Compare Medigap Plan Benefits

Comparing the ten Medicare Supplement plans can be confusing. We'll walk you through how to read the commonly used comparison chart to compare Medigap plan benefits.

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Medicare Supplement (Medigap) comparison charts provide a convenient way to compare Medigap plan benefits. However, it can be confusing to understand the layout, definitions and meaning of this commonly used chart.

This step-by-step guide will help you compare Medicare Supplement plans correctly and find the best plan for your needs.

Medicare Supplement Plans Comparison Chart

You will notice that some of the benefits listed on the left side of Medicare Supplement comparison charts are shared by all Medigap plans. That's because all Medigap policies must legally provide some basic benefits. However, some policies offer additional benefits that are also listed on any Medicare Supplemental Insurance comparison chart.

Most states have 10 standardized Medicare Supplement plans. Medicare supplement plans are standardized in a different way in Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Regardless of the state, you'll usually see the plans referred to by letters of the alphabet (Plan A, Plan B etc.).
Part A coinsurance and hospital costs up to an additional 365 days after Medicare benefits are used up ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅
Part B coinsurance or copayment ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ 50% 75% ✅ ✅³
Blood (first 3 pints) ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ 50% 75% ✅ ✅
Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ 50% 75% ✅ ✅
Skilled nursing facility care insurance ❌ ❌ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ 50% 75% ✅ ✅
Part A deductible ❌ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ 50% 75% 50% ✅
Part B deductible ❌ ❌ ✅ ❌ ✅ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
Part B excess charge ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌ ✅ ✅ ❌ ❌ ❌ ❌
Foreign travel exchange (up to plan limits) ❌ ❌ 80% 80% 80% 80% ❌ ❌ 80% 80%
Out-of-pocket-limit⁴ N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $6,940 $3,470 N/A N/A
Medigap Comparison Chart Disclaimers

1 As of Jan. 1, 2020 Medicare Supplement plan types C and F will no longer be made available to beneficiaries who become Medicare-eligible after Dec. 31, 2019. For those who became Medicare-eligible prior to Jan. 1, 2020, Medicare Supplement plan types C and F will remain active and available for future enrollment.

1 Plans F and G also offer a high-deductible plan in some states. With this option, you must pay for Medicare-covered costs (coinsurance, copayments, and deductibles) up to the deductible amount of $2,700 in 2023 before your policy pays anything. (Plans C and F aren't available to people who were newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020.)

3 Plan N pays 100% of the Part B coinsurance, except for a copayment of up to $20 for some office visits and up to a $50 copayment for emergency room visits that don't result in inpatient admission.

4 After you meet your out-of-pocket yearly limit and your yearly Part B deductible, the Medigap plan pays 100% of covered services for the rest of the calendar year

Basic Medicare Supplement Plan Benefits

Medicare Supplement comparison charts briefly list the benefits that various plans offer. These brief descriptions can be confusing for people unfamiliar with the healthcare industry. Some of the most basic benefits that all Medicare Supplement plans offer include:

  • Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs: Medicare usually covers the first 60 days of any hospital stay minus a deductible, all but $329 a day for the next 61 to 90 days in the hospital, and all but $658 a day for the next 91 to 151 days. There is nothing to pay after the 151st day of your hospital stay. All Medicare Supplement plans pay for the copays and all fees for an extra 365 days in hospital.

  • Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayment: Medicare pays for 80% of these costs. All Medicare Supplement plans pay some or all of the remaining 20%, but benefit amounts vary.

  • Blood, first three pints: Medicare Supplement plans pay some or all of the first three pints of a blood transfusion. The percent each plan pays is shown on the Medigap chart. Medicare covers the entire cost of any blood transfusion after the first three pints.

  • Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayments: All Medicare Supplement Plans pay some or all of the Medicare copayment or coinsurance. Medicare Supplement charts list the exact percentage each plan covers. Medicare pays 100% of remaining approved hospice care costs.

 

Optional Medicare Supplement Plan Benefits

In addition, there are benefits that some Medicare Supplement plans cover. These benefits can really help Americans differentiate one Medicare Supplement plan from another.

  • Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance: This benefit covers procedures in health care facilities with skilled nursing or rehabilitation staff. These procedures might include physical therapy or intravenous injections. For 2024, Medicare covers the first 20 days of treatment via these services in its entirety, then all but $204 of the next 21 to 100 days. Medicare supplement plans may pay all, some, or none of the deductibles or copays for your first 100 days of treatment.
  • Part A deductible: This benefit refers to the deductible on a hospital stay. In 2024, this amounts to $1,632 per hospital stay. A Medicare Supplement plan may pay for all, some, or none of this amount.
  • Part B deductible: This is the annual deductible payable before you receive Part B benefits, such as doctor's visits and other outpatient medical services. In 2024, this amounts to $240. Medicare Supplement plans typically pay for all or none of this amount.
  • Part B excess charges: This is an additional amount that a health care provider can charge for Part B services above the Medicare approved amount.
  • Foreign travel emergency: This optional benefit covers policyholders for essential emergency medical care not covered by Medicare while traveling overseas. Plans offering this benefit typically pay 80% of foreign medical fees up to a lifetime cap of $50,000 with a deductible of $250.

For more information and updated Medicare costs, visit our Medicare Costs page.

Understanding the Medigap Comparison Chart Layout

Medicare Supplement charts let you easily see each policy's benefits side by side. As you read across the horizontal row, you'll see whether each benefit listed on the left is covered or not and to what degree.

Medicare Supplement charts typically use the following words or symbols:

  • Yes or a tick: the plan covers this benefit entirely

  • XX %: the plan covers the listed percentage of the benefit

  • No, a cross, or a blank space: the plan doesn't cover that benefit

  • N/A: the benefit is not applicable to the plan

To make the best choice, decide which benefits are important to you and look for a plan that provides most of them.

Frequently Asked Questions About Comparing Medicare Supplement Plans

Medicare Supplement plan premiums are determined by different rating systems:

  1. Community-rated: Under this system, all individuals, regardless of age, will pay the same premium. However, the pricing may be affected by inflation over time, without increases based on age.
  2. Issue-age-rated: This rating system considers the age at which you purchased the plan. Generally, the younger you are when you purchase, the lower your premium will be. However, the price does not increase as you get older.
  3. Attained-age-rated: With this rating system, the premium starts at a lower cost and gradually increases as you age. As you continue to renew your plan, the premium will reflect your advancing age.

These different rating systems provide choices for individuals seeking Medicare Supplement plans, allowing them to select the option that aligns with their budget and preferences.

For more information, visit "Understanding Medigap Policy Ratings and Costs."