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Medicare Supplement Plan G Explained: Coverage, Costs & Benefits for 2026
Last Modified: 10/05/2026 | Reviewed by Keith Armbrecht (NPN 634015)
Quick Summary
Medicare Supplement Plan G is one of the most comprehensive Medigap plans available to people who are new to Medicare.
Plan G works with Original Medicare and covers most of the major out-of-pocket gaps left by Medicare Part A and Part B. The primary Medicare cost Plan G doesn’t cover is the annual Medicare Part B deductible, which is $283 in 2026.
After you’ve satisfied the Part B deductible, Plan G generally covers the remaining Medicare-approved Part B coinsurance according to its standardized benefits.
Key Facts
- Plan G works with Original Medicare Part A and Part B.
- Plan G covers the Medicare Part A hospital deductible.
- Plan G covers Part A hospital coinsurance and additional hospital benefits according to its standardized coverage.
- Plan G covers Medicare Part B coinsurance after the Part B deductible has been satisfied.
- Plan G covers Part B excess charges.
- Plan G includes limited foreign-travel emergency coverage, subject to plan limits.
- Plan G doesn’t cover the Medicare Part B deductible.
- The Part B deductible is $283 in 2026.
- Plan G benefits are standardized in most states.
- Premiums can vary significantly among insurance companies for the same Plan G benefits.
- Plan G doesn’t include outpatient prescription drug coverage.
- Plan G doesn’t cover routine dental, vision, hearing aids or long-term custodial care.
What Does Plan G Cover?
Standardized Medicare Supplement Plan G covers:
- Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs
- Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayments
- First three pints of blood
- Part A hospice coinsurance or copayments
- Skilled nursing facility coinsurance
- Medicare Part A deductible
- Medicare Part B excess charges
- 80% of qualifying foreign-travel emergency costs, up to plan limits
What Doesn’t Plan G Cover?
The most important Medicare cost Plan G doesn’t cover is the Medicare Part B deductible.
In 2026, that deductible is $283.
Plan G also doesn’t generally cover routine dental, routine vision, hearing aids, long-term custodial care or outpatient prescription drugs.
A Simple Plan G Example
You visit a Medicare-participating specialist for a Medicare-covered service.
Original Medicare processes the claim first.
If you haven’t yet satisfied your $283 Part B deductible for the year, you pay toward that deductible.
Once the deductible has been satisfied, Plan G generally pays the applicable remaining Medicare Part B coinsurance for Medicare-approved services according to its benefits.
This is one reason Plan G can make Medicare-covered healthcare expenses highly predictable.
Video Explanation from Keith
Medicare Supplement Plan G Explained
Watch Keith explain exactly what Plan G covers, what it doesn’t cover, and how to determine whether the additional premium for Plan G makes sense compared with Plan N.
Keith's Take
Plan G is easy to understand, which is one reason people like it.
Once you’ve paid the annual Part B deductible, you have very comprehensive standardized coverage for Medicare-approved services.
But that doesn’t automatically mean Plan G is the best value.
When I’m helping someone compare Plan G with Plan N, one of the first things I look at is the difference in monthly premium.
If you’re paying substantially more for Plan G than Plan N, we need to determine whether the additional coverage is worth that difference.
I don’t want someone simply buying the most coverage.
I want them buying the best value for their situation.
Keith Armbrecht
Medicare on Video
Frequently Asked Questions About Medicare Supplement Plan G
Q. What is Medicare Supplement Plan G?
A. Plan G is a standardized Medicare Supplement policy that works with Original Medicare and helps pay most of the major out-of-pocket costs left by Medicare Part A and Part B.
Q. What doesn't Plan G pay?
A. For people new to Medicare today, the most important Medicare cost Plan G doesn't cover is the annual Medicare Part B deductible.
Q. What is the Plan G deductible in 2026?
A. Regular Plan G doesn't have its own separate annual deductible. You are responsible for the Medicare Part B deductible, which is $283 in 2026.
Don't confuse regular Plan G with High Deductible Plan G, which works differently.
Don't confuse regular Plan G with High Deductible Plan G, which works differently.
Q. Does Plan G cover the Part A hospital deductible?
A. Yes. Standardized Plan G covers the Medicare Part A deductible.
Q. Does Plan G cover Part B excess charges?
A. Yes. Plan G covers Medicare Part B excess charges.
Q. Does Plan G have doctor copays?
A. Regular Plan G doesn't have the office-visit copay structure associated with Plan N. After the Part B deductible is satisfied, Plan G covers applicable Part B coinsurance according to its standardized benefits.
Q. Does Plan G cover prescriptions?
A. No. You can generally purchase a separate Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.
Q. Can I use Plan G anywhere in the United States?
A. Because Plan G works with Original Medicare, it doesn't use a traditional Medicare Advantage-style provider network. You can generally receive Medicare-covered care from providers nationwide who accept Medicare, subject to Medicare rules.
Q. Is Plan G better than Plan N?
A. Not necessarily. Plan G provides more comprehensive standardized coverage, but Plan N may have a lower premium.
The better choice depends largely on the premium difference, your healthcare use and how much cost sharing you're comfortable accepting.
The better choice depends largely on the premium difference, your healthcare use and how much cost sharing you're comfortable accepting.
Q. Are all Plan G policies the same?
A. The standardized medical benefits are the same regardless of the insurance company selling Plan G. Premiums can be very different.
Official Government Sources
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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
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Compare Plan G Rates in Your ZIP Code
Plan G benefits are standardized, but the premiums charged by different insurance companies can vary significantly.
Medicare on Video can help you compare the Plan G companies and rates we offer in your area at no cost to you.
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Plan G covers the benefits described above, while the 2026 Part B deductible is $283. (Medicare)