Massachusetts is one of just three states that ignore the federal Medigap lettering, so you will not find a Medicare Supplement Plan G here. Instead, Massachusetts sells its own non-standardized plans: a Core plan, a Supplement 1A plan, and the older Supplement 1 plan that is now closed to most newcomers. On top of that, the state lets you buy or switch Medigap year-round with no medical underwriting and requires every insurer to charge the same community-rated price regardless of your age. This guide explains the Massachusetts plans, the protections that make this one of the most consumer-friendly Medigap markets in the country, and how to choose.
How Medigap works in Massachusetts
A Medigap policy is private insurance that pays the deductibles and coinsurance Original Medicare leaves to you. Medigap in Massachusetts (Medicare Supplement Insurance) works only alongside Original Medicare, not with a Medicare Advantage plan, and each policy covers one person. A married couple who both want coverage need two policies.
Most of the country uses the federal standardized framework, where Medigap is sold as lettered plans A through N and the benefits inside each letter are fixed by federal rule. Massachusetts is one of three "waiver states," along with Minnesota and Wisconsin, that received federal permission to standardize their own way instead. That means the lettered plans you read about in national Medigap guides do not exist here. The practical upshot is that you choose among a short menu of Massachusetts plan types rather than picking a single letter.
The gaps Medigap closes are real. After the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026), Original Medicare pays 80% of the approved amount for most outpatient care and leaves you the other 20%, with no annual cap. Part A adds a hospital deductible of $1,736 per benefit period in 2026, and that deductible can apply more than once in a year. A Massachusetts Medigap plan caps that exposure.
The Massachusetts plans: Core, Supplement 1A, and Supplement 1
Massachusetts offers a small set of plans rather than the federal A-through-N menu. Two are open to people newly eligible for Medicare, and one is closed.
The Core plan is the basic option, comparable to the federal Plan A. It covers the core gaps in Original Medicare, including Part A and Part B coinsurance, but leaves more cost-sharing with you than the Supplement plans do. It is the lower-premium choice for someone who wants a baseline of protection.
Supplement 1A is the more complete plan available to people newly eligible for Medicare. It is identical to the older Supplement 1 except for one difference: it does not cover the annual Part B deductible. Supplement 1A picks up the larger gaps, such as the Part A hospital deductible and the coinsurance amounts, while you remain responsible for that one Part B deductible each year.
Supplement 1 also covered the Part B deductible, which made it the most complete plan on the market. It is now closed to newer enrollees, for the same federal reason the lettered Plans C and F closed elsewhere.
Why Supplement 1 is closed to newer enrollees
Supplement 1 once covered the annual Part B deductible on top of the other gaps, which made it the most complete Massachusetts plan. Federal law now closes any Medigap plan that pays the Part B deductible to people who first became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. In the lettered states, that same rule closed Plans C and F; in Massachusetts, it closed Supplement 1.
The closure works by eligibility date, not purchase date. If you became eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020, you can still buy or keep Supplement 1 in Massachusetts. If you became eligible on or after that date, Supplement 1 is off the table, which is why Supplement 1A has become the top-tier choice for newer enrollees: it is identical to Supplement 1 except that you pay the one Part B deductible yourself.
How the plans compare
Because benefits inside each Massachusetts plan type are set by the state, a Core plan from one insurer covers exactly what a Core plan from another covers. Insurers compete on price and service, not on what the plan pays.
| Feature | Core | Supplement 1A | Supplement 1 (closed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open to people newly eligible | Yes | Yes | No (pre-2020 eligible only) |
| Comparable federal plan | Plan A | Close to Plan G | Close to Plan F |
| Part A hospital deductible | Not covered | Covered | Covered |
| Annual Part B deductible ($283 in 2026) | You pay it | You pay it | Covered |
| Relative premium | Lower | Higher | Highest |
Year-round guaranteed issue and the February-March window
This is where Massachusetts stands apart. In most states, you get one six-month federal open-enrollment window when you turn 65, and after that an insurer can use medical underwriting to deny you or raise your rate. Massachusetts gives you far more.
Massachusetts is one of only a few states with continuous, year-round Medigap open enrollment and guaranteed-issue rights. A beneficiary can buy or switch Medigap plans at any time, with no medical underwriting, regardless of health. On top of that, the state runs an additional guaranteed-issue open enrollment each year from February 1 to March 31. Massachusetts also prohibits pre-existing condition waiting periods, so coverage starts without a health-based delay.
The practical value is large. In a lettered state, a health problem after your initial window can lock you into your current plan or insurer. In Massachusetts, you are free to move to a different plan or carrier whenever you like, and your health cannot be used against you. That makes shopping on price a real, ongoing option rather than a one-time event.
How Medigap is priced in Massachusetts
Massachusetts requires Medigap premiums to be community rated, which means premiums do not vary by age or gender. Everyone who holds the same plan type pays the same base premium, and your rate does not climb simply because you get older. This is different from the issue-age and attained-age pricing common in lettered states, where a low first-year quote can rise over time.
Premiums still differ by insurer, so the price for a Core plan or Supplement 1A varies from company to company even though the benefits inside each plan type are identical. That makes the insurer your main price decision. Note that Medigap does not include prescription drug coverage, so you add a separate Part D plan for that.
Who regulates Medigap in Massachusetts
Massachusetts Medigap plans are overseen by the state, and the 2026 Massachusetts Consumer Guide to Medicare from the Commonwealth lays out the current plans and rules. If you have a complaint or a question about a specific policy or insurer, the state's consumer resources are the place to start, and SHINE (Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone) counselors offer free, unbiased help comparing your options.
Frequently asked questions
No. Massachusetts is one of three non-standardized "waiver states," along with Minnesota and Wisconsin, that do not use the federal Plan A through Plan N letters. Instead, Massachusetts sells its own plans: the Core plan, Supplement 1A, and the closed Supplement 1. Supplement 1A is the closest equivalent to the federal Plan G.
Supplement 1A is identical to Supplement 1 except that it does not cover the annual Part B deductible. Supplement 1, which did cover that deductible, is closed to anyone who first became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. Supplement 1A is the more complete plan still open to newer enrollees.
Yes. Massachusetts has continuous, year-round guaranteed-issue rights, so you can buy or switch Medigap plans at any time with no medical underwriting, regardless of your health. The state also runs an additional guaranteed-issue open enrollment each year from February 1 to March 31, and it prohibits pre-existing condition waiting periods.
Massachusetts requires Medigap premiums to be community rated, so they do not vary by age or gender. Everyone holding the same plan type pays the same base premium, and your rate does not rise simply because you get older. Premiums still differ from one insurer to another.
Only if you first became eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. Supplement 1, which covers the Part B deductible, is closed to anyone who became eligible on or after that date under federal law. Supplement 1A is the closest available alternative; it is identical except that you pay the annual Part B deductible yourself.
Learn More
- Medicare plans and coverage in Massachusetts
- Medigap (Medicare Supplement): how the lettered plans work
- What is Medicare? Parts A, B, C, and D explained
- Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage
Find personalized help comparing Medicare Supplement plans in Massachusetts at brevy.com.
The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.