Medicare Supplement

Before you compare Medigap in Spokane, check these

SPOKANE, Wash. — As Medicare's fall season approaches, Spokane residents who carry — or are shopping for — a Medigap policy have a few moving parts to keep an eye on heading into 2027: which standardized plan letters they can still buy, how the annual reset of the Part B deductible affects Plans G and N, and the rate filings insurers submit each year to the Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner.

Medicare SupplementSpokane, WA

Spokane is in Spokane County, where the same statewide list of Medigap insurers and plan letters is available to residents. None of the figures below are city-specific — Medigap is regulated at the state and federal level — but the decisions you make about a policy are personal.

Which plan letters you can actually buy

Medigap policies are standardized by letter, meaning a Plan G from one insurer covers the same core benefits as a Plan G from another. What differs is the premium, the company's customer service, and — for some carriers — extras like household discounts (which you should confirm directly with the insurer).

If you became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020, you can choose from Plans A, B, D, G, G-HD, K, L, M, and N. Plans C and F are closed to newly eligible enrollees because they paid the Part B deductible, and federal law no longer allows new Medigap policies to do that. If you were eligible before that cutoff, you can still buy C or F if a carrier offers it.

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

Plans G and N are the two most commonly discussed letters for people new to Medicare, and both are structured around the Part B deductible. You pay that deductible once each calendar year before your Medigap benefits fully kick in on Part B services.

The Part B deductible resets every January 1, and Medicare announces the new amount each fall. Before you sign up or renew, look up the current figure at medicare.gov so you know what your first out-of-pocket bill of the year could look like. Plan N also has some small copays for certain office and emergency-room visits that Plan G does not — those are worth understanding before choosing between the two.

Rate-adjustment season in Washington

Medigap premiums are not fixed for life. Insurers can file rate changes each year, and in Washington those filings go to the Office of the Insurance Commissioner (insurance.wa.gov). If you have a policy today, your carrier is required to notify you of any rate change before it takes effect.

Because the same plan letter covers the same benefits across companies, price is the main thing that separates a Plan G from Carrier A and a Plan G from Carrier B. A rate hike on your current policy is a good reason to shop — but with a caveat: outside your Medigap open enrollment window, insurers in Washington can generally use medical underwriting when you apply for a new policy. Washington does have a "birthday rule" and other guaranteed-issue protections in specific situations; a SHIBA counselor can walk you through whether any of them apply to you.

Which insurers sell Medigap in Washington

The full roster of carriers offering Medigap in Washington — and the plan letters each offers — is in the table below. Familiar names on the list include AARP - UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, Mutual of Omaha (United World Life Insurance Company), Premera Blue Cross, Regence BlueShield, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, and USAA Life Insurance Company, among others. The state's list can change from year to year as companies file new products or withdraw older ones, so check medicare.gov's Medigap policy search for the current picture before you apply.

Two Premera Blue Cross entries appear on the state list — a standard offering and one tied to the WA State Health Care Authority — so make sure you are comparing the same product when you shop.

How to decide for 2027

A useful order of operations:

1. Confirm the 2027 Part B deductible at medicare.gov once it is announced. 2. Look at your current premium notice, if you already have Medigap, and compare it against filed rates at insurance.wa.gov. 3. Use the Medigap policy search on medicare.gov to see every carrier offering the letter you want in Washington. 4. Call each insurer for a quote — same letter, same benefits, so price and service are the main comparison points. 5. If you are unsure about underwriting or guaranteed-issue rights, call Washington's SHIBA program (the state's SHIP) at 1-800-562-6900.