Medigap Plan N vs. Plan G: Differences, Pros & Cons

Updated: July 6, 2026

Advertising & Editorial Disclosure

Key Takeaways
blueCheck icon

Plan G costs $49 more monthly than Plan N at age 65, rising to $58 more by age 75.

blueCheck icon

Plan G covers Part B excess charges but Plan N doesn't, exposing enrollees to up to 15% more per service.

blueCheck icon

Plan N requires copays of up to $20 per office visit and $50 per emergency room visit.

blueCheck icon

Both plans cover hospital costs, skilled nursing and emergency care abroad identically.

How Do Medicare Supplement Plan G and Plan N Differ?

Plan G averages $220 a month at age 65, and Plan N averages $171. That $49 gap grows to $58 by age 75. The decision comes down to coverage depth against premium savings: Plan G removes cost-sharing at the point of care, but Plan N returns some of that risk to the enrollee through copays and unprotected excess charges.

The two plans diverge on three specific points. Plan G covers Part B excess charges, which providers can bill at up to 15% above Medicare-approved rates. Plan N doesn't cover those charges. Plan N also requires a copay of up to $20 per doctor visit and up to $50 per emergency room visit (waived if the ER visit leads to hospital admission), while Plan G has none. Everything else these plans cover is identical.

Average monthly premium (age 65)
$220
$171
Average monthly premium (age 75)
$279
$221
Part B excess charges
Covered
Not covered
Office visit copay
None
Up to $20
Emergency room copay
None
Up to $50 (waived if admitted)
Part A deductible
Covered
Covered
Part B deductible
Not covered
Not covered
Skilled nursing coinsurance
Covered
Covered
Foreign travel emergency
Covered
Covered

What Do Plan G and Plan N Cover?

Plan G and Plan N share the same core benefit structure, filling the largest gaps Original Medicare leaves open, including hospital costs, skilled nursing care and emergency care abroad. These shared benefits apply regardless of which insurer sells the plan, because both plans are federally standardized under CMS rules.

  • checkSign icon
    Part A hospital coinsurance and 365 additional hospital days after Medicare benefits end

    Covers hospital stays beyond Medicare's limits and eliminates coinsurance costs for hospital days 61 through 90 and lifetime reserve days.

  • checkSign icon
    Part A deductible ($1,736 in 2026)

    Pays the full Part A deductible for each benefit period, eliminating the upfront hospital admission cost.

  • checkSign icon
    Part A hospice care coinsurance

    Covers coinsurance or copayment amounts for hospice care under Medicare Part A.

  • checkSign icon
    Skilled nursing facility coinsurance (days 21 through 100)

    Pays the daily coinsurance amount for skilled nursing care after Medicare's 20-day full-coverage period ends.

  • checkSign icon
    Part B coinsurance or copayment

    Covers the 20% coinsurance Medicare Part B typically charges for outpatient services, except for copays specific to Plan N.

  • checkSign icon
    First three pints of blood

    Pays for the first three pints of blood needed during a covered service each calendar year.

  • checkSign icon
    Foreign travel emergency (up to plan limits)

    Covers 80% of emergency care costs during foreign travel after a $250 deductible, up to a $50,000 lifetime maximum.

What Plan G Covers That Plan N Doesn't?

Plan G covers Part B excess charges, the amount a non-participating Medicare provider can bill above the Medicare-approved rate, up to 15% more per service. Plan N offers no protection against excess charges. In states where providers commonly bill excess charges, this gap can add hundreds of dollars annually to an enrollee's out-of-pocket costs.

How Plan N Handles the Coverage It Shares with Plan G?

Plan N covers every benefit Plan G covers except Part B excess charges. Where Plan N diverges is not in what it covers but in how it delivers that coverage at the point of care:

  • Office visits carry a copay of up to $20
  • Emergency room visits carry a copay of up to $50, waived when the visit converts to an inpatient admission
  • Excess charges are not covered

Pros and Cons of Medicare Supplement Plan N vs. Plan G

Plan G and Plan N each favor a different type of enrollee. Plan G trades a higher premium for predictable costs at every visit. Plan N trades coverage completeness for a lower monthly bill. The table below sets out what each plan gives up and what it gains.

Pros
  • No cost-sharing at any covered visit, whether office or emergency room
  • Excess charges from non-participating providers are fully covered, up to 15% above Medicare-approved rates
  • Total annual cost is predictable, with no surprise bills at the provider level
  • Any Medicare-participating provider nationwide accepts it
  • Non-participating providers can bill up to 15% above Medicare-approved rates and Plan N pays none of it
  • Each office visit costs up to $20 and each ER visit up to $50 out of pocket
  • Enrollees who see doctors often may find copay totals eat into or exceed the annual premium savings
  • Switching to another plan outside a guaranteed issue window triggers underwriting
Cons
  • At $220 a month for a 65-year-old, the premium is $49 above Plan N
  • Enrollees who see providers rarely and never encounter excess charges pay for coverage they don't use
  • Non-participating providers can bill up to 15% above Medicare-approved rates and Plan N pays none of it
  • Each office visit costs up to $20 and each ER visit up to $50 out of pocket
  • Enrollees who see doctors often may find copay totals eat into or exceed the annual premium savings
  • Switching to another plan outside a guaranteed issue window triggers underwriting

How Much Do Medigap Plan G and Plan N Cost?

Plan N's $49 monthly advantage over Plan G at age 65 widens to $58 by age 75. Both plans carry higher premiums as enrollees age under most pricing structures. National average monthly costs for 2026 are in the table below.

65
$220
$171
$49
$588
75
$279
$221
$58
$696

Which Plan Is Right for You?

How often you use Medicare-covered services and whether your providers bill excess charges are the two variables that determine the better plan. Frequent users get more value from Plan G's cost certainty. Low utilizers get more value from Plan N's lower premium. The sections below break down which enrollee profiles each plan fits best.

When Medicare Supplement Plan G Makes More Sense

Plan G is the stronger pick when annual health care use is high or when providers are in states that allow excess charges. For a 65-year-old paying $220 a month, the higher premium is offset by knowing every covered visit has no additional cost, especially for enrollees who see specialists or use non-participating Medicare providers regularly.

  • checkSign icon
    See multiple specialists regularly

    Frequent office visits make Plan G's zero-copay structure more cost-effective than Plan N's $20 per-visit charge.

  • checkSign icon
    Live in a state where providers bill excess charges

    Plan G's excess charge coverage protects against unpredictable 15% surcharges that Plan N doesn't cover.

  • checkSign icon
    Manage chronic conditions requiring ongoing care

    Predictable costs across multiple visits and services favor Plan G's thorough coverage model.

  • checkSign icon
    Prefer budget certainty over premium savings

    Plan G eliminates point-of-care costs, making monthly expenses easier to forecast.

When a Lower Premium Plan N Outweighs the Coverage Gap

Plan N makes financial sense when health patterns keep annual out-of-pocket exposure below $588 a year in premium savings at age 65. The table identifies the scenarios where Plan N's cost advantage holds:

Fewer than 10 doctor visits per year
Annual copay costs stay under $200, well below Plan N's $588 annual premium savings at 65.
All providers accept Medicare assignment
Excess charge exposure drops to zero, neutralizing Plan N's biggest coverage limitation.
Good health with few specialist visits
Infrequent care keeps copay accumulation low enough that the full premium savings carry through.
Enrollees in states that ban excess charges
Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont ban excess charges, removing Plan N's primary risk.
Compare Medigap Plan N and Plan G Rates

Get the best rate for your insurance. Compare quotes from the top medicare supplement companies.

Medigap Plan G vs. Plan N: FAQ

About Mark Fitzpatrick

Mark Fitzpatrick, Licensed P&C Insurance Expert, MoneyGeek

Mark Fitzpatrick, a licensed Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance Producer in Connecticut, is MoneyGeek's resident insurance expert. He has spent nearly a decade analyzing the market, first at LendingTree and now at MoneyGeek, where he produces original research on hundreds of carriers and millions of rates across auto, home, renters, health and life insurance.

He covers economics and insurance at MoneyGeek, and his work has been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times and NPR, among other outlets.

Like all MoneyGeek analysts, he draws on independent cost and consumer experience data. No insurance company partnership influences his recommendations.

Mark holds a B.A. from Boston College and an M.A. in Economics and International Relations from Johns Hopkins University. He started his career in financial risk management at State Street and is also a five-time “Jeopardy!” champion.

Read Full Bio »