Medigap Plan B in 2025: Coverage Details, Costs, and Who Should Buy It

Medigap Plan B covers the Medicare Part A inpatient hospital deductible and coinsurance, giving you a meaningful shield against the single largest out-of-pocket cost in Original Medicare, but it does not cover the Part B deductible or Part B excess charges.

What Medigap Plan B Actually Covers

Every Medigap policy sold in the United States must follow benefit standards set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Plan B is one of ten standardized plans labeled A through N, and its benefit set is fixed by federal law regardless of which insurance company sells it.

Plan B pays the following:

The Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs for up to 365 days after Medicare benefits are exhausted. The Medicare Part A deductible, which is $1,676 per benefit period in 2025. The Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayment, which is typically 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount for outpatient services. The first three pints of blood each year. Hospice care coinsurance or copayment under Part A.

Plan B does not pay the Medicare Part B deductible ($257 in 2025), Part B excess charges (the amount a non-participating provider can charge above the Medicare-approved rate, up to 15 percent), foreign travel emergency care, or skilled nursing facility coinsurance.

How Plan B Differs From Its Closest Neighbors

Understanding Plan B is easier when you place it on the spectrum of available plans.

Plan A vs. Plan B

Plan A is the bare-minimum Medigap policy. It covers Part A coinsurance and Part B coinsurance but does not cover the Part A deductible. Plan B adds that deductible coverage, which is the most significant upgrade between the two. Given that the Part A deductible applies each benefit period — not just once a year — a single hospitalization can trigger it, making Plan B's addition meaningful for anyone with even moderate health concerns.

Plan B vs. Plan G

Plan G is currently the most popular Medigap plan sold to new enrollees, and for good reason. Compared to Plan B, Plan G also covers Part B excess charges and skilled nursing facility coinsurance. The premium difference between Plan B and Plan G is often $20 to $50 per month depending on your age, gender, location, and insurer. If you are hospitalized and require skilled nursing facility care — which Medicare covers only after a three-day hospital stay — Plan G's coinsurance coverage ($209.50 per day for days 21 through 100 in 2025) can easily outweigh a year's worth of premium savings. Do the arithmetic before choosing Plan B over Plan G.

Plan B vs. Plan N

Plan N has lower premiums than both Plan B and Plan G, but it requires copays of up to $20 for office visits and up to $50 for emergency room visits that do not result in inpatient admission. Plan N also does not cover excess charges. If you see doctors frequently, Plan N's copays can add up. Plan B has no such copays for covered services, which some beneficiaries find simpler to budget.

What Plan B Costs in 2025

Because benefits are standardized, price is the only variable between insurers selling Plan B. Premiums vary widely based on how the insurer sets rates.

Insurers use one of three pricing methods. Community-rated plans charge everyone the same premium regardless of age. Issue-age-rated plans set your premium based on your age when you first buy the policy and do not raise it as you get older. Attained-age-rated plans start lower but increase as you age, often making them the most expensive option over a long retirement.

As a general benchmark, Plan B premiums for a 65-year-old non-smoking woman in a mid-size U.S. city range from roughly $110 to $175 per month in 2025. Men typically pay more. Premiums in rural areas and high-cost states like New York or Massachusetts can differ substantially. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners recommends comparing at least three to five quotes before enrolling.

Who Should Consider Plan B

Plan B is a reasonable choice for a specific type of Medicare beneficiary: someone who wants solid hospital protection, sees a limited number of specialists, lives in a state that prohibits balance billing (which eliminates the practical risk of excess charges), and is working with a tighter monthly budget but still wants more coverage than Plan A provides.

It is less suitable for people who use skilled nursing facilities, travel internationally, or see providers who do not accept Medicare assignment, since those gaps can generate significant costs.

Enrollment Timing Matters More Than the Plan You Choose

The most consequential decision is not which plan you pick — it is when you enroll. Your Medigap Open Enrollment Period is a six-month window that begins the first month you are both 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B. During this window, insurers cannot deny you coverage or charge you more because of a pre-existing condition.

Once that window closes, most states allow insurers to use medical underwriting. That means a history of heart disease, diabetes, or cancer could result in a higher premium or an outright denial. A handful of states — including Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, and New York — have more protective rules, but most beneficiaries should treat the Open Enrollment Period as a deadline, not a suggestion.

If you miss your window and later want to switch from one Medigap plan to another, you will generally face underwriting unless you qualify for a guaranteed issue right triggered by specific life events, such as losing employer coverage or your current insurer leaving the market.

Last reviewed: April 2026