How to Compare Medicare Supplement Insurance Companies
When comparing Medicare Supplement companies, don’t compare benefits first—compare the same standardized plan across insurers.
How Does Medigap Work With Original Medicare? Explained for 2026
Last Modified: 10/05/2026 | Reviewed by Keith Armbrecht (NPN 634015)
Quick Summary
Medigap, also called Medicare Supplement Insurance, works alongside Original Medicare to help pay some of the out-of-pocket costs Medicare leaves behind.
When you receive a Medicare-covered service, Original Medicare is your primary coverage and generally pays first. Your Medicare Supplement policy then pays according to the benefits included in your specific Medigap plan.
Medigap does not replace Medicare. You remain enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B, and your Medigap policy supplements that coverage.
Key Facts
- Medigap and Medicare Supplement Insurance are the same thing.
- Medigap works with Original Medicare — Medicare Part A and Part B.
- Original Medicare generally pays its portion of a Medicare-covered claim first.
- Your Medigap policy then pays according to the standardized benefits of your plan.
- Medigap can help pay Medicare deductibles, coinsurance and copayments, depending on the plan.
- You generally continue paying your Medicare Part B premium plus a separate premium for your Medigap policy.
- Medigap plans are standardized in most states and identified by letters such as Plan G and Plan N.
- The benefits of the same standardized plan letter are the same regardless of the insurance company selling it.
- Medigap doesn’t use a traditional Medicare Advantage-style provider network. It works with Original Medicare.
- Modern Medigap policies don’t include prescription drug coverage. You can generally purchase a separate Part D prescription drug plan.
- Medigap cannot be used to pay Medicare Advantage deductibles, copayments or premiums.
- A Medigap policy covers only one person. Spouses need separate policies.
How Medicare and Medigap Work Together
One of the easiest ways to understand Medigap is to think about your healthcare coverage in layers.
Step 1: You receive a Medicare-covered healthcare service
You visit a doctor, specialist, hospital or other healthcare provider.
Step 2: Original Medicare processes the claim
If the service is covered by Medicare, Medicare Part A or Part B processes the claim first and pays its share of the Medicare-approved amount.
Step 3: Your Medigap policy helps with the remaining Medicare cost sharing
Your Medicare Supplement insurer then pays according to the benefits included in the Medigap plan you selected.
The amount you ultimately pay depends on which Medigap plan you have.
A Simple Example
Imagine you have Medicare Part A + Part B + Medicare Supplement Plan G.
You visit a doctor for a Medicare-covered service.
Doctor submits claim
↓
Medicare Part B processes the claim
↓
Medicare pays its share
↓
Plan G pays the applicable remaining Part B coinsurance according to its benefits
↓
You are responsible for the annual Part B deductible until it has been satisfied
For 2026, the Medicare Part B deductible is $283.
Once you understand this sequence, Medicare Supplement insurance becomes much easier to understand:
Medicare first. Medigap second.
2026 Medicare Numbers to Know
Medicare Part B Premium
The standard Medicare Part B premium is $202.90 per month in 2026.
Higher-income beneficiaries can pay more because of the Medicare Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount, commonly called IRMAA.
Medicare Part B Deductible
The annual Medicare Part B deductible is $283 in 2026.
Plan G doesn’t pay this deductible.
Medicare Part A Hospital Deductible
The Medicare Part A inpatient hospital deductible is $1,736 in 2026 for each benefit period.
Plan G and Plan N both cover the Part A deductible according to their standardized benefits.
Video Explanation from Keith
How Does Medigap Work?
Watch Keith Armbrecht, founder of Medicare on Video, explain what actually happens when you use Original Medicare with a Medicare Supplement plan.
Keith's Take
I think people sometimes make Medicare Supplement insurance more complicated than it needs to be.
The easiest way I explain it is:
Medicare is your primary insurance. Your Medicare Supplement fills certain gaps behind Medicare.
If you have Plan G, for example, Medicare processes a Medicare-covered claim first and Plan G provides its standardized benefits after Medicare.
This is also why choosing a Medicare Supplement is different from choosing many other types of health insurance.
With a standardized Medigap plan, I don’t start by asking, “Which insurance company has the biggest name?”
I start with:
Which plan fits you best?
Then we compare the companies offering that standardized plan in your ZIP code.
For many people entering Medicare today, that means taking a close look at Plan G and Plan N.
Plan G gives you more comprehensive standardized coverage, while Plan N may give you an opportunity to reduce your monthly premium in exchange for some additional cost sharing.
The right answer depends on the numbers.
Keith Armbrecht
Medicare on Video
Frequently Asked Questions About How Medigap Works
Q. Does Medicare or Medigap pay first?
A. For Medicare-covered services, Original Medicare generally pays first. Your Medicare Supplement policy then pays according to the benefits provided by your Medigap plan.
Q. Does Medigap replace Medicare?
A. No. Medigap supplements Original Medicare.
You remain enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B. Your Medigap policy is additional private insurance designed to help with certain costs that Original Medicare doesn't pay.
You remain enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B. Your Medigap policy is additional private insurance designed to help with certain costs that Original Medicare doesn't pay.
Q. Do I still need Medicare Part B if I have Medigap?
A. Yes. You generally need Medicare Part A and Part B to purchase a Medigap policy, and you continue paying your Medicare Part B premium.
Q. What costs can Medigap pay?
A. Depending on the Medigap plan, benefits can include some or all of Original Medicare's:
Part A coinsurance and hospital costs
Part B coinsurance or copayments
First three pints of blood
Part A hospice coinsurance or copayments
Skilled nursing facility coinsurance
Part A deductible
Part B excess charges
Foreign travel emergency coverage, subject to plan limits
The exact benefits depend on the standardized Medigap plan you choose.
Part A coinsurance and hospital costs
Part B coinsurance or copayments
First three pints of blood
Part A hospice coinsurance or copayments
Skilled nursing facility coinsurance
Part A deductible
Part B excess charges
Foreign travel emergency coverage, subject to plan limits
The exact benefits depend on the standardized Medigap plan you choose.
Q. Does Medigap pay the Medicare Part B deductible?
A. It depends on the plan and when you first became eligible for Medicare. For people newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020, Plans C and F aren't available for purchase. Plan G and Plan N don't pay the Part B deductible. The Part B deductible is $283 in 2026.
Q. Does Medigap have a network of doctors?
A. Standard Medigap generally doesn't operate with a traditional Medicare Advantage HMO or PPO provider network.
Because Medigap supplements Original Medicare, you can generally use healthcare providers nationwide who accept Medicare, subject to Medicare's coverage rules and the provider's Medicare participation status.
Because Medigap supplements Original Medicare, you can generally use healthcare providers nationwide who accept Medicare, subject to Medicare's coverage rules and the provider's Medicare participation status.
Q. Do I need referrals to see specialists with Medigap?
A. Original Medicare generally doesn't require a referral to see a specialist.
Because Medigap works alongside Original Medicare rather than replacing it with a Medicare Advantage plan, your access is governed primarily by Original Medicare's rules.
Because Medigap works alongside Original Medicare rather than replacing it with a Medicare Advantage plan, your access is governed primarily by Original Medicare's rules.
Q. Does Medigap cover prescription drugs?
A. Medigap policies sold today don't include outpatient prescription drug coverage.
If you have Original Medicare and want prescription drug coverage, you can generally enroll in a separate Medicare Part D plan.
If you have Original Medicare and want prescription drug coverage, you can generally enroll in a separate Medicare Part D plan.
Q. Does Medigap cover dental, vision and hearing?
A. Medigap generally doesn't cover routine dental care, routine vision care, eyeglasses or hearing aids.
Medigap is primarily designed to help pay certain costs associated with services covered by Original Medicare.
Medigap is primarily designed to help pay certain costs associated with services covered by Original Medicare.
Q. Does Medigap cover healthcare outside the United States?
A. Some standardized Medigap plans provide limited foreign travel emergency coverage, subject to the plan's requirements and limits.
Plans G and N both include this standardized foreign travel emergency benefit.
Plans G and N both include this standardized foreign travel emergency benefit.
Q. What happens when I go to the hospital with Medigap?
A. Original Medicare Part A processes covered inpatient hospital services first.
Your Medigap policy then provides its applicable benefits.
For example, both standardized Plan G and Plan N cover the Medicare Part A hospital deductible, which is $1,736 per benefit period in 2026.
Your Medigap policy then provides its applicable benefits.
For example, both standardized Plan G and Plan N cover the Medicare Part A hospital deductible, which is $1,736 per benefit period in 2026.
Q. What's the difference between Plan G and Plan N?
A. Both Plan G and Plan N provide substantial coverage of Original Medicare's gaps.
Plan G covers Medicare Part B excess charges and generally pays the applicable Part B coinsurance after you've satisfied the Part B deductible.
Plan N can require a copayment of up to $20 for certain office visits and up to $50 for certain emergency-room visits that don't result in inpatient admission. Plan N doesn't cover Part B excess charges.
Plan N may have a lower premium, so comparing the premium difference is important.
Plan G covers Medicare Part B excess charges and generally pays the applicable Part B coinsurance after you've satisfied the Part B deductible.
Plan N can require a copayment of up to $20 for certain office visits and up to $50 for certain emergency-room visits that don't result in inpatient admission. Plan N doesn't cover Part B excess charges.
Plan N may have a lower premium, so comparing the premium difference is important.
Q. Can I use Medigap with Medicare Advantage?
A. No. Medigap is designed to work with Original Medicare, not Medicare Advantage.
A Medigap policy cannot be used to pay Medicare Advantage deductibles, copayments or premiums.
A Medigap policy cannot be used to pay Medicare Advantage deductibles, copayments or premiums.
Q. Do all Plan G policies work the same way?
A. The standardized medical benefits are the same for a Plan G regardless of which insurance company sells the policy.
However, premiums can vary considerably between insurance companies.
That's why it's important to compare the same plan letter among multiple companies.
However, premiums can vary considerably between insurance companies.
That's why it's important to compare the same plan letter among multiple companies.
Official Government Sources
Medicare.gov — How Medigap Works
Official Medicare explanation of how Medicare Supplement Insurance works with Original Medicare.
Medicare.gov — Compare Medigap Plan Benefits
Official chart showing the benefits covered by Plans A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M and N.
Official Medicare information about Medigap premiums and comparing prices among insurance companies.
CMS — 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles
Official 2026 Medicare Part A hospital deductible, Part B premium and Part B deductible amounts.
Explore Related Guides
What Is the Best Medicare Supplement Plan? How to Decide
There isn’t one Medicare Supplement plan that’s best for everyone. For people newly eligible for Medicare today, the three options I most often want compared are: Plan G, Plan N
Explore Related Guides
Get Your Free Medicare Supplement Quote
Compare Medicare Supplement Plans and Rates in Your ZIP Code
Once you’ve decided that Medicare Supplement insurance may be right for you, the next step is comparing your options.
The standardized benefits of the same Medigap plan letter are the same regardless of the insurance company selling it, but premiums can vary widely between companies.
Medicare on Video can help you compare the Medicare Supplement plans and companies we offer in your area at no cost to you.
GET MY FREE MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT QUOTES
Or call 877-885-3484 for help from Medicare on Video.