Medicare Plan G is a Medigap policy, a private supplement that pays most of the costs Original Medicare leaves behind. In 2026 the main bill it does not cover is the $283 Part B deductible. After that, Plan G pays the rest of your share of Medicare-approved hospital and doctor costs, including Part B excess charges.
People often search for “Medicare Part G,” but there is no Part G. Medicare has Parts A, B, C and D, while the letter G names one of the standard Medigap plans. It does not replace Medicare, and it does not cover prescription drugs. You keep Part A and Part B, pay a separate monthly premium to the insurer, and usually add a drug plan.
How Plan G fits next to Original Medicare
Original Medicare has two parts. Part A covers hospital stays, skilled nursing care after a hospital stay, and hospice. Part B covers doctors, outpatient care, lab work and equipment. If you need a refresher on the basics, our guide on what Medicare is and how it works covers the parts in order.
Both parts leave gaps. There is a deductible for each hospital benefit period, daily coinsurance for long stays, and a 20% share on most Part B services. Original Medicare also has no yearly out-of-pocket cap. Medigap plans exist to fill those gaps, and every Plan G is the same standardized product no matter which insurer sells it. So two Plan G policies cover the same benefits, while the price can differ a lot.
One rule matters here: Medigap works only with Original Medicare. If you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, you cannot use a Medigap policy at the same time.
What Plan G covers, benefit by benefit
The table follows the federal plan chart on Medicare.gov. The dollar amounts are the 2026 Original Medicare costs that Plan G picks up.
| Cost under Original Medicare (2026) | Plan G pays |
|---|---|
| Part A hospital deductible: $1,736 per benefit period | 100% |
| Hospital coinsurance: $434 a day for days 61-90, $868 a day for reserve days | 100%, plus 365 extra hospital days |
| Skilled nursing facility coinsurance: $217 a day for days 21-100 | 100% |
| Part B coinsurance, usually 20% | 100% |
| Part B excess charges, up to 15% above the approved amount | 100% |
| First 3 pints of blood | 100% |
| Hospice coinsurance | 100% |
| Emergency care during foreign travel | 80%, up to plan limits |
| Part B deductible: $283 | Not covered |
The Part A and Part B figures come from the CMS fact sheet on 2026 premiums and deductibles. The standard Part B premium for 2026 is $202.90 a month, and you pay it whether or not you buy a Medigap plan. Our explainer on Medicare Part B goes through that premium and the income-based surcharge.
Here is how that plays out. Say you have a knee replacement in March, with a hospital stay and a short rehab stay after it. Under Original Medicare alone you would owe the $1,736 Part A deductible, then 20% of the surgeon, anesthesia and therapy bills. With Plan G, once you have paid the $283 Part B deductible for the year, the plan covers those shares. Joint surgery is now often done with newer techniques, such as the robotics-assisted knee replacement described in this report, but the cost-sharing rules stay the same if Medicare covers the procedure.
What Plan G does not cover
Plan G pays only toward services Medicare itself covers. So it leaves several things out:
- Prescription drugs you fill at a pharmacy. For those you need a separate plan, explained in our guide to Medicare Part D.
- Routine dental care, eye exams for glasses, and hearing aids.
- Long-term custodial care, such as help with bathing or dressing in a nursing home.
- Private-duty nursing.
- Your monthly premiums, for both Part B and the Plan G policy.
The skilled nursing benefit also has limits. Medicare covers up to 100 days of skilled care after a qualifying hospital stay. Plan G pays the daily coinsurance during that window, but not custodial care after it ends. Care facilities often coordinate the move from hospital to rehab, as in this report on care transitions at a continuing care provider, yet the coverage still depends on Medicare’s skilled-care rules.
High-deductible Plan G in 2026 and 2027
Some states also allow insurers to sell a high-deductible version. It covers the same benefits, but only after you have paid a set amount out of pocket for the year. That amount is $2,950 in 2026.
CMS has already published the next figure. Under its October 2026 announcement, the deductible rises to $3,050 starting January 1, 2027. The amount follows the consumer price index, which went up 3.4% for this calculation. Your monthly premiums do not count toward it.
The trade-off is simple. Premiums for the high-deductible version are usually much lower, but in a bad year you could owe up to the full deductible. That can suit people who have savings and expect few claims. It suits people with frequent treatment less well.
Plan G vs. Plan N vs. Plan F
Plan F covered everything Plan G does, plus the Part B deductible. However, since January 1, 2020, insurers cannot sell Plan F or Plan C to people who are new to Medicare. If you became eligible before 2020, you may still be able to buy one. For everyone else, Plan G is the most complete plan on the menu.
Plan N is the common lower-premium alternative. It also leaves the Part B deductible to you, and then adds two more costs:
- A copay of up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 for emergency room visits that do not lead to an inpatient admission.
- Part B excess charges, which Plan N does not pay.
Excess charges only come up with doctors who do not accept Medicare’s approved amount as full payment. Those doctors can bill up to 15% more. In California many doctors accept assignment, but it is worth asking before a planned procedure, because that is where the difference between G and N shows up.
When to buy Plan G, and the California birthday rule
Timing matters more than the insurer’s brand. Your best window is the six-month Medigap open enrollment period. It starts the first month you are 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. During those six months, an insurer must sell you any Medigap policy it offers at the same price as a healthy applicant, even if you have health problems.
After that window closes, insurers in most states may ask health questions. Then they can charge more or turn you down, unless you qualify for a specific federal protection, such as losing other coverage.
California adds its own rule for people who already have a Medigap plan. According to the California Department of Insurance, you get at least 60 days each year, starting on your birthday, to switch to another Medigap policy with the same or lesser benefits. No medical screening is allowed in that window. For example, you could move from one insurer’s Plan G to another’s Plan G, or from Plan G to Plan N. Going from Plan N up to Plan G is not covered by the rule.
Also keep in mind that the fall Medicare open enrollment period, October 15 to December 7, is for Medicare Advantage and drug plans. It does not give you a special right to buy a Medigap policy.
What Plan G costs and how prices are set
There is no single price for Plan G. Insurers file their own rates, so the premium depends on your ZIP code, age, sex, tobacco use and the company. Prices are set in one of three ways:
- Community-rated: everyone in the area pays the same, whatever their age.
- Issue-age-rated: the price is based on your age when you buy, so it does not rise just because you get older.
- Attained-age-rated: the price starts lower and rises as you age.
All three types can still rise with inflation and claims costs. So compare quotes for the same plan letter, and ask each insurer which pricing method it uses. Medicare.gov has a plan finder that shows the Medigap policies sold in your ZIP code, and California’s free HICAP counselors can walk you through quotes without selling anything.
For more plain-language explainers on coverage and care, see our health and sports guides.
This article is general information, not medical or insurance advice. Check with Medicare, your doctor or a HICAP counselor for your own situation.
Frequently asked questions
What is Medicare Part G?
There is no official Part G. The phrase usually means Medigap Plan G, a private supplement that works alongside Original Medicare Parts A and B.
What does Plan G cover?
It covers your share of Medicare-approved Part A and Part B costs, including the hospital deductible, coinsurance and Part B excess charges. The only standard gap is the Part B deductible, which is $283 in 2026.
What is the high-deductible Plan G amount?
It is $2,950 for 2026 and $3,050 for 2027, as set by CMS. You pay covered costs up to that amount before the policy pays.
Is Plan G better than Plan N?
Neither is better for everyone. Plan G costs more each month but has almost no copays. Plan N costs less but adds small copays and leaves excess charges to you.
Does Plan G cover prescription drugs?
No. Medigap plans sold today do not include drug coverage, so you would add a separate Part D plan.
Can I switch from Plan G to another plan later?
You can apply at any time, but outside protected windows the insurer may review your health. In California, the yearly birthday window lets you switch to a plan with equal or lesser benefits without that review.
Have a question about this topic? Ask in the comments below. Our editors read every comment and answer questions here, and we add useful answers to the guide.
Sources
- cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2026-medicare-parts-b-premiums-dedu…
- cms.gov/files/document/cy-2027-medigap-high-deductible-options-f…
- medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/medigap/basics/compare-plan-benefits
- medicare.gov/publications/11579-medicare-costs.pdf
- insurance.ca.gov/0150-seniors/0100alerts/SA-01-10B.cfm
- insurance.ca.gov/0150-seniors/0600informationguides/Informing-Senior.cfm