What is the difference between Plan F and Plan G?
Plan F and Plan G cover the same things except the yearly Part B deductible, and Plan F is closed to people who became eligible in 2020 or later.
- Plan F and Plan G cover the same things except the yearly Part B deductible, the amount you pay yourself before coverage starts paying.
- Federal law closed Plan F to anyone who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020.
- If you have Plan F, compare a full year of it against a year of Plan G plus that deductible.
The difference between Plan F and Plan G is one item, the yearly Part B deductible. A deductible is the amount you pay yourself before coverage starts paying, and Part B covers doctor visits and outpatient care. Plan F pays it for you, Plan G does not, and the rest is identical.
Why Plan F is closed to new enrollees
Federal law closed Plan F, along with Plan C, to anyone who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. Both paid from the first dollar of a bill, so people felt no cost at all when they used care.
If you became eligible before that date, you can keep a Plan F you already have, and in some cases still buy one. Everyone else chooses between Plan G and the other open letters.
If you already have Plan F
You do not have to do anything, and your coverage is not going away. Still, it pays to check the policy every few years, for one reason.
A closed plan, one that no new members can join, tends to raise rates faster. The members age together and claims rise, with no younger members to hold the cost down. A Plan F that priced well years ago can drift above a Plan G with the same practical coverage.
The comparison to run
- Add up your premium, the monthly bill for the coverage, for a full year of Plan F.
- Get Plan G quotes from several insurance companies.
- Add the yearly Part B deductible to the Plan G price, the one thing Plan G does not cover.
- Compare the two totals.
If Plan G plus that deductible is clearly lower, switching saves you money for coverage that works the same way at the doctor.
The catch: underwriting when you switch
Moving to Plan G means a new application. Outside a guaranteed issue window, when no company can turn you down, Texas allows medical underwriting. That means a company can read your health history and say no.
So run the numbers, then apply and get written approval before you cancel anything. Never drop the policy you have first. See switching Medigap plans.
High deductible versions
Both letters come in a high deductible version. You pay a set amount each year before the policy starts paying, and the monthly bill is much lower.
For someone in good health who wants cover against a large bill instead of help with small ones, that can cost far less. See high deductible Plan G.
The decision in one sentence
Pick the letter that costs you less over a full year once the deductible is counted, because the law sets what each letter covers.
- Newly eligible after 2020: Plan G or Plan N. Plan F is not open to you.
- Eligible before 2020 with Plan F: keep it if it still prices well, and compare it against Plan G every couple of years.
- Either way the coverage is standardized, so what differs is price, how a company raises price as you age, and its record of increases.
Run that comparison before your next renewal, and wait for a written approval before you cancel. Call our McAllen office at (956) 687 3334, or enter your ZIP code in the plan pricing box on this page. See choosing between G, N and F.
Common follow-up questions
Should I switch from Plan F to Plan G?
Compare a full year of your Plan F premium against a year of Plan G plus the yearly Part B deductible. If Plan G is lower, applying is worth it, though a company can review your health and decline you.
Will my Plan F be cancelled?
No. Policies already in force keep going. Plan F is closed to people newly eligible for Medicare, not ended for those who hold it.
Is Plan G worse than Plan F?
The only gap is the yearly Part B deductible, which Plan F pays and Plan G does not. Everything else the two cover is the same.
Want this looked at properly?
We are an independent agency in McAllen serving Hidalgo, Cameron and Starr counties. There is no obligation to talk it through.
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Medigap
Gerino Alejos
Licensed insurance agent · License 3128710 · NPN 18243381
Owner of McAllen Insurance Group, an independent agency on North 10th Street in McAllen. Works with clients across Hidalgo, Cameron and Starr counties on Medicare, Marketplace health, life and auto coverage. Se habla español.