Medigap Plan F vs. Plan G: Which One Actually Saves You More?

If you're comparing Medigap plans and feeling confused about whether Plan F or Plan G is worth the extra cost, you're not alone. This is one of the most common questions Medicare beneficiaries face — and the answer is more straightforward than the insurance industry sometimes makes it seem. The core difference between these two plans comes down to a single line item: the Medicare Part B deductible. Understanding that one distinction, and what it costs you in premiums, is the key to making the right call.

First, the eligibility question, because it matters enormously. Plan F — historically the most comprehensive Medigap plan available — was closed to new enrollees as of January 1, 2020, under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA). If you became eligible for Medicare on or after that date, Plan F is simply not an option for you. Plan G is now the most comprehensive Medigap plan available to newer beneficiaries, and it covers nearly everything Plan F does. If you became Medicare-eligible before January 1, 2020, you may still be able to enroll in Plan F — but whether you should is a different question entirely.

So what exactly does Plan F cover that Plan G doesn't? Just one thing: the Medicare Part B deductible. In 2025, that deductible is $257 per year. That's the amount you pay out of pocket before Medicare starts covering your outpatient services — doctor visits, lab work, preventive care, and similar services. Plan F pays that $257 for you. Plan G does not. Every other major benefit — the Part A hospital deductible (which is $1,676 per benefit period in 2025), Part A coinsurance, Part B coinsurance and copayments, skilled nursing facility coinsurance, foreign travel emergency coverage, and excess charges — is identical between the two plans.

Here's where the math becomes critical. Because Plan F offers that one additional benefit, insurers price it higher than Plan G. The premium gap between the two plans varies by insurer, your age, your location, and whether the insurer uses attained-age, issue-age, or community rating. But in practice, the annual premium difference between Plan F and Plan G commonly ranges from $200 to $600 or more per year. When you're paying $300 more annually for Plan F to cover a $257 deductible, you're losing money every single year. Even at the low end of the premium gap — say, $200 more per year for Plan F — you're still paying $200 to avoid a $257 expense, which means your net savings is only $57. That's a thin margin, and it doesn't account for the fact that Plan F's premium pool is aging and shrinking. Because no new enrollees can join Plan F, the existing pool of Plan F members gets older every year, which typically drives premiums up faster than Plan G premiums rise. This is a well-documented actuarial dynamic that CMS and independent analysts have flagged as a long-term cost concern for Plan F holders.

That said, Plan F isn't the wrong choice for everyone. If you're already enrolled in Plan F, have been for years, and your current premium is competitive with local Plan G rates, switching may not be straightforward. In most states, switching Medigap plans after your initial open enrollment period means going through medical underwriting — insurers can review your health history and potentially deny coverage or charge higher rates. If you have significant health conditions, the guaranteed coverage of your existing Plan F may be worth more than any premium savings from switching to Plan G. Before making any change, get actual quotes for Plan G from multiple insurers in your area and compare them directly to your current Plan F premium.

For beneficiaries in their initial Medigap open enrollment window — the six-month period that begins the month you turn 65 and are enrolled in Part B — you have guaranteed issue rights. During this window, no insurer can deny you coverage or charge you more based on your health history. This is the single best time to enroll in any Medigap plan, and if you're newly eligible, Plan G deserves serious consideration as your starting point. A handful of states offer additional protections: California, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, and Oregon all have birthday rule provisions that give you a 30-day window each year around your birthday to switch Medigap plans without medical underwriting. If you live in one of these states and are currently on Plan F, your birthday window may be an opportunity to compare Plan G rates without health risk.

One practical step that many beneficiaries skip: call your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) counselor. SHIP offers free, unbiased counseling and can pull actual premium quotes for your zip code, walk you through the comparison, and help you understand your state's specific rules. You can find your local SHIP contact through Medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE. This is genuinely useful help at no cost, and it's worth a phone call before you make a decision that affects your healthcare costs for years to come.

The bottom line is this: for most beneficiaries who are newly enrolling in Medigap, Plan G typically delivers the same comprehensive protection as Plan F at a meaningfully lower annual cost. The $257 Part B deductible you'll pay out of pocket with Plan G is, for most people, less than the premium savings you'll realize by choosing Plan G over Plan F. Run the actual numbers with real quotes in your area — don't rely on general estimates — and factor in the long-term premium trajectory of each plan before you decide.