Medicare Supplement

Medigap in Columbus for 2026: the rule changes Ohio readers should know

COLUMBUS, Ohio — As 2026 approaches, Medicare Supplement Insurance — better known as Medigap — is heading into its usual season of change. Rates are being refiled with the Ohio Department of Insurance, the Part B deductible that Plans G and N are built around resets on January 1, and the list of standardized plan letters you can buy depends on when you first became eligible for Medicare. If you live in Franklin County, here is what to keep in mind before you shop or renew.

What Medigap is, in one paragraph

Medigap is private insurance that helps pay some of the costs Original Medicare leaves behind — things like coinsurance and copays. Each plan is identified by a letter (A, B, D, G, and so on), and the benefits inside each letter are standardized by federal rule. That means a Plan G from one insurer covers the same Medicare-defined gaps as a Plan G from another. What differs between insurers is the premium, customer service, and how the price changes as you age.

Which plan letters you can buy in Ohio

The letter menu depends on your Medicare eligibility date. If you became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020, you can choose from Plans A, B, D, G, G-HD (the high-deductible version of Plan G), K, L, M, and N. Plans C and F — which used to be popular because they covered the Part B deductible — are only sold to people who were eligible for Medicare before that date. This rule is federal, not state-specific, and it is not changing for 2026.

Plan G and Plan N are two of the most talked-about letters for people newly eligible, because they are structured around the Part B deductible: you pay that deductible yourself each year, then the plan picks up its share of what's left.

The Part B deductible resets every January

Every January 1, the Part B deductible starts over at zero. Because Plans G and N are designed to kick in after you meet it, that reset is the moment your out-of-pocket clock restarts each year. Medicare publishes the exact 2026 dollar figure on medicare.gov, and it applies nationwide — Ohio does not set its own number.

If you have Plan G-HD, the high-deductible version, you also have a separate plan-level deductible to meet before benefits begin. That plan deductible is set federally and also adjusts each year.

Rate-adjustment season in Ohio

Medigap premiums are set by each insurance company and filed with the Ohio Department of Insurance. Companies typically refile rates once a year, and the department reviews them. That is why your premium can go up even if your plan letter and benefits stay exactly the same — the benefits are locked in by federal rule, but the price is not.

A few things worth knowing as you look at your renewal notice:

• Ohio does not require an annual open enrollment for Medigap. Outside of your one-time Medigap Open Enrollment Period (the six months starting when you're 65 and enrolled in Part B), insurers can use medical underwriting to decide whether to sell you a policy and at what price.
• Switching Medigap plans mid-year is allowed, but unless you have a "guaranteed issue" right, the new insurer can ask health questions.
• The Ohio Department of Insurance publishes a Medigap rate guide that lists companies selling in the state and sample premiums. It is the most reliable way to compare prices, alongside the Medicare.gov Medigap policy search.

Insurers entering or leaving Ohio

Which specific companies sell Medigap in Ohio, and which are entering or exiting the state for 2026, is tracked by the Ohio Department of Insurance rather than by Medicare itself. Because carrier participation can change year to year, the best way to see the current list for your ZIP code in Columbus is to run a Medigap policy search on medicare.gov or call your local SHIP counselor.

How to shop from Columbus

Columbus is in Franklin County, and Medigap availability in Ohio is set statewide rather than county by county — but premiums can still vary by ZIP code. A practical order of steps:

1. Go to medicare.gov and use the Medigap policy search with your Columbus ZIP. 2. Compare the same plan letter across insurers — remember, the benefits are identical by law. 3. Ask each insurer how they price policies (by age at issue, attained age, or community-rated) so you understand how the premium may change over time. 4. Call the Ohio SHIP for free, one-on-one help.