Last verified: April 19, 2026.

Medigap Plan G: Standardized Benefits and Cost

What Medigap Plan G actually covers under federal standardization, who is eligible, and where it sits among the ten lettered plans.

Written by The Medicare Desk editorial team.

Why Plan G

Plan G is the most-purchased Medigap policy among newly eligible beneficiaries. It became the de facto flagship in 2020, when federal law closed Plan F to people newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. Plan F had been the most comprehensive standardized Medigap plan because it covered the Part B deductible. Plan G covers everything Plan F covers except that deductible, which is a small annual amount. For most newly eligible beneficiaries, that one difference is the only material distinction between the two plans.

What Plan G covers

Plan G covers the same benefits as Plan F except for the Medicare Part B deductible. After the beneficiary meets the annual Part B deductible, Plan G covers Part A and Part B coinsurance and copayments at 100 percent, the Part A deductible, the first three pints of blood, skilled nursing facility coinsurance, hospice coinsurance, the Part B 15 percent excess charges where permitted, and 80 percent of foreign travel emergency care up to plan limits.

The high-deductible variant

Plan G is also offered as a high-deductible variant in many states. The high-deductible Plan G has a much lower monthly premium. In exchange, the policyholder pays an annual deductible before the plan begins paying. The federal high-deductible amount is set annually by CMS. The trade-off favors healthy beneficiaries who expect low utilization and want the lowest possible monthly outlay; it favors Plan G in its standard form for beneficiaries who expect to actually use significant care.

Who is eligible

Plan G is available to beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Part B. The protections that determine whether a carrier must sell it without medical underwriting depend on the federal Medigap Open Enrollment Period and on any state-level guaranteed-issue or birthday-rule overlays.

How to verify these claims

Every claim on this page traces to a primary federal source. The reference card below lists the controlling regulation, the CMS consumer guide, and the independent secondary source we used in cross-check. URLs are re-verified on the cadence shown at the top of the card.

Reference card: Medigap Plan G

Plan G

As of: April 19, 2026
Next refresh due: January 15, 2027
Cross check status: Under human review

Standardized benefits: Plan G covers the same benefits as Plan F except for the Medicare Part B deductible. After the beneficiary meets the annual Part B deductible, Plan G covers Part A and Part B coinsurance and copayments at 100 percent, the Part A deductible, the first three pints of blood, skilled nursing facility coinsurance, hospice coinsurance, the Part B 15 percent excess charges where permitted, and 80 percent of foreign travel emergency care up to plan limits.
High-deductible variant: Available
First year eligible: 2010

Sources

Primary sources, federal

42 CFR 403.205, Standardized Medicare Supplement Benefit Plans-> https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/chapter-IV/subchapter-A/part-403/subpart-B

Counseling and operational

CMS Medicare and You handbook, Medigap section-> https://www.medicare.gov/medigap-supplemental-insurance-plans

Secondary nonpartisan

KFF, An Overview of Medigap Enrollment and Benefit Standardization-> https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/medigap-enrollment-and-consumer-protections-vary-across-states/

Source snapshots preserved; URLs verified on the cadence above.

Editorial independence. The Medicare Desk is an independent editorial publication of Tojocu LLC. We do not sell insurance, do not accept commissions or fees from insurance carriers, and are not paid to recommend any plan or company. We do not collect contact information for the purpose of connecting consumers with agents.

Not insurance advice specific to you. The information on this site is general educational content and is not insurance, legal, tax, or financial advice. Coverage rules, premiums, and program features change. Always verify current details with the official source listed on each page and with a licensed professional in your state before making a decision.

Not affiliated with the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. The Medicare Desk is a privately operated editorial site. It is not endorsed by, affiliated with, or operated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Social Security Administration, or any other federal agency.

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