Medigap Plan G vs. Plan N in 2026: Which One Actually Costs Less?

If you're shopping for a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan, two letters come up again and again: G and N. Both are standardized by federal law, so a Plan G from one company covers exactly what a Plan G from another company covers. That makes the choice simpler than it looks. You're not comparing benefits so much as trading a higher predictable premium for a lower one with a few small strings attached.

Original Medicare leaves gaps: deductibles, coinsurance, and no cap on what you can owe. Medigap plans fill some of those gaps. On this front, G and N are nearly identical. Both pay your share of Part A hospital coinsurance and the Part A deductible, Part B coinsurance, the first three pints of blood, hospice coinsurance, skilled nursing facility coinsurance, and 80% of emergency care while traveling abroad.

Neither pays the annual Part B deductible, which is $283 in 2026. Federal rules stopped Medigap plans from covering it for anyone who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. Both plans also sit alongside your Part B premium of $202.90 a month in 2026, which you pay no matter which supplement you choose. If you're comparing Medigap against Medicare Advantage first, start with our Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap guide.

There are two real differences, and both show up only when you use care.

• Copays (Plan N only). After you meet the Part B deductible, Plan N can leave you with up to $20 for some doctor's office visits and up to $50 for an emergency room visit if you aren't admitted. Plan G charges neither.
• Excess charges (Plan G only). A doctor who doesn't accept Medicare assignment can bill up to 15% above the Medicare-approved amount in most states. Plan G pays that extra; Plan N leaves it to you.

Premiums vary widely by ZIP code, age, and carrier, so the exact savings are yours to look up. Plan N often runs somewhere in the range of $30 to $60 a month less than Plan G. As a purely illustrative example, suppose the gap in your area is $40 a month. That's $480 a year in premium savings on Plan N.

Now count what Plan N could cost you in a year: how many office visits do you expect that carry a copay, and how many ER visits? Ten $20 copays plus one $50 ER visit is $250, still under the $480 saved. Twenty-five copays and two ER visits is $600, and Plan G comes out ahead. Then add a cushion for the possibility of an excess charge from a provider who doesn't take assignment.

One more factor: premiums rise over time on both plans, and how a company prices its increases differs. A lower starting premium isn't the whole story, so ask how the quote is rated (attained-age, issue-age, or community-rated).

• Plan N often fits people who are generally healthy, use a few office visits a year, live where their doctors accept Medicare assignment, and are comfortable with a small copay in exchange for a lower monthly bill.
• Plan G often fits people who see specialists frequently, manage a chronic condition, travel for care, or simply want the most predictable year: after the Part B deductible, there are no bills for Medicare-approved care.

Neither is the "right" plan in the abstract. It depends on your health, your doctors, and the real quotes in your ZIP code, which is why a side-by-side comparison beats a rule of thumb.

1. Do my doctors accept Medicare assignment? Ask each office directly. If they all do, the excess-charge protection on Plan G matters much less.
2. How often did I see a doctor last year? Count office visits and ER trips from your own records, not a guess. That number drives the break-even math.
3. What is the actual premium gap in my ZIP code? Get quotes from several carriers for the same plan letter, since the same standardized plan can be priced very differently.
4. How does this carrier raise rates? A cheap first-year premium can climb quickly under attained-age pricing.
5. Can I comfortably absorb a surprise? A $50 ER copay is small. An occasional excess charge is small too. If either would strain your budget, the predictability of Plan G may be worth the difference.

Your Medigap Open Enrollment Period lasts six months and starts the month you're 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. During it, insurers must sell you any Medigap plan they offer at their standard rates, whatever your health. After it ends, most states let insurers ask health questions and decline or surcharge you if you apply later. A handful of states offer extra switching rights, but you shouldn't count on them.

That's the practical reason to pick between G and N thoughtfully now. Moving from N to G later is easy if you're healthy, but it can be hard if your health has changed. Moving from G to N to save money is usually far easier.

Plan G buys certainty; Plan N buys a lower premium in exchange for small, capped copays and excess-charge risk. Get both quotes for your ZIP code, run the break-even math with your own visit habits, and check that your doctors accept Medicare assignment. If you'd like a second set of eyes, see our Medicare Supplement page or the free Medicare education center.

More plain-English Medicare guides live on the blog. Premiums, plan availability, and rules vary by state and carrier; this article is general education, not a quote or a recommendation for your situation.