Medigap Plan F vs Plan G: Which Should You Choose? (2025)
Medigap Plan F and Plan G are the two most comprehensive Medicare supplement plans available — and the difference between them is exactly one thing: the $257 Part B deductible. Plan F covers it; Plan G does not. But Plan F is no longer available to new Medicare beneficiaries who became eligible after January 1, 2020. If you're choosing today, Plan G is almost certainly the right answer.
Plan F vs Plan G: Side-by-Side Benefits
| Benefit | Plan F | Plan G |
|---|---|---|
| Part A hospital deductible ($1,676 per benefit period in 2025) | ✅ Covered | ✅ Covered |
| Part A hospital coinsurance & costs up to 365 extra days | ✅ Covered | ✅ Covered |
| Part A hospice coinsurance or copayment | ✅ Covered | ✅ Covered |
| Skilled nursing facility coinsurance | ✅ Covered | ✅ Covered |
| Part B deductible ($257 in 2025) | ✅ COVERED | ❌ NOT covered — you pay $257/year |
| Part B coinsurance (20% of Medicare-approved amount) | ✅ Covered | ✅ Covered |
| Part B excess charges (up to 15% above Medicare rate) | ✅ Covered | ✅ Covered |
| Foreign travel emergency (80% after $250 deductible) | ✅ Covered | ✅ Covered |
| Blood (first 3 pints per year) | ✅ Covered | ✅ Covered |
| Availability | Only if Medicare-eligible before Jan 1, 2020 | Available to all new enrollees |
Why Plan G Almost Always Wins on Value
Plan F premiums are consistently and substantially higher than Plan G premiums. The math is straightforward:
- The only extra benefit Plan F provides is covering the $257 Part B annual deductible.
- If Plan F costs more than $257/year more than Plan G from the same insurer, Plan G is the better financial choice — you pay the $257 deductible yourself and still come out ahead.
- In practice, the Plan F premium differential almost always exceeds $257/year — often by a wide margin.
A Concrete Example
| Plan F | Plan G | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly premium (example) | $220/month | $185/month |
| Annual premium cost | $2,640/year | $2,220/year |
| Part B deductible you pay out of pocket | $0 | $257 |
| Total annual cost | $2,640 | $2,477 |
| Annual savings with Plan G | — | $163/year |
In this example, the premium difference is $420/year. You pay $257 out of pocket for the Part B deductible under Plan G. Net savings with Plan G: $163/year. Over 10 years, that's over $1,600 — assuming the premium gap stays constant (it typically widens over time for reasons explained below).
This pattern holds across virtually every insurer and market. When the premium differential is less than $257 — which is rare — Plan F can make sense financially. But always run the actual numbers with current quotes before deciding.
Why Plan F Costs More: Adverse Selection
Plan F's higher premium is not arbitrary. It is driven by a well-understood insurance phenomenon called adverse selection.
When Plan F was discontinued for new enrollees on January 1, 2020, the pool of Plan F members became a closed, aging group. No healthy new 65-year-olds are joining Plan F. The existing pool skews older and, statistically, sicker — people who became Medicare-eligible before 2020 are now 71 or older. Higher utilization drives higher claims, which drives higher premiums.
This dynamic is self-reinforcing: as Plan F premiums rise, healthier members are more likely to switch to Plan G (often possible without medical underwriting through state birthday rules or other mechanisms), leaving an even sicker, higher-utilization pool behind. Plan F premiums are expected to continue rising faster than Plan G premiums over time.
For anyone currently on Plan F, this trajectory is a reason to evaluate an annual switch to Plan G — particularly if you are in good health and your state allows plan changes without medical underwriting.
High-Deductible Versions: Plan F-HD and Plan G-HD
Both Plan F and Plan G have high-deductible versions that offer significantly lower monthly premiums in exchange for a substantial deductible before benefits begin.
| Feature | Standard Plan F | Plan F-HD | Standard Plan G | Plan G-HD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly premium (typical range) | $180–$280 | $40–$80 | $150–$250 | $35–$70 |
| Deductible before benefits begin (2025) | None | $2,870 | None | $2,870 |
| Part B deductible covered | Yes | Yes (counts toward HD deductible) | No | No (separate from HD deductible) |
| Best for | Those wanting zero out-of-pocket (if eligible) | Healthy beneficiaries wanting catastrophic-only protection | Most new enrollees | Healthy beneficiaries comfortable with $2,870 exposure |
The high-deductible versions work like a high-deductible health plan: you pay all Medicare cost-sharing out of pocket until you reach the $2,870 deductible, then the plan covers everything for the rest of the year. For someone in excellent health who rarely uses healthcare beyond preventive services, the premium savings can be substantial — but the financial risk of a bad year is real. The standard Plan G remains the most popular and often most cost-effective choice for most beneficiaries.
Who Still Has Plan F — and Should They Switch?
Anyone who was eligible for Medicare (turned 65, or qualified via disability) before January 1, 2020 can keep their existing Plan F. Millions of beneficiaries remain on Plan F today. The question for each of them is whether switching to Plan G makes financial sense.
To evaluate a switch:
- Get current quotes for Plan G from the same insurer and from competitors.
- Calculate the annual premium difference. If Plan G is more than $257/year cheaper than your current Plan F, you save money by switching and paying the deductible yourself.
- Check your state's switching rules. In most states, switching from Plan F to Plan G requires passing medical underwriting — the insurer can ask about your health history and may charge more or decline you. Some states (including California, Oregon, Missouri, Illinois, Nevada, and others) have birthday rules or other provisions allowing annual plan changes without underwriting. Know your state's rules before initiating a switch.
- Consider the long-term trajectory. Even if the switch saves only a small amount today, the widening adverse selection gap in Plan F pools suggests Plan G becomes increasingly favorable over time.
Plan G Is Now the Gold Standard for New Enrollees
For anyone becoming Medicare-eligible today, Plan F is simply not an option. Plan G is the most comprehensive Medigap plan available to new enrollees — covering everything except the $257 Part B deductible. It provides:
- Full coverage of the $1,676 Part A hospital deductible
- Full coverage of the 20% Part B coinsurance (no copays, no bills for covered services after paying the deductible)
- Coverage of Part B excess charges (providers who charge above Medicare rates)
- Skilled nursing facility coinsurance coverage
- Foreign travel emergency coverage (80% after $250 deductible, up to lifetime limit)
- No network restrictions — accepted by any provider who takes Original Medicare
The only annual cost you'll pay out of pocket under Plan G is the $257 Part B deductible. After that, covered services have no additional cost-sharing. For people who want predictable, near-zero healthcare costs and maximum provider flexibility, Plan G is the strongest option available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Plan F is only available to people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020 — meaning you turned 65 before that date, or qualified for Medicare via disability before that date. If you became Medicare-eligible on or after January 1, 2020, Plan F is not available to you under any circumstances. If you were eligible before that date and currently have Plan F, you can keep it. If you were eligible before that date but don't yet have Plan F, you may still be able to enroll — but you'll face medical underwriting outside your initial open enrollment period, and given Plan F's higher premiums and adverse selection trajectory, Plan G is almost certainly a better choice even if you're eligible for F.
For new enrollees, yes — almost always. The only benefit Plan F adds over Plan G is coverage of the $257 Part B annual deductible. Plan F premiums are typically $200–$600/year higher than Plan G premiums for the same beneficiary in the same market, driven by adverse selection as Plan F's pool ages and no new healthy members join. The math: if Plan F costs $35/month more than Plan G ($420/year), you pay the $257 deductible yourself and save $163/year net. The premium gap only needs to exceed $257/year for Plan G to win — and it almost always does. For existing Plan F holders evaluating a switch, the same logic applies, with the added consideration of underwriting requirements in most states.
Standard Plan G covers all Medicare cost-sharing (except the $257 Part B deductible) from the first dollar after you meet the deductible. Plan G High-Deductible (Plan G-HD) has a much lower monthly premium — often $35–$70/month versus $150–$250/month for standard Plan G — but you must pay the first $2,870 of Medicare cost-sharing out of pocket in 2025 before the plan's benefits kick in. Once you hit the $2,870 deductible, Plan G-HD covers everything standard Plan G covers. Plan G-HD is a good fit for healthy beneficiaries who want protection against catastrophic costs but are willing to absorb routine medical expenses. If you have significant ongoing healthcare needs, standard Plan G's higher premium buys certainty and simplicity.