Medicare Supplement

Aging Into Medicare in Cameron County? Read This

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — If you have a Medigap policy in Cameron County, or you are about to shop for one, a few things shift with the calendar. The plan letters you can buy are set by federal rules, the Part B deductible that Plans G and N are built around resets every January, and Texas insurers file rate changes with the state throughout the year. Here is what to keep an eye on for 2026.

What is (and isn't) changing about plan letters

The menu of standardized Medigap plans is set by federal law, and it has not changed for 2026. If you became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020, you can buy Plans A, B, D, G, G-HD, K, L, M or N. Plans C and F — the ones that covered the Part B deductible — remain closed to newly eligible enrollees. If you were eligible before that 2020 cutoff, you can still buy or keep C or F if a carrier offers it.

That rule matters in Brownsville because Plan G has become the go-to comprehensive option for people aging into Medicare, and Plan N is the common lower-premium alternative. Both are built on top of the Part B deductible.

The yearly Part B deductible reset

Plans G and N do not pay your Part B deductible for you. You pay it first each calendar year, and then the Medigap policy picks up its share of what Medicare-approved services cost after that. On January 1, that deductible resets to zero and starts over.

The 2026 Part B deductible amount is set by CMS and posted on Medicare.gov. It is the same figure no matter which carrier sold you the policy — a Plan G is a Plan G. What differs between carriers is the premium and the customer service, not the benefits inside a given letter.

Rate-adjustment season in Texas

Medigap premiums are not frozen for the year. Insurers file proposed rate changes with the Texas Department of Insurance, and those filings can take effect on different dates depending on the carrier. If you already have a policy, your renewal letter will show your new premium and its effective date.

A few things to know as filings roll through:

• Texas does not require insurers to offer a Medigap policy outside your initial 6-month open enrollment window, so switching later can involve medical underwriting.
• Rates can be based on your age at issue, your current age, or the same for everyone in a group — ask the carrier which method applies before you compare quotes.
• You can look up current filings and consumer rate guides at tdi.texas.gov, and compare policies sold in your ZIP code using the Medigap policy search at Medicare.gov.

Insurers selling Medigap in Texas

The table below lists every insurer currently offering Medigap in Texas along with the plan letters each one sells. Availability can change during the year as carriers add or drop specific plan letters, so it is worth checking the Medicare.gov policy finder or calling the carrier directly before you apply. Well-known names on the Texas list include AARP - UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, Aetna Health Insurance Company, BlueCross BlueShield of Texas, Humana (Emphesys Insurance Company), Mutual of Omaha (Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company) and USAA Life Insurance Company, along with several regional and specialty carriers.

Because the plans are standardized, a Plan G from one carrier covers the same services as a Plan G from another. Differences show up in price, in how rates are structured, and in extras like household discounts.

Your best window to buy or switch

The single most important date on the Medigap calendar is not January 1 — it is the start of your Medigap Open Enrollment Period. That is the 6-month window that begins the month you are 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. During that window, any carrier selling in Texas must sell you any plan they offer at their best available rate, and cannot turn you down or charge more for health reasons.

Outside that window, and outside a handful of guaranteed-issue situations, Texas carriers can use medical underwriting. That does not mean you cannot switch — many people do — but it means the answer depends on your health at the time you apply.