Choosing Medigap Plan G vs Plan N comes down to two things: Plan N's small office and ER copays and its excess-charge gap, traded for a lower premium. Everything else is identical, because the federal government standardizes both plans. So this is a smaller decision than it looks, and once you understand those two differences you can pick with confidence. Here's exactly how they play out for your situation.
In This Guide
- Key Takeaways
- Why Every Plan G and Every Plan N Is the Same
- The Two Differences That Matter
- Plan G vs Plan N, Side by Side
- Who Should Pick Plan N
- Who Should Pick Plan G
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Learn More
Why Every Plan G and Every Plan N Is the Same
Let's clear up the thing that trips up most shoppers first. When you compare Plan G quotes from five different insurers, you're not comparing five different plans. You're comparing five prices for the exact same plan.
That's because Medicare Supplement policies are standardized under federal law, specifically section 1882 of the Social Security Act. The benefits inside each lettered plan are set by the government, not by the insurance company. So a Plan G from a big national carrier covers precisely what a Plan G from a small regional one covers, and the same goes for Plan N.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Compare Medigap Plan Benefits. medicare.gov. Retrieved Aug 1, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/medigap/basics/compare-plan-benefits
What does change between insurers is the premium and the service. What doesn't change is the coverage. So once you've picked a letter, shopping is mostly about finding the lowest price for a healthy, stable company. And picking the letter is what this guide is about.
Medigap Plan G vs Plan N: The Two Differences That Matter
Plan G and Plan N are both strong plans. After you meet one annual deductible, both cover the big stuff Original Medicare leaves on your plate, like the 20% Part B coinsurance and hospital costs.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2026). 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles. cms.gov. Retrieved Aug 7, 2026, from https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2026-medicare-parts-b-premiums-deductibles They differ in just two places.
First, the part that's the same for both, so it's not a tiebreaker: neither Plan G nor Plan N pays your annual Part B deductible, which is $283 in 2026. You pay that yourself once a year before either plan starts covering your Part B costs. After that, here's where they split.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Compare Medigap Plan Benefits. medicare.gov. Retrieved Aug 1, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/medigap/basics/compare-plan-benefits,Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2026). 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles. cms.gov. Retrieved Aug 7, 2026, from https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2026-medicare-parts-b-premiums-deductibles
Difference #1: copays. With Plan G, after the deductible, you don't pay anything at the doctor. Plan N adds a copay of up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 for emergency room visits that don't end in a hospital admission.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Compare Medigap Plan Benefits. medicare.gov. Retrieved Aug 1, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/medigap/basics/compare-plan-benefits These are small, but if you see specialists often, they add up over a year.
Difference #2: excess charges. An excess charge is the extra a doctor can bill when they don't accept Medicare's standard payment (what's called not accepting assignment). Plan G covers those charges in full. Plan N leaves them to you.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Compare Medigap Plan Benefits. medicare.gov. Retrieved Aug 1, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/medigap/basics/compare-plan-benefits How much this matters depends entirely on your doctors and your state, so it's worth reading up on how Part B excess charges work before you decide.
That's the whole difference. Everything else about the two plans is the same.
Medigap Plan G vs Plan N, Side by Side
Here's the comparison in one place. Notice how much is identical, and how the differences all sit in the same two rows.
| What you pay | Plan G | Plan N |
|---|---|---|
| Part B deductible | You pay it ($283 in 2026) | You pay it ($283 in 2026) |
| Part B coinsurance (the 20%) | Covered in full | Covered, minus copays |
| Office-visit copay | None | Up to $20 |
| ER copay (no admission) | None | Up to $50 |
| Part B excess charges | Covered | You pay them |
| Part A hospital costs | Covered | Covered |
| Monthly premium | Higher | Usually lower |
The 20% figure is the share of Part B costs Original Medicare leaves you after the deductible, and both plans pick that up (Plan N just carves out the copays).Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2026). 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles. cms.gov. Retrieved Aug 7, 2026, from https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2026-medicare-parts-b-premiums-deductibles,Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Compare Medigap Plan Benefits. medicare.gov. Retrieved Aug 1, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/medigap/basics/compare-plan-benefits
Who Should Pick Plan N
Plan N is the money-saver, and for a lot of people it's the smarter buy. It fits you if:
- You don't go to the doctor constantly, so the copays won't add up to much.
- Your doctors accept Medicare assignment, so excess charges never come up. In practice most doctors do, and a few states ban excess charges entirely.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Does your provider accept Medicare as full payment?. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/basics/costs/medicare-costs/provider-accept-Medicare
- You'd rather keep your monthly premium down and handle the occasional small copay yourself.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Compare Medigap Plan Benefits. medicare.gov. Retrieved Aug 1, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/medigap/basics/compare-plan-benefits
The math works when the premium you save each month is more than the copays and any excess charges you'd actually run into. For a healthy person who sees the doctor a handful of times a year and lives where their providers take assignment, that's often an easy win.
Who Should Pick Plan G
Plan G is the predictable one. Pick it if:
- You see doctors or specialists often, so those $20 copays would stack up.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Compare Medigap Plan Benefits. medicare.gov. Retrieved Aug 1, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/medigap/basics/compare-plan-benefits
- You want one and done: pay the Part B deductible in January, then face no copays or coinsurance on your covered Medicare care the rest of the year.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Compare Medigap Plan Benefits. medicare.gov. Retrieved Aug 1, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/medigap/basics/compare-plan-benefits
- You worry about excess charges, or you know a doctor you see doesn't accept assignment.
Plan G costs more each month, but you're buying certainty. After that single deductible, your Part A and Part B cost sharing is handled, excess charges included.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Compare Medigap Plan Benefits. medicare.gov. Retrieved Aug 1, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/medigap/basics/compare-plan-benefits For people who value knowing their number, that peace of mind is worth the higher premium.
So which is it? If you're healthy, cost-conscious, and your doctors take assignment, Plan N usually wins on total cost. If you use a lot of care or you just want the fuller, more predictable coverage of the two, Plan G is the safer pick. Run both premium quotes for your zip code and weigh the difference against how much care you actually use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Plan N cheaper than Plan G?
Plan N usually has a lower monthly premium than Plan G, because it hands some cost back to you through copays and excess charges. Whether it's cheaper overall depends on how much care you use: if you rarely hit the copays and your doctors accept assignment, Plan N's lower premium often wins. If you use a lot of care, Plan G can come out ahead.
Does Plan N cover Part B excess charges?
No, and this is one of only two ways Plan N differs from Plan G. If a provider doesn't accept Medicare assignment, they can bill up to 15% above the Medicare-approved amount (a cap called the "limiting charge"), and with Plan N you pay that excess yourself; Plan G covers it in full.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Does your provider accept Medicare as full payment?. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/basics/costs/medicare-costs/provider-accept-Medicare Since most providers accept assignment, many Plan N holders never run into an excess charge at all. But if a doctor you rely on doesn't take assignment, that alone can tip the decision toward Plan G.
Do Plan G and Plan N cover the same hospital care?
Yes. The Part A hospital benefits are identical between the two plans: both cover the Part A deductible in full, along with the Part A coinsurance, the skilled nursing facility coinsurance and the hospice coinsurance.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Compare Medigap Plan Benefits. medicare.gov. Retrieved Aug 1, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/medigap/basics/compare-plan-benefits The differences are only on the Part B side: Plan N's office and ER copays and its excess-charge gap. Everything on the hospital side is the same.
How much are Plan N's copays?
Note the words "up to": the cap is $20 for some office visits and $50 for an emergency room visit that doesn't lead to being admitted as an inpatient, but many visits cost less and the copay never exceeds those amounts. If the ER visit ends in a hospital admission, the $50 is waived entirely.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Compare Medigap Plan Benefits. medicare.gov. Retrieved Aug 1, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/medigap/basics/compare-plan-benefits Over a year, whether they add up is really a question of how often you go: a handful of visits is a modest amount, while frequent specialist care can erase Plan N's premium savings. Plan G has no copays at all.
Should I switch from Plan N to Plan G later if I get sick?
You can apply, but switching between Medigap plans after your one-time, 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment window usually means answering health questions (medical underwriting), and the insurer can turn you down or charge more.Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). Get Medigap Basics. medicare.gov. Retrieved Jul 17, 2026, from https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/medigap/basics That's the real risk with starting on Plan N: if your health changes, moving up to Plan G isn't guaranteed. Talk to a licensed agent or your State Health Insurance Assistance Program before you count on it.
Learn More
Find personalized help comparing Medigap Plan G and Plan N for your own situation 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.