Medicare Supplement Plan Letters
Compare standardized benefits before comparing carriers and rates.
Read the benefit columns literally
Medicare’s standardized comparison lists Part A hospital coinsurance, hospice, skilled nursing coinsurance, first three pints of blood, Part B coinsurance, Part A and Part B deductibles, Part B excess charges and limited foreign-travel emergency. An empty cell means the plan does not pay that listed benefit. The amounts apply to Medicare-covered services, not any hospital or physician charge regardless of coverage.
Official source: Medicare: Medigap plan benefits ↗ · Medicare & You 2027, Medigap section (2026 chart) ↗
A through G are not an ascending quality score
Plan A is the core baseline. B adds the Part A deductible, C and F include the Part B deductible for people eligible to buy them, and D and G lack that deductible benefit. F and G cover Part B excess charges; not every letter does. Plan C or F cannot be sold to people first eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020.
Official source: Medicare: Medigap plan benefits ↗ · Medicare & You 2027, Medigap section (2026 chart) ↗
K, L, M and N change the tradeoff
K pays 50% and L pays 75% of several listed gaps before their 2026 annual out-of-pocket thresholds of $8,000 and $4,000, respectively, along with the Part B deductible. M pays half of the Part A deductible. N can require up to $20 for certain office visits and $50 for an emergency visit without inpatient admission. The premium comparison must reflect likely use.
Official source: Medicare: Medigap plan benefits ↗ · Medicare & You 2027, Medigap section (2026 chart) ↗
High-deductible F and G
Where offered, high-deductible F or G requires the member to pay up to $2,950 of qualifying Medicare-covered cost sharing in 2026 before the Medigap policy begins paying. A low premium does not remove that initial exposure. Plan F eligibility restrictions still apply. Compare the full premium plus deductible in a routine and high-use year.
Official source: Medicare: Medigap plan benefits ↗ · Medicare & You 2027, Medigap section (2026 chart) ↗
Local purchase and price
Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin standardize policies differently; an advertised national letter table does not describe their exact designs. A state may also have additional enrollment protections. Check the six-month federal open-enrollment status, available local letters, carrier prices and separate Part D coverage before choosing. The same-letter benefit standardization does not standardize premiums.
Official source: Medicare: Medigap plan benefits ↗ · Medicare: Buying Medigap ↗ · Medicare: Medigap costs ↗