Medicare Supplement

Why Every Medigap Carrier Sells the Same Letter Plans, Cuyahoga Falls

CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio — If you've ever tried to shop for a Medicare Supplement policy, you've probably noticed something odd. The plans are named with letters — A, B, D, G, K, L, M, N — and every insurance company seems to sell the same ones. That's not a coincidence. It's the way Medicare Supplement (often called Medigap) is designed to work.

Here's a plain-English guide to what Medigap does, how the letters work, and how to avoid a few common mistakes.

What Medigap actually does

Original Medicare — Part A (hospital) and Part B (doctor and outpatient) — covers a lot, but it doesn't cover everything. There are deductibles, coinsurance, and no yearly cap on what you might owe out of pocket.

A Medigap policy is private insurance you can buy to help pay some of those leftover costs. It works alongside Original Medicare, not in place of it. Medicare pays its share first, and then your Medigap policy pays part or all of what's left, depending on the plan letter you chose.

Medigap does not include prescription drug coverage. For that, you'd add a separate Part D drug plan.

Also important: Medigap only works with Original Medicare. If you're enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, you cannot use a Medigap policy at the same time.

Why the letters exist

Before the 1990s, Medigap policies were a confusing free-for-all. Congress fixed that by requiring insurance companies to sell standardized plans, each labeled with a letter. Today, in most states — including Ohio — there are 10 standardized letters available: A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N. (Plans C and F are only available to people who became eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020.)

The key point: Plan G from one company covers the exact same things as Plan G from another company. The benefits inside each letter are set by federal rules. What differs between carriers is the price, the customer service, and sometimes small extras.

That's the piece a lot of shoppers miss. If two companies sell "Plan N," the coverage is identical. You don't have to compare benefit charts side by side — you can focus on premium and company reputation.

How the letters differ from each other

Each letter covers a different mix of the gaps in Original Medicare, such as the Part A hospital deductible, Part B coinsurance, skilled nursing coinsurance, and foreign travel emergency care.

• Some letters (like G) cover almost every gap except the Part B deductible.
• Others (like K and L) share more of the cost with you in exchange for a lower premium.
• Plan N covers most gaps but asks for small copays at doctor visits and emergency room trips.

You can see the official benefit chart on Medicare.gov, which lays out exactly what each letter covers. It's the cleanest way to compare.

The enrollment window that matters most

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

During that six-month window, insurance companies must sell you any Medigap policy they offer at their best available rate. They can't turn you down or charge you more because of your health history.

After that window closes, in most states, insurance companies can ask health questions and can decline coverage or charge more. This is where people get tripped up — they assume they can switch Medigap plans anytime, and often they can't without medical underwriting.

If you're in Cuyahoga Falls or elsewhere in Summit County and approaching 65, mark that six-month window on your calendar. It's the friendliest time to shop.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Assuming Medigap includes drug coverage. It doesn't. You'll need a separate Part D plan. For 2026, Part D has a $2,100 out-of-pocket cap and a maximum deductible of $615.
• Trying to have both Medicare Advantage and Medigap. You can only use Medigap with Original Medicare.
• Waiting too long to enroll. Once your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period ends, your options may shrink.
• Comparing benefits instead of price. Since each letter is standardized, the smart comparison is premium, rate history, and the company itself.

What about local availability?

Cuyahoga Falls is in Summit County, where Medicare Advantage and Part D plans are set at the county level. Medigap works a bit differently — carriers are licensed to sell in Ohio as a whole, and rates can vary by ZIP code and age. A licensed agent, your local SHIP counselor, or Medicare.gov's plan finder can show you which carriers offer which letters in your area.