Plan G vs Plan N vs High-Deductible Plan G: Which Medigap Plan in 2027?

Reviewed November 12, 2026. If you are new to Medicare in 2027, the three Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans most people end up comparing are Plan G, Plan N and High-Deductible Plan G. Plan G leaves you with only the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026), Plan N adds small copays in exchange for a lower premium, and High-Deductible Plan G asks you to pay the first $3,050 of covered costs in 2027 before it pays. Plan F and Plan C are only open to people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020.

This page puts those three plans side by side so you can see what you would actually pay out of pocket with each. If you want the wider picture of all ten lettered plans, see our guide to the best Medicare Supplement plans for 2027 and the full Medigap comparison chart.

• Plan G: you pay your premium plus the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026; the 2027 amount is not yet published). After that, Medicare-covered care costs you $0, including Part B excess charges.
• Plan N: you pay the Part B deductible, then up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 for emergency room visits that don’t lead to an inpatient admission. Plan N does not cover Part B excess charges.
• High-Deductible Plan G: same benefits as Plan G after you pay a deductible of $2,950 in 2026 and $3,050 in 2027.
• Same benefits at every company: a Plan G from one insurer covers the same things as a Plan G from another (Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin standardize plans differently). Only the price and service differ.
• No drug coverage: Medigap plans sold after 2005 don’t include prescription drugs, so you need a separate Part D plan.

Why these three plans?

There are ten standardized Medigap plans (A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M and N). For people who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020, federal law closed Plans C and F, the two plans that pay the Part B deductible. That made Plan G the most complete plan most new enrollees can buy, with Plan N and High-Deductible Plan G as the two main ways to trade some cost sharing for a lower premium.

The other plans still have a place. Plans K and L cap your yearly costs at $8,000 and $4,000 respectively in 2026, and Plan D works like Plan G without excess-charge coverage. But they often cost close to what Plan G or Plan N does while covering less, which is why most comparisons come down to the three plans below.

Plan G vs Plan N vs High-Deductible Plan G: side by side

This table uses the standardized benefits published by Medicare. “100%” means the plan pays the full amount after Original Medicare pays its share.

Plan G: the most complete option for new enrollees

With Plan G, the only Medicare-covered cost you pay yourself is the Part B deductible, which was $283 in 2026. Once that is met, hospital stays, surgery, doctor visits, lab work, imaging, outpatient therapy and skilled nursing care that Medicare covers cost you nothing more for the rest of the year. Plan G also pays Part B excess charges, so you are protected if you see a doctor who doesn’t accept Medicare assignment.

A simple way to budget: your yearly cost with Plan G is roughly twelve months of premium plus the Part B deductible. Plan G tends to suit people who want predictable costs and see doctors often. Our Medigap Plan G benefits guide covers it in more detail.

Plan N: lower premium, small copays

Plan N covers the same hospital and skilled nursing costs as Plan G. The differences are on the Part B side:

• Copays: after the Part B deductible, you may pay up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 for emergency room visits that don’t result in an inpatient admission.
• Excess charges: Plan N doesn’t pay them. A doctor who doesn’t accept assignment can legally charge up to 15% above the Medicare-approved amount (the “limiting charge”), and with Plan N you pay that difference.

You can avoid most excess charges by asking whether a provider accepts Medicare assignment before you book. Plan N usually costs less per month than Plan G, so it can work well if you are fairly healthy, visit the doctor a few times a year, and your doctors accept assignment. See Plan N excess charges explained and our full Plan G vs Plan N comparison.

High-Deductible Plan G: lowest premiums, highest risk

High-Deductible Plan G has the same benefits as Plan G, but you must pay Medicare-covered costs (coinsurance, copayments and deductibles) up to the plan deductible before the policy pays anything. CMS sets that amount each year:

• 2026: $2,950
• 2027: $3,050, effective January 1, 2027 (the same deductible applies to High-Deductible Plan F and Plan J)

There is also a separate $250 yearly deductible for foreign travel emergency care. Premiums are typically much lower than standard Plan G, so the plan rewards people who rarely use care and have savings to cover the deductible in a bad year. Your worst-case yearly cost is roughly twelve months of premium plus the deductible. High-deductible plans are only offered in some states and by some insurers. Read more in what is High-Deductible Plan G.

What about Plan F and Plan C?

Plans C and F are no longer available to people new to Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. If you were eligible for Medicare before that date, even if you didn’t enroll, you may still be able to buy Plan C, Plan F or High-Deductible Plan F. Everyone else can buy Plan D or Plan G instead. If you already have Plan F, you can keep it.

How Medigap premiums are set

We don’t list prices here because Medigap premiums vary widely. The same plan letter can cost very different amounts depending on the insurer, your ZIP code, your age, sex, tobacco use, discounts and the pricing method the company uses:

• Community-rated (no-age-rated): everyone who buys the policy pays the same premium regardless of age.
• Issue-age-rated (entry-age-rated): the premium is based on your age when you buy and doesn’t rise because you get older.
• Attained-age-rated: the premium is based on your current age and goes up as you get older.

Any of these can also rise because of inflation. To see real prices for your ZIP code, use Medicare’s Medigap policy search tool, then ask each insurer which pricing method it uses. Because benefits are identical within a plan letter, comparing price, rate history and customer service is what matters. Our article on how much Medicare Supplement plans cost per month explains what drives the price.

When to buy: your Medigap Open Enrollment Period

Your Medigap Open Enrollment Period is a one-time, 6-month window that starts the first month you have Part B and are 65 or older. During it, you can buy any Medigap policy sold in your state, and the insurer can’t charge you more because of health problems. After it ends, there is no guarantee an insurer will sell you a policy unless you have a guaranteed issue right, and you may face medical underwriting. Some states give extra rights, so check with your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).

A few other points matter when choosing:

• Medigap only works with Original Medicare. It can’t pay Medicare Advantage costs. If you joined a Medicare Advantage plan when you were first eligible at 65 and switch back to Original Medicare within the first year, you have a trial right to buy a Medigap policy. Our guide to switching from Medicare Advantage to Medigap explains the steps.
• Each policy covers one person. Spouses need separate policies.
• Gaps remain. Medigap generally doesn’t cover prescription drugs, long-term care, routine dental, vision or hearing aids. Plan for a Part D drug plan and, if you want it, separate dental, vision and hearing coverage.

How to choose between the three

• Choose Plan G if you want the most predictable costs, see specialists often, or travel and may use doctors who don’t accept assignment.
• Choose Plan N if you are comfortable with small copays, your doctors accept assignment, and the yearly premium savings over Plan G are larger than the copays you expect to pay.
• Choose High-Deductible Plan G if you use little care, want the lowest premium, and can comfortably pay up to $3,050 (2027) in a year with a serious illness.

Get quotes for all three from the same insurers, add up premiums plus the cost sharing you are likely to pay, and compare. Keep in mind that switching plans later may require passing medical underwriting.

Frequently asked questions

What is the High-Deductible Plan G deductible for 2027?

CMS set it at $3,050 for 2027, up from $2,950 in 2026. The same amount applies to High-Deductible Plan F and Plan J.

Is Plan G better than Plan N?

Plan G covers more: it has no office or ER copays and it pays Part B excess charges. Plan N usually has a lower premium. Which is better depends on how often you see doctors and whether your providers accept Medicare assignment.

Can I still buy Plan F in 2027?

Only if you were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. People new to Medicare on or after that date can’t buy Plan F or Plan C.

Does a Medicare Supplement plan cover prescription drugs?

No. Medigap plans sold after 2005 don’t include drug coverage. You need a separate Medicare Part D plan.

Does it matter which insurance company I buy Plan G from?

The benefits are the same in every company’s Plan G (except in Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin, which standardize differently). Price, pricing method, rate increases and service can differ, so compare several insurers.

Will the Part B deductible change in 2027?

Probably, but CMS had not published the 2027 Part B deductible when this page was reviewed. The 2026 amount is $283. We will update this page when the 2027 figure is announced.

Disclaimer: This video and blog post are for entertainment purposes only.  If you want advice on Medicare or any of its plans, please speak to a licensed agent, whether it is me or another licensed agent. No advice should be taken from this video or blog post.  If you don’t speak to me about your individual concerns, I can’t give you my 100% opinion. Brian Monahan and Medicare 365 are not responsible for any actions that you take without consulting with a licensed insurance agent.

Sources

• Medicare.gov: Compare Medigap plan benefits
• Medicare.gov: Choosing a Medigap Policy (2026 guide, PDF)
• CMS: F, G and J high-deductible announcements
• CMS: CY 2027 Medigap high-deductible options (PDF)
• CMS: CY 2026 Medigap high-deductible options (PDF)
• Medicare.gov: Does your provider accept Medicare as full payment?
• Medicare & You 2027 handbook (2026 Part A and Part B costs, PDF)
• Medicare.gov: Find a Medigap policy