Medicare Supplement

Eligible for Medicare after 2020? Plan F is off the table

Rochester, N.Y. — As 2026 approaches, Medicare Supplement (Medigap) shoppers in Monroe County are heading into the part of the year when the rules that shape these policies quietly reset. The standardized plan letters you can buy have not changed overnight, but the yearly reset of the Part B deductible, fresh rate filings with the state, and the ongoing rule that limits Plans C and F to people who were Medicare-eligible before 2020 all matter for anyone comparing coverage this season.

Medicare SupplementRochester, NY

Here is what Rochester readers should know before signing anything.

What is (and isn't) changing for plan letters

The menu of standardized Medigap plans available to people newly eligible for Medicare today is A, B, D, G, G-HD, K, L, M and N. Plans C and F remain available only to people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. That rule, set by federal law, is not changing for 2026 — but it still trips up shoppers who see a friend on Plan F and assume they can buy the same thing.

If you turned 65 in 2020 or later, or you qualified for Medicare through disability after that date, Plan G and Plan N are the two most common places New York shoppers land. Plan G-HD (high-deductible G) is also open to new enrollees.

The Part B deductible reset that Plans G and N are built around

Every January 1, the Part B deductible resets. That matters because Plan G covers everything Plan F covers except that deductible, and Plan N works the same way with a few added copays for office and emergency-room visits. So the "value" of a G or N policy shifts a little each year as the deductible changes.

Before you compare quotes for 2026, check the current Part B deductible figure on medicare.gov so you know what you would pay out of pocket before your Medigap plan begins picking up its share.

Rate-filing season in New York — how to check

New York regulates Medigap differently from most states. Insurers must file proposed rate changes with the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS), which reviews and approves or modifies them. New York is also a community-rated state, meaning insurers cannot charge you more because of your age.

If you want to see whether your carrier has filed a rate change for 2026:

• Go to the DFS website and search its prior approval rate filings for Medicare Supplement.
• Filter by company name to find your insurer.
• The filing shows the requested change, the approved change and the effective date.

This is the most reliable way to know what is happening with your premium — not a mailer or a phone call from a stranger.

Who is selling Medigap in New York

The table below lists every insurer currently selling Medigap in New York and the plan letters each one offers. In alphabetical order, they are: AARP - UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company of New York, BANKERS CONSECO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York, EmblemHealth Services Company, Globe Life Insurance Company of New York, Humana (Humana Insurance Company of New York), Mutual of Omaha (Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company), and Univera Healthcare West New York.

Rochester sits in the Western New York service footprint, so both BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York and Univera Healthcare West New York are locally familiar names alongside the national carriers. The plan letters each insurer offers are shown in the table — a carrier that does not list, say, Plan D or Plan M simply does not sell it.

Insurer participation can change year to year. If a company stops accepting new applications for a plan letter, or a new company files to enter the New York market, DFS is where that is confirmed.

Guaranteed-issue rights are still your friend

New York remains one of the more protective states for Medigap. Insurers here must sell you any plan they offer, at the community rate, regardless of your health — a protection that goes beyond the federal open-enrollment window. That is a rule, not a marketing pitch, and it does not change for 2026.

That said, switching Medigap plans mid-year is a real decision with paperwork, effective dates and the loss of any built-up trust with your current insurer's claims process. Talk it through with someone who does not earn a commission on the outcome before you move.

How to decide this season

A simple sequence that works for most Rochester shoppers:

1. Confirm which plan letters you are eligible for (pre- or post-2020 eligibility). 2. Look up the current Part B deductible on medicare.gov so you know what Plan G would leave you responsible for. 3. Use the table below to see which insurers offer the letter you want. 4. Check the DFS rate filings for those insurers. 5. Call New York's SHIP — the Health Insurance Information, Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP) — for free, unbiased help.