Medicare Supplement

Before You Shop Medigap in Plano: 2027 Rules to Know

PLANO, Texas — As 2027 comes into view, Medigap shoppers in Plano are asking a fair question: what actually changes from one year to the next? The short answer is that the menu of standardized plan letters stays remarkably steady, but a few moving parts — who can buy which plan, the yearly reset of the Part B deductible that Plans G and N are built around, and insurer rate filings with the state — quietly reshape the picture every year.

Here is a plain-English look at what Collin County residents should keep an eye on as the new plan year approaches.

The plan letters available in 2027

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 price and the customer service.

For anyone newly eligible for Medicare today, these letters are on the menu: A, B, D, G, high-deductible G, K, L, M and N. Plans C and F are only available to people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020 — that rule doesn't change for 2027.

If you're weighing options, Plan G and Plan N tend to get the most attention among newly eligible shoppers, while the high-deductible G and the cost-sharing plans (K and L) appeal to people who want a lower monthly premium in exchange for more cost-sharing.

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

Plans G and N are designed to pick up most of what Original Medicare doesn't cover, after you've met the Part B deductible for the year. That deductible resets every January 1.

CMS announces the new figure each fall for the following year, and it applies to everyone with Part B — not just Medigap enrollees. If you're on Plan G or N, that annual amount is essentially your out-of-pocket "floor" for Part B services before the supplement takes over. Check the current-year number on Medicare.gov before you budget.

Rate-adjustment season in Texas

Here's the part that trips people up: Medigap benefits are standardized, but premiums are not. Every insurer selling Medigap in Texas files its rates with the Texas Department of Insurance, and those rates can change from year to year.

Fall and early winter is when many carriers roll out new rates for the coming plan year. If you already have a Medigap policy, your insurer should send you a notice before your premium changes. A few practical steps:

• Compare current Plano-area rates on the Medicare.gov Medigap policy search by ZIP code.
• Review the Texas Department of Insurance Medigap rate guide, which shows filed rates by company and plan letter.
• Call the Texas SHIP (Health Information, Counseling and Advocacy Program) for free, unbiased help.

Because the benefits are identical letter-for-letter, a Plan G is a Plan G — the meaningful differences between insurers on the same letter are price, rate history, and service.

Insurers entering or leaving the Texas market

Carrier lineups shift from year to year. Some insurers expand into Texas, others pull back or stop selling certain plan letters to new applicants. There isn't a single public list of every Medigap insurer in Plano that we can point to here, so the most reliable way to see who is currently selling in your ZIP is the Medicare.gov policy search. The state insurance department's rate guide is a good cross-check.

If your current insurer stops offering new policies, that doesn't automatically cancel your coverage — but it can affect future rate changes. Read any notice from your carrier carefully.

Switching plans: the underwriting reality in Texas

This is the piece many Plano residents underestimate. When you first enroll in Part B at 65 or older, you get a 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period where insurers must sell you any plan they offer at their best available rate, regardless of health.

Outside that window, Texas allows insurers to use medical underwriting for most Medigap applications, which means they can review your health and decide whether to accept you and at what price. There are limited guaranteed-issue situations (for example, when certain coverage ends involuntarily), but they are narrower than many people expect. If you're thinking about switching plans or insurers for 2027, talk with the Texas SHIP first.