit.
• Plan N typically has lower premiums but requires small copays for some office and emergency visits.

For a full side-by-side chart of what each letter covers, Medicare.gov keeps an official version updated every year.

When you can buy — and why timing matters

The single most important window in Medigap is your Medigap Open Enrollment Period. It starts the month you're 65 and enrolled in Part B, and it lasts six months.

During those six months, you have a guaranteed issue right. Insurance companies cannot turn you down or charge you more because of health problems. Miss that window, and in most states insurers can use medical underwriting — meaning your health history can affect whether you qualify or what you pay.

New York does have some additional consumer protections around Medigap enrollment, so if you're past your initial window, it's worth calling the state's Health Insurance Information, Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP) before assuming you're stuck.

How Medigap fits with the rest of Medicare in 2026

Since Medigap only works with Original Medicare, it helps to see the full picture for 2026:

• Part D drug plans now have a $2,100 annual out-of-pocket cap on covered drugs.
• The Part D maximum deductible is $615.
• The old coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone — Part D now has three phases.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs into monthly payments instead of paying big amounts at the pharmacy.
• IRMAA — the income-related surcharge on Part B and Part D — kicks in above $109,000 for a single filer in 2026.
• Annual Enrollment runs October 15 – December 7. Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment runs January 1 – March 31. Note: neither of those is the Medigap enrollment window.

Long Beach is in Nassau County, where residents have access to Original Medicare plus a range of Medigap and Part D options sold by private insurers licensed in New York.