Medigap Plan G vs. Plan N: Which Costs Less?
Plan G and Plan N are the two most popular Medigap policies for people new to Medicare. Benefits are standardized by law, so the only real differences are a few copays, excess charges and the premium.
| Benefit | Plan G | Plan N |
|---|---|---|
| Part A hospital coinsurance and deductible | 100% | 100% |
| Part B coinsurance (the 20%) | 100% | 100%, except copays below |
| Office visit copay | $0 | Up to $20 |
| Emergency room copay | $0 | Up to $50 (waived if you’re admitted) |
| Part B excess charges | 100% | Not covered |
| Part B deductible | Not covered | Not covered |
| Skilled nursing coinsurance, hospice, blood | 100% | 100% |
| Foreign travel emergencies | 80% (up to plan limits) | 80% (up to plan limits) |
Plan G vs. Plan N calculator
Enter the monthly premiums you were quoted (same insurer is the fairest test) and a guess at next year’s care. Uses 2026 cost-sharing amounts.
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Every plan leaves you the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026), so it’s included in all three totals. Plan N adds its copays and Part B excess charges (15% of the bills you mark). High-deductible Plan G pays nothing until you’ve paid $2,950 in costs Plan G would cover (the Part B deductible counts toward it), then pays like Plan G. Hospital stays use the Part A deductible ($1,736 per benefit period). Nothing you type leaves your browser.
The break-even math
Plan N’s premium is usually lower than Plan G’s. The calculator above does this sum for your quotes. Plan N makes sense if the yearly premium savings are larger than what you’d pay in copays. Example: if Plan N saves you $40 a month ($480 a year), your Plan N copays (up to $20 per office visit) would have to add up to more than $480 in the year before Plan G came out ahead. Excess charges are the other risk: doctors who don’t accept Medicare’s approved amount can charge up to 15% more, and Plan N doesn’t cover that. Several states ban excess charges entirely.
To compare real premiums, see the cheapest Plan G and Plan N by state: each Plan N row shows how much less it costs than the same insurer’s Plan G, and how many office-visit copays that buys.
Price is the only thing that differs between insurers. A Plan G from one company has exactly the same benefits as a Plan G from any other. Compare premiums, how the insurer prices increases over time (attained-age, issue-age or community-rated), and household discounts.
Questions
Is Plan G or Plan N better?
Plan G covers more: no office or ER copays and it pays Part B excess charges. Plan N costs less each month. If your premium savings with N exceed your expected copays and you rarely see doctors who charge excess charges, N can cost less overall.
Why can’t I buy Plan F?
Plans that cover the Part B deductible (C and F) can’t be sold to people who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. If you were eligible before then, you may still buy them.
What is high-deductible Plan G?
The same benefits as Plan G after you pay a yearly deductible ($2,950 in 2026). Premiums are much lower.
Sources
Official sources only, checked October 17, 2026.
- Medicare.gov, “Compare Medigap plan benefits” — medicare.gov.
- CMS, 2026 Part B deductible — cms.gov.
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