Medicare Supplement

Before You Shop Medigap in Brentwood, Learn the Letter Code

# Before You Shop Medigap in Brentwood, Learn the Letter…

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. — If you've started looking at Medicare Supplement Insurance — better known as Medigap — you've probably noticed the plans go by letters: A, B, D, G, K, L, M, N, and a high-deductible version of G. That letter system isn't marketing. It's a federal rulebook. And once you understand how it works, the whole chart gets much easier to read.

Here's the key idea: a Medigap plan with the same letter offers the same core benefits no matter which insurance company sells it. Plan G from one carrier covers the same things as Plan G from another. What can differ is the monthly premium, the customer service, and extras like discount programs — but the medical benefits inside each lettered plan are set by federal standards.

Why the letters exist

Before standardization, Medigap policies were a maze. Congress fixed that by requiring insurers to sell only plans that fit federally defined templates. Today, if a company offers "Plan G," it must cover exactly what Plan G is required to cover — no more, no less on the core benefits.

That's why comparing Medigap in Brentwood, which sits in Williamson County, mostly comes down to price, the insurer's reputation, and whether the plan letter itself matches how you use care. The benefit list is already decided for you.

What Plan G covers — and doesn't

Plan G is one of the most comprehensive letters available to people newly eligible today. It picks up:

• The Part A hospital coinsurance and an extra 365 days of hospital coverage after Medicare's benefits end
• Part B coinsurance or copayments
• The first three pints of blood
• Hospice coinsurance
• Skilled nursing facility coinsurance
• The Part A deductible
• Part B excess charges (when a provider bills above Medicare's approved amount)
• 80% of foreign travel emergency care, up to plan limits

What Plan G does not cover: the annual Part B deductible. You pay that once each year before Plan G kicks in. It also doesn't cover prescription drugs — that's Part D's job — and it doesn't cover routine dental, vision, hearing, or long-term care.

What high-deductible Plan G does differently

High-deductible Plan G offers the same benefits as regular Plan G, but you pay a yearly deductible first before the policy starts paying. That deductible amount is set by federal rule and adjusts each year. In exchange, the monthly premium is usually lower. It's the same coverage — just structured so you take on more of the upfront cost.

What Plan N covers

Plan N is similar to Plan G with two main differences. First, it doesn't cover Part B excess charges, so if a provider doesn't accept Medicare assignment, you could owe more. Second, you may pay a small copay for some office visits and emergency room visits that don't result in an admission. Everything else on the core benefits list looks a lot like Plan G, minus the Part B deductible, which Plan N also doesn't cover.

How Plans K and L work

Plans K and L are cost-sharing plans. Instead of paying most costs in full after Medicare, they pay a percentage:

• Plan K pays 50% of many out-of-pocket costs, including the Part A deductible, Part B coinsurance, hospice coinsurance, and skilled nursing coinsurance.
• Plan L pays 75% of those same costs.

Both plans have an annual out-of-pocket limit. Once you hit it, the plan pays 100% of covered Part B costs for the rest of the calendar year. Plans K and L don't cover Part B excess charges or the Part B deductible.## Two things to remember before you compare First, Plans C and F are closed to anyone who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. If you were eligible before that date, you may still be able to buy them, but new-to-Medicare shoppers won't see them as options.

Second, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin standardize Medigap differently. If you or a family member lives in one of those states, the letter chart in this article doesn't apply the same way.

Medigap is also separate from Part D prescription drug coverage. For 2026, Part D has a $2,100 annual out-of-pocket cap, a maximum deductible of $615, and an optional Medicare Prescription Payment Plan that lets you spread drug costs across the year. Those rules apply to your drug plan, not your Medigap policy.