Medigap Plan N vs Plan G: Which Supplement Plan Is Better?

Plan G and Plan N are the two most popular Medigap policies for anyone who became eligible for Medicare after January 1, 2020 (when Plan F closed to new enrollees). Both cover the big-ticket Medicare cost-sharing gaps. The differences come down to copays, excess charge coverage, and the premium gap between them.

What Both Plans Cover

Plans G and N are identical on the major items:

• Part A hospital deductible ($1,736 per benefit period in 2026) — covered
• Part A hospital coinsurance ($434/day for days 61–90, $868/day for lifetime reserve days) — covered
• Skilled nursing facility coinsurance ($217/day for days 21–100) — covered
• Part B coinsurance (the 20% you'd normally owe) — covered
• First three pints of blood — covered
• Hospice Part A coinsurance — covered
• Foreign travel emergency (80%, $50,000 lifetime) — covered

Both plans leave the annual Part B deductible ($283 in 2026) for your parent to pay. That's the minimum covered Original Medicare Part A and Part B cost-sharing under either plan, before premiums and Part D costs.

Where Plan N Differs

Plan N introduces two cost-sharing elements that Plan G doesn't have:

Office visit copays. Plan N charges up to a $20 copay for some doctor's office visits and up to a $50 copay for emergency room visits that don't result in an inpatient hospital admission. Plan G has no copays for any covered service.

Part B excess charges. When a doctor doesn't accept Medicare "assignment" (the approved amount), they can charge up to 15% more than the Medicare-approved amount. Plan G covers these excess charges. Plan N does not — your parent pays them out of pocket.

In practice, Part B excess charges are relatively rare. Over 98% of doctors accept Medicare assignment, and some states (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont) prohibit excess charges entirely. But for parents who see specialists in states where excess billing is allowed, this gap can add up.

The Premium Difference

Plan N premiums are typically $30–60/month less than Plan G from the same insurer in the same area. That's $360–720/year in savings.

The question is whether the copays and excess charge exposure under Plan N add up to more or less than that savings.

Low-utilization parent (3–4 doctor visits, no ER): Plan N copays might total $60–80/year. The premium savings of $360–720 far exceeds the copay costs. Plan N wins.

Moderate-utilization parent (10+ doctor visits, 1–2 ER visits without admission): Plan N copays could reach $250–300/year. The premium savings still likely exceeds the cost, but the margin is narrower.

High-utilization parent (frequent specialist visits, occasional excess charges): If the parent sees non-participating providers who bill excess charges, the combined copays and excess charges can approach or exceed the premium difference. Plan G's certainty starts to matter more.

How to Choose

Plan N makes sense when your parent is relatively healthy, sees providers who accept Medicare assignment, and wants the lowest possible monthly premium for comprehensive coverage. The copays are small and manageable, and the premium savings is real.

Plan G makes sense when your parent has complex health needs, sees many specialists, or you simply want the cleanest possible coverage — pay the $283 Part B deductible once per year and nothing else for covered Original Medicare Part A and Part B services, before premiums and Part D costs.

For most families, Plan G's slightly higher premium buys simplicity and certainty that's worth more as health needs increase over time. But Plan N is a legitimate choice for healthy retirees who want to keep premiums as low as possible while still having near-complete coverage.

Both plans are covered in the Medigap comparison framework in our coverage decision guide, which includes a plan matrix and cost-comparison worksheet.

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