Medigap and Medicare Supplement Are the Same Insurance

Medigap and Medicare Supplement are two names for the exact same type of insurance. There is no difference between them. Insurance companies sell these policies under both names, and the terms are used interchangeably by Medicare, state regulators, and insurance brokers. If you see one name in a search result and the other on an insurance company's website, you are looking at the same product.

The reason for two names is historical. When Congress created this insurance category in 1980, it was called "Medigap" because it filled the gaps in Original Medicare coverage. Over time, regulators and insurers began using "Medicare Supplement" as a more formal term. Both names appear in official Medicare materials, on insurance company websites, and in state insurance regulations. You will encounter both, and they mean the same thing.

What matters is not the name but the plan letter. Medigap policies are standardized by federal law and sold under letters A through N (the available plans vary slightly by state and year). The plan letter tells you exactly what costs Original Medicare does not cover — hospital copays, doctor visit copays, coinsurance, and in some plans, foreign travel emergency care. Once you know which plan letter you want, you can compare prices between insurance companies, because the coverage is identical regardless of which company sells it.

Key Takeaways

  • Medigap and Medicare Supplement are the same insurance product sold under two different names.
  • These policies cover costs that Original Medicare leaves you responsible for, such as copays and coinsurance.
  • Plans are standardized by federal law and identified by letters (A through N), so coverage is identical between insurance companies for the same plan letter.
  • You can only buy Medigap if you are enrolled in Original Medicare; it does not work with Medicare Advantage plans.
  • The best time to buy is during your Medigap open enrollment period, when insurance companies cannot deny you or charge more based on health history.

How Medigap Fits With Original Medicare

Medigap insurance works only alongside Original Medicare (Parts A and B). It does not replace Original Medicare — it supplements it. When you have both, you pay your Original Medicare premiums to Medicare, your Medigap premium to the insurance company, and then Medigap covers many of the out-of-pocket costs that Original Medicare does not.

For example, if you see a doctor who accepts Medicare, Original Medicare pays 80 percent of the approved amount after you meet your deductible. You would normally owe the remaining 20 percent coinsurance. A Medigap plan can cover that 20 percent, so you pay nothing. The same applies to hospital stays, emergency room visits, and skilled nursing facility care. The specific costs covered depend on which plan letter you choose.

Medigap does not work with Medicare Advantage (Part C). If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you cannot buy Medigap, and Medigap will not pay any of your costs. This is an important distinction because some people confuse Medigap with Medicare Advantage supplemental coverage. They are different products for different Medicare enrollment choices.

The 10 Standardized Medigap Plan Letters

Federal law requires all insurance companies to offer Medigap plans using the same standardized letters and the same coverage rules. This means a Plan G from one company covers exactly the same costs as a Plan G from another company. The only difference is price. This standardization makes it possible to compare plans by shopping around.

The most common plans are G, N, and F (though Plan F is no longer available to people newly may be able to access for Medicare after 2020). Plan G covers most out-of-pocket costs except the Part B deductible. Plan N covers most costs but leaves you responsible for small copays at the doctor and emergency room. Plan A is the most basic and least expensive. Plans B through M and O offer different combinations of coverage in between.

Your state may not offer all 10 plans. Some states have removed certain plans from the market, and insurance companies do not always sell every plan in every state. When you start shopping, you will see which plans are actually available where you live. Your age, health history, and budget will influence which plan makes sense for you, but the coverage itself is the same no matter which company sells it.

When You Can Buy Medigap Without Health Questions

Medigap has a may provide issue period — a window of time when insurance companies must sell you a policy without asking about your health and without charging more because of pre-existing conditions. The most important may provide issue period is your Medigap open enrollment period, which runs for six months starting the first day of the month you turn 65 and are enrolled in Medicare Part B.

During this six-month window, you can buy any Medigap plan available in your state, and the insurance company cannot refuse you or charge you more based on your medical history. This is the best time to buy because you have the most protection and the most options. If you wait until after this period ends, insurance companies can deny you, charge you significantly more, or exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions.

There are other may provide issue periods if you lose employer coverage, move to a different state, or switch from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare. Each has specific rules about timing and which plans you can buy. If you miss your initial open enrollment period, you should still contact insurance companies to ask about your options, because you may may have access to for one of these other may provide issue windows.

What Medigap Does Not Cover

Medigap covers gaps in Original Medicare, but it does not cover everything. Dental work, vision care, hearing aids, and long-term care are not covered by any Medigap plan. Original Medicare does not cover these services, so Medigap cannot fill that gap. If you need dental or vision coverage, you would need to buy a separate policy or pay out of pocket.

Medigap also does not cover prescription drugs. For that, you need a separate Part D prescription drug plan. You can have both Medigap and Part D at the same time, and most people do. Part D is purchased separately from an insurance company and has its own enrollment periods and rules.

Medigap also does not cover care outside the United States, except for emergency care in certain situations. Some Medigap plans (like Plan G and Plan F) include a small benefit for emergency care during foreign travel, but coverage is limited and comes with a high deductible. If you travel internationally regularly, you should read the plan details carefully.

How Medigap Premiums Are Priced

Insurance companies use three different methods to price Medigap policies: community-rated, issue-age-rated, and attained-age-rated. The method determines how much your premium will increase as you get older and whether your age when you buy affects your price.

With community rating, everyone in your state pays the same premium regardless of age. Your premium does not increase because you get older, but it may increase because the insurance company raises rates for everyone. With issue-age rating, your premium is based on your age when you buy the policy, and it increases slowly as you age. With attained-age rating, your premium increases each year based on your current age, so your costs rise faster over time.

The pricing method varies by state and by insurance company. When you compare quotes, ask which method each company uses, because it affects your long-term costs. A policy that looks cheap at age 65 might become expensive by age 80 if it uses attained-age rating. Community-rated plans often look more expensive at first but may cost less over your lifetime.

How to Find and Compare Medigap Plans

The Medicare.gov website has a Medigap Plan Finder tool that shows you which insurance companies sell Medigap in your area and what they charge for each plan. You enter your state and zip code, and the tool displays available plans, prices, and company contact information. This is a free resource and a good starting point.

You can also contact insurance companies directly or work with an insurance broker who specializes in Medicare. Brokers do not charge you a fee; they are paid by the insurance company. Some brokers can compare multiple companies at once, which saves time. Your State Health Insurance information Program (SHIP) also offers free counseling about Medigap options.

When comparing, focus on the plan letter first — make sure you are comparing the same plan across different companies. Then look at the premium, the pricing method, and whether the company has a good reputation for customer service. Read the plan documents carefully, because some plans have slightly different rules about copays or deductibles depending on the company.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I switch from one Medigap plan to another?

Yes, but the rules depend on whether you are still in your open enrollment period. During the six-month period after you turn 65 and enroll in Part B, you can switch plans without health questions. After that period ends, insurance companies can deny your switch or charge you more based on health history. Some states have additional protections that allow switching, so check with your state insurance commissioner's office.

What happens to my Medigap if I move to a different state?

Your current Medigap policy may not be available in your new state, because states regulate which plans insurance companies can sell. You will likely need to buy a new policy from a company that operates in your new state. If you move during your open enrollment period, you have may provide issue rights in the new state. If you move after that period, contact insurance companies to ask about your options.

Can I have Medigap and Medicare Advantage at the same time?

No. Medigap only works with Original Medicare. If you enroll in Medicare Advantage, you cannot keep or use a Medigap policy. If you switch from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare, you may have may provide issue rights to buy Medigap without health questions, depending on your state and how long you were in Medicare Advantage.

Do I need Medigap if I have employer coverage through my job?

Not necessarily. If your employer health plan is still active when you turn 65, you may not need Medigap right away. However, if you lose that coverage later, you should know that you may not have may provide issue rights to buy Medigap unless you meet specific conditions. Talk to your employer's benefits office about your options before you turn 65.

What is the difference between Medigap Plan G and Plan N?

Plan G covers the Part B deductible and most other out-of-pocket costs, while Plan N leaves you responsible for small copays at the doctor and emergency room and does not cover the Part B deductible. Plan N is usually cheaper, but you pay more out of pocket when you use care. Plan G is usually more expensive but covers more costs. The right choice depends on how much medical care you expect to use.