Medicare Supplement

Medigap in Knoxville for 2026: plan-letter rules, the Part B reset, and who sells what

Knoxville, Tenn. — If you're shopping a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy in East Tennessee this fall, a few things reset on the calendar every year, and it helps to know which ones actually affect you. The plan letters you can buy are set by federal rule, the Part B deductible that Plans G and N are built around resets on Jan. 1, and Tennessee insurers file rate changes with the state throughout the year. Here is a plain-English look at what is moving heading into 2026 — and what is not.

Medicare SupplementKnoxville, TN

Which Medigap plans you can buy in 2026

Medigap plans are standardized by the federal government, so a Plan G from one insurer covers the same medical benefits as a Plan G from another. What differs is price, customer service, and whether the carrier sells in your state.

For people who became eligible for Medicare on or after Jan. 1, 2020, the available plan letters are A, B, D, G, G-HD (high-deductible G), K, L, M and N. Plans C and F — the two plans that used to pay the Part B deductible for you — are only sold to people who were eligible before that date. That rule is unchanged for 2026. If you see Plan C or Plan F in the table below, it is there because some carriers still offer it to people who qualify under the old rule.

The Part B deductible reset — why it matters for Plan G and Plan N

Every Jan. 1, the Part B deductible starts over. Plans G and N are built around that number: with Plan G, you pay the Part B deductible yourself and then the plan picks up the Medicare-approved costs; with Plan N, you also pay the deductible, plus small copays for some office and ER visits, and any Part B excess charges.

CMS publishes the exact deductible amount for the new year in the fall. Once it's posted on medicare.gov, that is the figure your Plan G or Plan N will be working from starting in January. It is worth checking each year so you're not surprised by the first bill of the new plan year.

Rate-adjustment season in Tennessee

Medigap premiums are not frozen. Insurers can — and often do — adjust rates once a year, and those changes are filed with the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance before they take effect. The department publishes rate information consumers can look at, and any licensed agent or the carrier itself can tell you the current rate for your ZIP code and age.

A few practical notes for Knoxville shoppers:

• Rate changes usually hit on your policy anniversary, not on Jan. 1.
• Two carriers offering the same plan letter can charge very different premiums, because the benefits are standardized but the pricing is not.
• If you're outside your Medigap Open Enrollment Period or a guaranteed-issue situation, switching carriers can involve medical underwriting. Ask before you cancel anything.

Who sells Medigap in Tennessee

The Medigap market in Tennessee is broad. Carriers you may recognize include AARP - UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, Farm Bureau Health Plans, Humana, Mutual of Omaha (Omaha Supplemental Insurance Company) and State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, along with many others. The full table on this page lists every insurer approved to sell Medigap in the state and which plan letters each one offers — including the high-deductible versions of G and F where they're available.

Insurers do file to enter or leave state Medigap markets from time to time. Any changes to who is selling in Tennessee are reflected in the Medicare.gov Medigap policy search, which is updated by CMS. That's the cleanest place to confirm current availability before you call a carrier.

What Knoxville readers should do before Jan. 1

• Confirm your Medigap Open Enrollment Period status. It's the six-month window that starts the month you're 65 and enrolled in Part B, and it is when you have the strongest rights to buy any Medigap plan sold in Tennessee without medical underwriting.
• If you already have Medigap, look for your renewal notice and compare it to at least one or two other carriers offering the same plan letter.
• If you take prescription drugs, remember Medigap does not include Part D. In 2026, Part D has a $2,100 out-of-pocket cap and a maximum deductible of $615, and the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs monthly. The Annual Enrollment Period for Part D runs Oct. 15 – Dec. 7.
• If your income is above $109,000 as a single filer, IRMAA surcharges may apply to your Part B and Part D premiums in 2026.