Medicare Supplement

Medigap in Garland: the rules, resets and rate filings to watch before 2027

GARLAND, Texas — If you have a Medigap policy in Garland, or you are shopping for one for the first time, the ground under these plans shifts a little every year. The plan letters themselves do not change often, but the Part B deductible that Plans G and N are built around resets each January, and Texas insurers file new rates on their own schedules. Here is a plain-English look at what is moving into 2027, and what is staying the same.

Medicare SupplementGarland, TX

Which plan letters you can actually buy

Medigap plans are standardized by the federal government, so a Plan G from one insurer covers the same core benefits as a Plan G from another. What differs is the premium, the customer service, and sometimes extras like household discounts.

If you became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020, you can shop from Plans A, B, D, G, G-HD (a high-deductible version), K, L, M and N. Plans C and F, which used to be popular, are closed to newly eligible enrollees because they covered the Part B deductible — a benefit Congress removed for new members. If you were eligible before that date, you can still buy or keep C and F.

That rule has not changed for 2027. But it does mean most Garland shoppers turning 65 this year are choosing between Plans G, G-HD and N as the main "cover most of the gaps" options, plus A, B, D, K, L and M depending on how much cost-sharing they want.

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

Both Plan G and Plan N are built around the Part B deductible. With Plan G, you pay the Part B deductible each year, and after that the plan picks up your Part B coinsurance. With Plan N, the same deductible applies, plus small copays for some office and emergency-room visits.

That deductible resets every January 1. The 2027 figure will be announced by CMS in the fall of 2026, alongside the Part B premium. When it goes up, the amount you pay out of pocket before your Medigap kicks in goes up by the same amount — the plan design does not change, just the dollar figure inside it. It is worth checking medicare.gov each January so you know the new number before your first doctor visit of the year.

Rate-adjustment season in Texas

Medigap premiums are not set by Medicare. In Texas, each insurer files its rates with the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), and those filings can happen at different times of year for different carriers. That is why two people in the same Garland ZIP code, on the same lettered plan, can pay very different premiums depending on which company they signed up with and when.

A few things to know as 2027 approaches:

• There is no single "Medigap open enrollment" every fall the way there is for Medicare Advantage and Part D. Your one guaranteed-issue window is generally the six months after you first enroll in Part B at age 65 or older.
• Outside that window, switching Medigap plans in Texas usually means answering medical-underwriting questions, and you can be turned down or charged more.
• You can check current rate filings and consumer rate guides on the TDI website (tdi.texas.gov) and compare offerings on medicare.gov's Medigap policy search.

Who sells Medigap in Texas

Garland is in Dallas County, and the carriers licensed to sell Medigap in Texas serve the whole state, so Garland residents generally have the full Texas roster to shop from. The table below lists every insurer and which lettered plans each one offers. Familiar names on the 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), State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, Texas Farm Bureau Health Plans and USAA Life Insurance Company, among many others.

A carrier occasionally enters or exits the Texas Medigap market, or adds and drops specific lettered plans. Those changes are reflected in the TDI filings and on medicare.gov. If a carrier stops selling new policies, existing policyholders are usually allowed to keep the coverage they already have — but always confirm that in writing with the insurer.

How Medigap fits with the rest of Medicare in 2026–2027

Medigap works only with Original Medicare, not with Medicare Advantage. It does not include drug coverage, so most people pair it with a stand-alone Part D plan. A few Part D facts worth keeping in mind as you plan for 2026 and look ahead to 2027:

• Part D has an out-of-pocket cap of $2,100 for 2026, and the coverage gap ("donut hole") has been eliminated as of 2025.
• The maximum Part D deductible in 2026 is $615.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your drug costs across the calendar year in monthly installments if you choose.
• IRMAA surcharges (extra amounts added to Part B and Part D premiums for higher earners) begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.
• Annual Enrollment for Medicare Advantage and Part D runs October 15 – December 7, and Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment runs January 1 – March 31.

What to do before the year turns

• Look up the new Part B deductible for 2027 in the fall of 2026, so you know what Plan G or Plan N will ask you to pay out of pocket before it starts covering coinsurance.
• If you already have a Medigap plan, watch your mail for the annual rate notice from your insurer.
• If you are considering switching carriers, ask about medical underwriting first — outside your initial six-month enrollment window, approval is not guaranteed in Texas.
• If you are new to Medicare, use your six-month Medigap open enrollment window; it is the one time you can pick any plan sold in Texas without health questions.