Medicare Supplement

Before you compare Medigap in Akron, check these resets

AKRON, Ohio — As 2027 planning season approaches, Medigap shoppers in Summit County are looking at a familiar mix of moving parts: which standardized plan letters they can still buy, the yearly reset of the Part B deductible that Plans G and N are built around, the rate filings insurers make with the Ohio Department of Insurance, and any carriers coming into or leaving the state.

Medigap is different from Medicare Advantage. It does not have an Annual Enrollment Period tied to Oct. 15 – Dec. 7. But the calendar still matters, because premiums can change each year and the federal figures that these plans are designed around reset every January.

Which plan letters you can actually buy

Medigap plans are standardized by letter. That means a Plan G from one company covers the same core benefits as a Plan G from another — the differences are price, customer service, and how the company handles rate increases over time.

If you became eligible for Medicare on or after Jan. 1, 2020, you can shop Plans A, B, D, G, G-HD, K, L, M and N. Plans C and F remain available only to people who were eligible before that date. This rule does not change for 2027; it is the same federal eligibility line that has been in place since the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act took effect.

Some carriers in Ohio still list C and F because they have existing members or because they continue to sell to people who qualify under the older rule. The table below shows every plan each insurer offers.

The Part B deductible reset that shapes Plans G and N

Plans G and N are the two letters most people newly on Medicare consider. Both are built around the Part B deductible: you pay that deductible out of pocket each year, and then the plan picks up its share of what's left.

That deductible resets on Jan. 1 every year, and Medicare announces the new figure in the fall. For 2027, watch the official amount on medicare.gov — it is the number your Plan G or N will pivot around all year. Plan N also uses copays for some office and emergency room visits, which is one of the main ways it differs from Plan G.

High-deductible Plan G (G-HD) works differently: you meet a much larger annual deductible before the plan pays, in exchange for a lower premium. Several Ohio insurers offer it, as the table shows.

Rate-adjustment season in Ohio

Because Medigap benefits are standardized, premiums are where insurers compete — and premiums can change each year. In Ohio, carriers file their rates with the Ohio Department of Insurance. Approved changes typically take effect on the policyholder's renewal date or on a set date the insurer uses for its whole block.

There is no single statewide "Medigap rate change" number. Each company files its own request, and the same plan letter can carry very different premiums from one carrier to the next. To see current filings and consumer guides, visit insurance.ohio.gov and search for Medicare Supplement rate information, or ask your local SHIP counselor to walk you through the latest Ohio Medicare Supplement rate guide.

If you already own a Medigap policy and get a renewal notice with a higher premium, you can shop other carriers — but outside your one-time Medigap Open Enrollment Period (the six months starting when you're 65 and enrolled in Part B), insurers in Ohio can generally use medical underwriting to decide whether to accept you and at what price.

Carriers entering or leaving

Insurer lineups shift a little each year as companies enter Ohio, exit, or add and drop specific plan letters. The current list of Medigap carriers active in Ohio is in the table on this page. If you are comparing options for 2027, use that table alongside Medicare.gov's Medigap policy search, which pulls directly from the same state-level data and will reflect any late changes.

Names you'll see on the Ohio list include Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield - Ohio, Medical Mutual of Ohio, AARP - UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, Mutual of Omaha (Omaha Supplemental Insurance Company), Humana (Humana Benefit Plan of Illinois, Inc.), Continental Life Insurance Company of Brentwood, Tennessee (Aetna), and many others — the table lists every insurer and the plan letters each one sells.

What Akron residents should do before 2027

Akron is in Summit County, and Medigap is regulated at the state level, so the same plan letters and same insurer roster apply to you as to anyone else in Ohio. A practical checklist:

1. Look up the 2027 Part B deductible on medicare.gov once it is announced. 2. If you're new to Medicare, note your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment window — that is your strongest guaranteed-issue period. 3. If you have a policy already, read your renewal notice and compare it to quotes from other Ohio carriers for the same plan letter. 4. Call the Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP) at 1-800-686-1578 for free, unbiased help.