What is the difference between Medicare Plan F and Medicare Plan G?
Medicare supplemental health insurance plans, also called Medigap plans, work with Original Medicare. Medigap Plan F provides many of the same benefits as Plan G, with some differences.
Medigap plans are optional plans from private health insurers that help people pay out-of-pocket expenses Original Medicare may not cover. Medigap plans may also cover emergency healthcare if a person needs treatment while away from the United States.
However, the policies do not cover long-term care, private-duty nursing, hearing aids, or routine dental or vision care, including eyeglasses.
This article explores the differences between Medicare Plans F and G.
Glossary of Medicare terms
We may use a few terms in this article that can be helpful to understand when selecting the best insurance plan:
Out-of-pocket costs: An out-of-pocket cost is the amount a person must pay for medical care when Medicare does not pay the total cost or offer coverage. These costs can include deductibles, coinsurance, copayments, and premiums.
Deductible: This is an annual amount a person must spend out of pocket within a certain period before an insurer starts to fund their treatments.
Coinsurance: This is the percentage of treatment costs that a person must self-fund. For Medicare Part B, this is 20%.
Copayment: This is a fixed dollar amount a person with insurance pays when receiving certain treatments. For Medicare, this usually applies to prescription drugs.
About the plans
This article originally appeared on Medical News Today
Different private insurers can offer Medigap plans, but each must offer the same benefits as all other plans with the same letter, though plan premiums may be different.
Eligibility rules changed in January 2020, and Plan F is generally no longer available to new Medicare enrollees. However, a person who turned 65 before January 1, 2020, may be able to buy one of these plans if they are still available in their state.
Plan G coverage is similar to that of Plan F. However, it does not cover the Medicare Part B deductible.
Both plans F and G offer a high deductible version.
Prescription drug coverage
In general, Medigap policies do not cover prescription drugs. A person who wants such coverage may be able to enroll in Medicare Part D, also known as a Prescription Drug Plan.
Exceptions
Although the government standardizes Medigap policies, the following states standardize their plans in a different way:
A person enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan cannot also have a Medigap plan.
Is Medicare Plan F discontinued?
A person newly enrolled in Medicare can no longer get Plan F. However, people who already have Plan F can keep it.
Additionally, if someone was eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020, but did not enroll in a Medicare plan, or if they are under 65 and their Part A started before that date, they may be able to buy these plans if they live in a state that offers them.
In addition to the basic Plan F, there is a high deductible version. In 2025, this has a deductible of $2,870. A person must reach the deductible before the plan starts to cover costs.
What is Plan G?
Medigap Plan G provides coverage for some aspects of healthcare that Original Medicare does not cover. However, Plan G does not cover the Medicare Part B deductible, which is $257 in 2025.
In 2025, the high deductible version of Plan G has a $2,870 deductible before the plan will start coverage.
Comparison of Plan F and Plan G
Medigap plans F and G offer similar coverage. However, Plan G does not cover the Medicare Part B deductible.
Medigap Plan F | Medigap Plan G | |
|---|---|---|
100% | 100% | |
100% | 100% | |
100% | 100% | |
100% | No | |
100% | 100% | |
100% | 100% | |
80% | 80% | |
No | No | |
N/A | N/A |
In some states, both plans have a high deductible option.
A person with such a plan must pay the Medicare-eligible costs amounting to $2,870 in 2025 before the plan coverage starts.
What do the plans cost?
Each Medigap policy is standardized by the federal government, though Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin standardize their Medigap policies differently. This standardization means that each plan must offer the same basic benefits.
However, individual Medigap plan premiums vary depending on the insurance company providing the policies.
In general, you will pay the Part B premiums to Medicare and the premiums for Medigap policies to the private insurance company administering the plan.
A $250 annual deductible may apply to Plan F and Plan G to cover foreign travel emergency services, with a lifetime limit generally set at $50,000. The healthcare must begin during the first 60 days of a person’s trip, and no other Medicare benefit may cover it.
Variations to Medigap Plan G
People who choose the standard Plan G will pay a monthly premium that varies among states. This cost does not include the Part B premium.
Medigap plan premiums depend on several factors, such as:
where a person lives
the sex they were assigned at birth
their age
their marital status
whether or not they smoke
In addition, premiums may vary depending on whether a person chooses a standard or a high deductible policy.
This Medigap policy finder tool can help people compare the costs of Medigap plans and find a policy online. The search tool uses a person’s ZIP code to show plans in their area.
Medigap eligibility
Insurance companies must offer a policy at the best available rate, regardless of the person’s health status. An online tool offered by the State Health Insurance Assistance Program can offer advice on various plans and costs.
Medigap plans are renewable, which means the company offering them cannot cancel a person’s Medigap policy as long as the person pays the premiums, even if they have health conditions.
Medicare resources
For more resources to help guide you through the complex world of medical insurance, visit our Medicare hub.
Summary
Medigap plans F and G are supplemental health insurance plans that work in conjunction with Original Medicare. Private insurance companies offer them.
Plans F and G have similar coverage, though Plan G does not cover the Medicare Part B deductible.
Premiums for Medigap plans depend on several factors, including a person’s age, sex assigned at birth, marital status, location, and smoking status.
View the original article on Medical News Today
