Medicare Supplement Plans

What Medicare Supplement Plans Cover and Why the Right One Makes a Difference

As an independent Medicare Supplement broker in Alexandria, VA, I help individuals and retirees compare Medigap plans in plain language and choose the right one before their enrollment window closes.

Medicare Supplement and Medigap are two names for the same type of coverage. Both work alongside Original Medicare to cover the cost-sharing gaps Parts A and B leave behind. Knowing which plan fits your situation, and when you're allowed to enroll, is where most people need help.

Medicare Supplement and Medigap Are the Same Thing

Medicare Supplement and Medigap describe the same insurance product — private plans regulated by Medicare that fill the cost-sharing gaps Original Medicare doesn't cover. The name Medigap comes from the idea that these plans close the gap between what Medicare pays and what you owe. Both terms appear throughout this page and across the insurance industry, and they mean exactly the same thing.

What a Medicare Supplement Plan Actually Pays For

Original Medicare covers a significant share of your health care costs, but it leaves meaningful gaps. Part A comes with a deductible per benefit period. Part B comes with an annual deductible and 20 percent coinsurance on covered services, with no annual out-of-pocket maximum. In an expensive medical year, those costs accumulate.



A Medicare Supplement plan covers most or all of those gaps depending on which plan you choose. You pay a monthly premium to the Supplement carrier, and in exchange, most or all of your cost-sharing under Original Medicare is covered.

Two features set Medigap apart from Medicare Advantage and are worth stating directly:

No network restrictions. Medigap works with any doctor, hospital, or specialist that accepts Medicare, anywhere in the country. If you travel, split time between states, or want the freedom to see any Medicare-participating provider without asking permission first, a Supplement plan accommodates that.

No referrals required. You can see any specialist directly. Your primary care doctor does not need to coordinate or approve the visit.

The Medigap Open Enrollment Window and What It Protects

When you first enroll in Medicare Part B, you enter a six-month Medigap open enrollment period. During this window, insurance companies are required by law to sell you any Medicare Supplement plan they offer in your state at standard rates, regardless of your health history. They cannot charge you more or decline your application based on a pre-existing condition.

Once this window closes, applying for a Medigap plan typically requires answering health questions. Carriers can decline coverage or charge more based on your health status. There are specific situations — called guaranteed issue rights — where the protection is restored, such as when you lose employer group coverage or leave a Medicare Advantage plan under qualifying circumstances.

Enrolling during your open enrollment period is one of the most consequential timing decisions in Medicare. I help clients understand when their window opens, when it closes, and what their options are if they believe they missed it.

Understanding Plan F, Plan G, and Plan N

Medicare Supplement plans are standardized by the federal government. A Plan G from one carrier covers the same benefits as a Plan G from any other carrier. What differs between carriers is the monthly premium — which is why comparing rates across carriers matters, and why working with an independent broker gives you access to that comparison.

Three plans make up the majority of what Medicare enrollees consider today: F, G, and N.

Plan F was the most comprehensive Medicare Supplement plan available. It covered all cost-sharing gaps Original Medicare leaves behind, including the Part B annual deductible. For years, it was the most widely enrolled Medigap plan in the country.

Plan F is no longer available to people who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. If you became eligible before that date, Plan F may still be available to you, and it's worth comparing against current options. If you're already enrolled in Plan F, you can keep it — nothing about your existing coverage changes.

For most people enrolling in Medicare today, Plan G is the practical equivalent. The only difference between Plan F and Plan G is that Plan G does not cover the Part B annual deductible, which you pay once at the beginning of each year. Beyond that, the two plans work the same way.

Plan G is the most commonly enrolled Medicare Supplement plan for new Medicare enrollees today. It covers the Part A deductible, Part A coinsurance and extended hospital costs, Part B coinsurance and copayments, skilled nursing facility coinsurance, and foreign travel emergency care up to plan limits. The only out-of-pocket cost it leaves is the Part B annual deductible, paid once per year.

For most people who would previously have chosen Plan F, Plan G is the equivalent option — and in many markets it carries a lower monthly premium than Plan F did.

Plan N offers a lower monthly premium than Plan G in exchange for modest cost-sharing at the point of care. With Plan N, you pay a copay of up to $20 for most office visits and up to $50 for emergency room visits that don't result in an inpatient admission. Plan N does not cover the Part B annual deductible, and it does not cover Part B excess charges, a cost that arises in limited situations when a provider doesn't accept Medicare assignment.

For people in good health who don't anticipate frequent doctor visits, Plan N's lower premium can represent meaningful savings over time. Whether that trade-off makes sense depends on how you use your coverage.

How I Help You Compare Supplement Plans in Virginia

As an independent Medigap broker in Virginia, I have access to Medicare Supplement plans from multiple carriers and can compare monthly premiums for the same plan across every carrier serving your zip code. Because plans are standardized, the coverage is identical across carriers. What differs is cost, and that difference is worth understanding before you enroll.



When we work together, I walk you through the plans relevant to your situation, explain the tradeoffs in plain language, and help you identify which one makes sense given your health, your budget, and your enrollment timing. Consultations are free, and there's no obligation to enroll in anything.

Common Questions About Medicare Supplement Plans

What Medicare Supplement Plans Cover and Why the Right One Makes a Difference

Whether you're approaching Medicare for the first time or thinking about switching plans, a conversation is the easiest place to start.