Medicare Supplement Plan G: What Beneficiaries Should Know About Medicare Plan G in 2026

As healthcare costs continue to be an important consideration for older Americans, understanding the differences between Medicare coverage options has become increasingly important. For people enrolled in Original Medicare, Medicare Supplement Plan G remains one of the Medigap options worth understanding when planning for out-of-pocket healthcare expenses.

Medigap policies are designed to help cover certain costs that Original Medicare does not pay in full, including coinsurance, copayments, and deductibles. Among the standardized Medigap options, Medicare Plan G provides broad coverage while leaving beneficiaries responsible for one significant Medicare cost: the annual Part B deductible.

For those asking what is Plan G, how it works, and whether it may fit their healthcare needs, understanding its benefits and limitations is an important first step.

What Is Medicare Supplement Plan G?

Medicare Supplement Plan G is a type of Medigap insurance sold by private insurance companies to people who have Original Medicare. It is designed to help pay many of the out-of-pocket costs that can remain after Medicare Part A and Part B pay their share of covered healthcare services.

Medigap plans are standardized. This means that, in most states, Plan G benefits are generally the same regardless of which insurance company sells the policy. However, premiums and pricing can differ between insurers, which makes comparing policies an important part of the decision-making process.

Plan G is available to people who have Original Medicare, although eligibility and enrollment rules can vary depending on individual circumstances and state requirements.

How Does Medicare Plan G Work?

To understand Plan G, it helps to first understand how Original Medicare works.

Original Medicare consists of Medicare Part A and Part B. Part A generally helps cover inpatient hospital care and certain other services, while Part B covers physician services, outpatient care and other medically necessary services.

Even after Medicare pays its share, beneficiaries can have additional cost-sharing responsibilities. A Medigap policy such as Plan G can help cover many of those expenses.

With standard Plan G, the beneficiary generally pays the Medicare Part B deductible first. After that deductible has been satisfied, Plan G provides substantial coverage for eligible Medicare-approved cost-sharing expenses.

For 2026, the Medicare Part B annual deductible is $283. The standard Plan G benefit does not cover this deductible.

What Does Plan G Cover?

One of the main reasons beneficiaries consider Plan G is its broad range of standardized benefits.

According to Medicare’s current Medigap benefit comparison, Plan G provides 100% coverage for several important Medicare cost-sharing categories, subject to the plan’s rules.

These include:

Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs for an additional 365 days after Original Medicare benefits are exhausted
Part B coinsurance or copayments
The first three pints of blood used for a covered medical procedure
Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayments
Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance
The Medicare Part A deductible
Part B excess charges
Foreign travel emergency care, subject to the plan’s limits

This broad coverage can make Plan G attractive to beneficiaries who want greater predictability in their healthcare expenses.

What Does Plan G Not Cover?

Although Plan G provides extensive Medigap coverage, it does not cover every healthcare expense.

The standard Plan G does not cover the Medicare Part B deductible. In 2026, that deductible is $283.

Medigap policies also generally do not provide coverage for services that Original Medicare itself does not cover. Depending on the service, beneficiaries may need separate coverage or may have to pay out of pocket.

Examples of services generally not covered by Medigap include:

Routine dental care
Routine vision care and eyeglasses
Hearing aids
Long-term custodial care
Private-duty nursing
Prescription drug coverage

Prescription drug coverage is generally obtained through a separate Medicare Part D plan rather than a Medigap policy.

Why Is the Part B Deductible Important?

The Part B deductible is one of the most important details to understand before purchasing Plan G.

After a beneficiary satisfies the annual Part B deductible, Original Medicare generally pays its share of covered Part B services, while Plan G can help cover the remaining eligible coinsurance or copayment.

The $283 deductible for 2026 is therefore an important out-of-pocket expense to include when estimating annual healthcare costs.

This distinction also explains why Plan G remains available to people who became eligible for Medicare after 2020. Federal rules prohibit Medigap plans from covering the Part B deductible for people newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. Plan G does not cover that deductible, so it remains an option for these beneficiaries.

Plan G and Part B Excess Charges

Another feature that can make Plan G appealing is its coverage of Medicare Part B excess charges.

In certain circumstances, a healthcare provider who does not accept Medicare assignment may charge more than the Medicare-approved amount, within limits established by law. These additional amounts are known as Part B excess charges.

Medicare’s current benefit comparison lists Plan G as covering 100% of Part B excess charges. This can provide an additional layer of financial protection for beneficiaries who encounter providers subject to these charges.

How Much Does Medicare Plan G Cost?

There is no single nationwide price for Plan G.

Medigap premiums can vary based on factors such as:

Location
Insurance company
Age
Pricing method
Tobacco use, where applicable
Household or other discounts offered by an insurer

Because Medigap plans with the same letter provide standardized basic benefits in most states, comparing premiums can be particularly important. Two insurers may offer Plan G with the same standardized benefits but charge different premiums.

Medicare explains that the price is generally the primary difference between standardized policies with the same plan letter offered by different insurance companies.

Beneficiaries should therefore compare available Plan G policies in their state rather than assuming that every insurer will charge the same amount.

Is There a High-Deductible Plan G?

Some states and insurers offer a high-deductible version of Plan G.

The high-deductible version works differently from standard Plan G because the beneficiary must pay covered Medicare-related costs up to the applicable annual deductible before the policy begins paying benefits.

For 2026, the high-deductible amount for Plan G is $2,950. CMS states that the high-deductible Plan G option is available to people who are newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020, although availability can depend on the state.

Because the standard and high-deductible versions can have very different premium and out-of-pocket structures, beneficiaries should evaluate expected healthcare use and compare the total potential annual costs rather than looking at the monthly premium alone.

When Can Someone Enroll in Plan G?

Timing can be especially important when purchasing a Medigap policy.

Medicare provides a six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period that begins during the first month a person is both 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B.

During this period, an individual can generally purchase a Medigap policy without being denied coverage or charged more because of pre-existing health conditions.

This enrollment period is different from Medicare’s annual Open Enrollment Period. The Medigap Open Enrollment Period is a one-time period and does not automatically repeat every year.

People who wait may still have opportunities to purchase a Medigap policy in certain circumstances, including situations involving guaranteed issue rights. However, outside protected enrollment periods, insurers may have greater ability to consider health history depending on state and federal rules.

For that reason, people approaching Medicare eligibility may benefit from researching their Medigap options before their enrollment window begins.

Plan G vs. Medicare Advantage

Medicare Plan G and Medicare Advantage are not the same type of coverage.

Plan G is a Medigap policy that works alongside Original Medicare. Medicare Advantage, also known as Medicare Part C, is an alternative way to receive Medicare benefits through a private Medicare-approved health plan.

Medigap generally helps pay certain costs left by Original Medicare, while Medicare Advantage plans typically provide Medicare-covered services through the plan’s own benefit structure, which may include provider networks, copayments, deductibles and other rules.

The right option depends on an individual’s healthcare needs, preferred doctors, budget, prescription drug requirements and expectations about future medical care.

People considering Plan G should therefore compare it with their other Medicare coverage choices instead of evaluating the policy based solely on its monthly premium.

Is Medicare Plan G Right for Everyone?

There is no single Medicare supplement that is automatically best for every beneficiary.

Plan G may appeal to people who want broad coverage for many Medicare-approved cost-sharing expenses and prefer a more predictable approach to medical bills after satisfying the Part B deductible.

However, the monthly premium is an important consideration. Someone with relatively low healthcare expenses may prefer a Medigap option with a lower premium and somewhat more cost-sharing responsibility.

Beneficiaries should also consider whether they regularly travel, which doctors they use, their expected healthcare needs and whether they want protection against Part B excess charges.

Comparing the available plans and premiums in a person’s state can help provide a clearer picture of the long-term cost.

What Should Beneficiaries Consider Before Choosing Plan G?

Before purchasing a policy, consumers should look beyond the name of the plan and examine the complete cost structure.

Important questions include:

What is the monthly Plan G premium?
How much is the premium expected to change over time?
Is standard or high-deductible Plan G available?
What is the insurer’s pricing method?
Does the insurer offer household or other discounts?
When does the applicant have guaranteed enrollment rights?
Does the policy provide the benefits expected for the individual’s healthcare needs?
Is separate prescription drug coverage necessary?

Medicare recommends comparing Medigap policies because not every plan is available in every state and not every insurer sells every standardized plan.

The Bottom Line

For people researching what is Plan G, the simplest explanation is that it is a standardized Medicare Supplement Insurance option designed to help cover many out-of-pocket costs associated with Original Medicare.

Medicare Supplement Plan G covers a broad range of Medicare-approved cost-sharing expenses, including Part A coinsurance, the Part A deductible, Part B coinsurance, skilled nursing facility coinsurance and Part B excess charges. It also provides limited foreign travel emergency coverage.

The major cost that standard Plan G does not cover is the Medicare Part B deductible. In 2026, that deductible is $283.

Because Plan G benefits are standardized in most states, the insurer and premium become important factors when comparing policies. Beneficiaries should consider both current costs and potential future expenses before making a decision.

For a more detailed explanation of Medicare Plan G, including its benefits and how the coverage works, consumers can review additional educational information from eMedicareGuide’s Plan G guide.

Medicare coverage decisions can have long-term financial implications, so beneficiaries should review official Medicare information and consider their individual circumstances before selecting a policy.