Hospital Cost-Sharing
Plan G covers Part A coinsurance and hospital costs for up to 365 additional days after Medicare benefits are exhausted.
Medigap Plan G is one of the most comprehensive standardized Medicare Supplement options available today. It covers most of the major out-of-pocket costs left by Original Medicare, including the 2026 Part A deductible of $1,736, skilled nursing facility coinsurance, Part B coinsurance, and Medicare Part B excess charges. The major standardized benefit Plan G does not cover is the 2026 Medicare Part B deductible of $283.
Medigap Plan G covers nearly all standardized Original Medicare cost-sharing except the Medicare Part B deductible. It covers Part A coinsurance and additional hospital days, Part B coinsurance or copayments, the first three pints of blood, hospice cost-sharing, skilled nursing facility coinsurance, the Part A deductible, and Part B excess charges. It also pays 80% of qualifying foreign travel emergency costs after the foreign travel deductible and subject to plan limits.
In 2026, the annual Medicare Part B deductible is $283. After you satisfy that deductible, standard Plan G generally pays the standardized Part B coinsurance and copayment benefit for Medicare-covered services.
In most states, Medigap benefits are standardized by plan letter. A standard Plan G policy provides the same standardized medical benefits regardless of the insurance company selling it. Premiums, discounts, rating methods, underwriting rules, and customer service can still differ by insurer.
| Medigap Benefit | Plan G | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Part A coinsurance and hospital costs, including up to 365 additional days | ✓ 100% | Covered |
| Part B coinsurance or copayment | ✓ 100% | Covered after the applicable Part B deductible is met |
| Blood, first 3 pints | ✓ 100% | Covered |
| Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment | ✓ 100% | Covered |
| Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance | ✓ 100% | Plan G covers the standardized SNF coinsurance benefit |
| Part A deductible | ✓ 100% | Plan G covers the $1,736 deductible per benefit period in 2026 |
| Part B deductible | ✕ Not covered | You pay the $283 annual Part B deductible in 2026 |
| Part B excess charges | ✓ 100% | Covered when a permitted Part B excess charge applies |
| Foreign travel emergency, up to plan limits | 80% | After a $250 annual deductible, during the first 60 days of a trip, with a $50,000 lifetime limit |
| Annual Medigap out-of-pocket limit | N/A | Standard Plan G does not use the Plan K or Plan L annual out-of-pocket limit structure |
Plan G is designed to make many of the cost-sharing obligations under Original Medicare more predictable.
Plan G covers Part A coinsurance and hospital costs for up to 365 additional days after Medicare benefits are exhausted.
Plan G covers the Medicare Part A inpatient hospital deductible, which is $1,736 for each benefit period in 2026.
After the Part B deductible is satisfied, Plan G covers the standardized Part B coinsurance or copayment benefit for Medicare-covered services.
Plan G covers the standardized skilled nursing facility coinsurance benefit. In 2026, Original Medicare's SNF coinsurance is $217 per day for days 21 through 100 of a benefit period.
Plan G covers Part B excess charges when a provider is legally permitted to bill them and the charge actually applies.
Plan G pays 80% of qualifying emergency care outside the United States after a $250 annual deductible, subject to the first-60-days rule and $50,000 lifetime limit.
Plan G is comprehensive, but it is not an all-inclusive health insurance policy.
You are responsible for the annual Medicare Part B deductible. It is $283 in 2026.
Modern Medigap policies do not include outpatient prescription drug coverage. Medicare Part D is separate.
Plan G generally does not create coverage for services Original Medicare does not cover, such as most routine dental care, routine vision care, and hearing aids.
Medigap does not pay for ongoing custodial long-term care when Medicare itself does not cover the service.
You continue paying the monthly premium charged by the insurance company for the Medigap policy.
Plan G does not replace your Medicare Part B premium. The standard Part B premium is $202.90 per month in 2026, although higher-income beneficiaries may pay more.
This is the single standardized Medicare cost-sharing category that standard Plan G does not cover.
In 2026, the Medicare Part B deductible is $283 for the year. When you receive Part B-covered services, the amount Medicare applies toward that deductible is your responsibility until the deductible is satisfied. After that, Original Medicare begins paying according to its rules and standard Plan G generally covers the standardized Part B coinsurance or copayment benefit.
This is one of the most important differences between Plan G and Plan N.
A Part B excess charge can arise when a non-participating Medicare provider does not accept assignment and is permitted to charge more than the Medicare-approved amount. Plan G covers the standardized Part B excess-charge benefit. Not every provider can or does bill excess charges, and state rules can also affect whether they are allowed.
If avoiding this particular exposure matters to you, Plan G has an advantage over Plan N because Plan N does not include the Part B excess-charge benefit.
Both are popular standardized Medigap options, but they trade premium cost against additional out-of-pocket responsibility in different ways.
Plan G is also available in a high-deductible version in some states.
With High-Deductible Plan G, you pay Medicare-covered deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments up to the high-deductible amount before the Medigap policy begins paying covered benefits. The high-deductible amount is $2,950 in 2026. Premiums are often lower than standard Plan G, but your potential upfront Medicare-covered cost-sharing is higher.
There is no single national Plan G premium. The standardized benefits are the same, but the premium can vary substantially between insurance companies.
Insurance companies set their own Plan G premiums. The price can vary by location, age or rating method, household discounts, tobacco status where permitted, and other state-approved factors.
Standard Plan G does not pay the $283 Medicare Part B deductible in 2026.
You must continue paying your Medicare Part B premium. In 2026, the standard premium is $202.90 per month, with higher amounts for some beneficiaries based on income.
If you choose a separate Medicare Part D plan, its premium and prescription cost-sharing are separate from Plan G.
The standardized foreign travel emergency benefit pays 80% after a $250 annual deductible and is subject to a $50,000 lifetime limit.
Services not covered by Original Medicare can remain your responsibility unless you have other coverage that specifically pays for them.
Your best federal enrollment protection usually occurs during your one-time Medigap Open Enrollment Period.
It starts the first month you have Medicare Part B and are age 65 or older. During this period, you can generally buy any Medigap policy sold in your state without the insurance company denying you coverage because of pre-existing health problems. After this one-time period, medical underwriting may apply unless you have a guaranteed issue right or additional protection under state law.
Medigap Plan G is a standardized Medicare Supplement policy that works with Original Medicare. It covers most standardized Medicare cost-sharing benefits, including the Part A deductible, skilled nursing facility coinsurance, Part B coinsurance, and Part B excess charges. It does not cover the Part B deductible.
Yes. Standard Plan G covers 100% of the Medicare Part A deductible, which is $1,736 per benefit period in 2026.
No. You pay the annual Medicare Part B deductible. It is $283 in 2026.
Yes. Standardized Plan G covers 100% of Medicare Part B excess charges when those charges are legally permitted and actually billed.
Both plans leave the Part B deductible to you. Plan G covers Part B excess charges and does not use Plan N's up-to-$20 office visit copays or up-to-$50 ER copays. Plan N may have a lower premium depending on the carrier and market.
The primary standardized benefit difference is the Part B deductible. Plan F covers it, while Plan G does not. Plan F is generally restricted to people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020.
High-Deductible Plan G is available in some states. In 2026, you must pay $2,950 in Medicare-covered deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments before the high-deductible Medigap policy begins paying covered benefits.
No. Medigap Plan G does not include outpatient prescription drug coverage. Medicare Part D is separate.
Yes, up to standardized plan limits. Plan G pays 80% of qualifying medically necessary emergency care outside the United States after a $250 annual deductible, when the emergency begins during the first 60 days of the trip. The benefit has a $50,000 lifetime limit.
These Medicare.gov resources support the standardized Plan G benefits, 2026 Medicare cost figures, high-deductible amount, foreign travel rules, and Medigap enrollment guidance used on this page.
Compare Plan G with Plan N and other available Medicare Supplement options based on premiums, standardized benefits, carrier pricing, underwriting rules, your doctors, and the amount of out-of-pocket risk you want to keep.
Request Medicare Supplement InformationSenior Healthcare Planning is an independent insurance agency that provides education, guidance, and enrollment assistance for Medicare-related insurance products, including Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, and Prescription Drug Plans. Senior Healthcare Planning is not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program. Medigap plan availability, premiums, underwriting rules, consumer protections, and standardized plan structures can vary by state. Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin standardize Medigap differently.