Plan G and Plan N are the two most popular Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans for people buying coverage today. Both work the same way. You keep Original Medicare, you can see any doctor in the country who accepts Medicare, and your Medigap plan picks up most of what Medicare leaves behind. The real decision comes down to one trade-off: a slightly higher premium with Plan G, or a few small out-of-pocket costs with Plan N.
What they both cover
After you meet the once-a-year Part B deductible ($283 in 2026), both plans cover your Part A and Part B coinsurance, the Part A hospital deductible, skilled-nursing-facility coinsurance, the first three pints of blood, hospice coinsurance, and foreign-travel emergency care up to the plan's limits. Neither plan covers the Part B deductible itself. You pay that once each year before coverage kicks in.
Where Plan G and Plan N differ
- Office and ER copays: Plan N has small copays of up to $20 for some doctor visits and up to $50 for an emergency-room visit (the ER copay is waived if you're admitted). Plan G has no copays.
- Part B excess charges: if a provider doesn't accept Medicare's approved amount, they can bill up to 15% more. Plan G covers these excess charges; Plan N does not. Several states ban excess charges outright, so this may not apply where you live.
- Monthly premium: because Plan N leaves you with those copays and excess-charge exposure, its premium is usually lower than Plan G from the same carrier in the same area.
Which one fits you?
Plan G is the more predictable choice. Once you've paid the annual Part B deductible, your covered costs drop to almost nothing: no copays, no excess charges. It tends to suit people who see doctors or specialists often, want no surprises, and don't mind paying a little more each month for that certainty.
Plan N can be the better value if you're generally healthy, don't visit the doctor frequently, and live in an area where excess charges are rare or banned. You trade a lower monthly premium for the occasional small copay.
A note on timing
The best time to buy either plan is during your Medigap Open Enrollment Period. That's the six months that begin when you're 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B. During that window you can't be turned down or charged more for health reasons. Outside it, carriers can use medical underwriting.
One last thing worth knowing: every Plan G is identical to every other Plan G, and every Plan N to every other Plan N. The benefits are standardized by the federal government. What changes is the premium, which can vary widely between carriers for the exact same coverage. Comparing real rates in your ZIP code is the only way to see which carrier, and which of these two plans, gives you the best value.
Keep reading
More guides in this area
Want this matched to your own situation?
See actual plans and prices, or talk it through with a licensed agent who works for you.