Medicare Supplement

How Medicare Supplement plans fill gaps in Beaverton

If you live in Beaverton and you're new to Medicare, you've probably heard the word "Medigap" tossed around. It's another name for Medicare Supplement Insurance, and its job is simple: it helps pay some of the out-of-pocket costs that Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) leaves behind.

What Medigap Actually Does

Original Medicare covers a lot, but not everything. You still owe deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments. A Medigap policy, sold by private insurance companies, picks up part or all of those leftover costs depending on which plan you choose. According to Medicare.gov, you generally need to be enrolled in both Part A and Part B before you can buy a Medigap policy.

One important note: Medigap is different from Medicare Advantage. You cannot use both at the same time. Medigap works alongside Original Medicare, not in place of it.

Why the Plans Are Labeled With Letters

Here's where things get a little easier than they look. Medigap plans are standardized by the federal government. That means Plan G from one company covers the exact same core benefits as Plan G from another company. The letters — A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N — each represent a specific package of benefits set by Medicare.

What can differ between carriers is the price, customer service, and extras like dental discounts or gym memberships. But the medical benefits inside each lettered plan are the same by law in most states, including Oregon.

Two plans — Plan C and Plan F — are only available to people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. If you became eligible after that date, those two letters are off the table for you.

A Quick Look at What Each Letter Covers

Every Medigap plan covers a set of "core" benefits, like Part A hospital coinsurance and an extra year of hospital coverage after Medicare benefits run out. Beyond that, the letters differ in how much they cover for things like:

• Part B coinsurance or copayments
• The first three pints of blood each year
• Hospice care coinsurance
• Skilled nursing facility coinsurance
• Part A and Part B deductibles
• Foreign travel emergency care (up to plan limits)

Plans K and L work a little differently. They pay a percentage of certain costs (50% or 75%) instead of the full amount, and they include a yearly out-of-pocket limit. Plan N has small copays for some office and emergency room visits.

You can see the full side-by-side chart at Medicare.gov.

How Medigap Fits With Part D

Medigap policies sold today do not include prescription drug coverage. If you want help with your medications, you'll need a separate Medicare Part D plan.

That matters more than ever in 2026. Part D now has a $2,100 annual out-of-pocket cap on covered drugs, and the maximum Part D deductible is $615. The old "donut hole" coverage gap was eliminated in 2025, so drug coverage now moves through just three phases. There's also the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan, which lets you spread your drug costs across the year in monthly installments instead of paying big bills all at once.

When You Can Buy a Medigap Policy in Beaverton

The best time to buy a Medigap plan is during your Medigap Open Enrollment Period. This is a six-month window that starts the month you're 65 or older AND enrolled in Part B. During this window, insurance companies can't turn you down or charge you more because of your health.

Beaverton is in Washington County, and Oregon insurers offer the standard lettered Medigap plans here. If you miss that six-month window, you can still apply later, but companies may use medical underwriting — meaning your health history could affect whether you're approved or what you pay.

Note that Medigap enrollment is separate from the fall Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7) and the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31). Those windows are for Advantage and Part D changes, not Medigap.

How to Decide Which Letter Fits You

Since the benefits inside each letter are the same across companies, the question really becomes: how much help do you want with out-of-pocket costs, and what monthly premium fits your budget?

A few honest questions to ask yourself:

• Do I travel often, including outside the U.S.?
• Do I prefer predictable costs, even if the premium is higher?
• Am I comfortable paying some copays in exchange for a lower monthly premium?
• Will I qualify for the older Plan C or F, or am I choosing from the post-2020 list?

Talking with a licensed agent or your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) counselor can help you compare pricing from different carriers for the exact same lettered plan.