In short
- The high deductible is $2,950 in 2026 and $3,050 in 2027. After that, the plan pays like regular Plan G.
- The Part B deductible ($283 in 2026) counts toward the high deductible, along with the Part A deductible and your 20% coinsurance.
- Nebraska's 2026 ranges at age 65: Plan G $135 to $766 a month, High-Deductible Plan G $38 to $75 a month.
- It fits healthy people who can pay the full deductible from savings in a bad year and who bank the premium savings in good years.
Plan G vs High-Deductible Plan G at a glance
| Feature | Plan G | High-Deductible Plan G |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly premium, age 65, Nebraska (2026) | $135 to $766, per the Nebraska Department of Insurance | $38 to $75, per the Nebraska Department of Insurance |
| Deductible before the plan pays | None of its own; you pay only the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026) | $2,950 in 2026; $3,050 in 2027 |
| Part B deductible | You pay it ($283 in 2026) | You pay it, and it counts toward the high deductible |
| Part A hospital deductible ($1,736 in 2026) | Covered | You pay it until the high deductible is met |
| Part B 20% coinsurance | Covered after the Part B deductible | You pay it until the high deductible is met, then covered |
| Part B excess charges | Covered | Count toward the deductible, then covered |
| Most you pay for Medicare-covered care in a year | $283 (2026) | $2,950 (2026); $3,050 (2027) |
| Foreign travel emergency | 80% up to plan limits | 80% up to plan limits, with a separate $250 yearly deductible |
| Who can buy it | Anyone eligible for a Medigap policy | Anyone eligible, from companies that offer it in Nebraska |
The short answer
Choose High-Deductible Plan G if you are healthy, can pay the full $3,050 deductible (2027) from savings without strain, and will set aside what you save on premiums. Choose regular Plan G if a big medical bill would hurt your budget or you expect regular care, surgeries or hospital stays.
High-Deductible Plan G is a trade. You take on more of the cost in a bad year, and in return you pay a much smaller premium every month. Whether that trade works depends less on the plan and more on your savings, your health and your habits.
How does High-Deductible Plan G work?
You pay Medicare-covered costs yourself until you reach the yearly deductible: $2,950 in 2026 and $3,050 in 2027. After that, the policy pays exactly like regular Plan G for the rest of the calendar year. The deductible resets every January.
Costs that count toward the deductible are the ones regular Plan G would have paid:
- The Part A hospital deductible, $1,736 per benefit period in 2026
- The Part B deductible, $283 in 2026
- Your 20% Part B coinsurance on doctor visits, tests and outpatient care
- Part B excess charges, skilled nursing coinsurance and hospital coinsurance
Prescription drugs (that is Part D's job), dental, vision and anything else Medicare does not cover do not count. Foreign travel emergency care has its own $250 yearly deductible. For the full plan details, see High-Deductible Plan G and regular Plan G.
How much lower is the premium in Nebraska?
A lot lower. The Nebraska Department of Insurance lists 2026 premiums at age 65 of $135 to $766 a month for Plan G and $38 to $75 a month for High-Deductible Plan G. The wide Plan G range reflects differences between companies, so your actual gap depends on which companies you compare.
Most Nebraska Medigap policies are attained-age rated, according to the Department of Insurance, so both premiums usually rise as you get older. Get both quotes from the same company, and ask about its rate history on each plan.
What does the math look like in a good year and a bad year?
The answer depends on the kind of year you have. This table uses 2026 rules: a $2,950 high deductible versus regular Plan G, where you pay only the $283 Part B deductible. Plug in your own premium savings.
| Your premium savings with HD-G | Quiet year: only the $283 Part B deductible | Middle year: $1,500 in costs Medicare left you | Bad year: you hit the $2,950 deductible |
|---|---|---|---|
| $80 a month ($960 a year) | HD-G ahead by $960 | Plan G ahead by $257 | Plan G ahead by $1,707 |
| $120 a month ($1,440 a year) | HD-G ahead by $1,440 | HD-G ahead by $223 | Plan G ahead by $1,227 |
| $160 a month ($1,920 a year) | HD-G ahead by $1,920 | HD-G ahead by $703 | Plan G ahead by $747 |
How the middle and bad years work: with HD-G you pay the full $1,500 or $2,950, while with regular Plan G you pay $283. The difference ($1,217 or $2,667) comes out of your premium savings.
What kind of year is "bad"? One inpatient hospital admission triggers the $1,736 Part A deductible by itself. Add the 20% coinsurance on the surgeon and other doctors, and a single hospital stay can use up most or all of the deductible.
Who is High-Deductible Plan G a good fit for?
It fits healthy people with savings who would rather keep the premium difference than prepay for care they rarely use.
- You see a doctor a few times a year and have no planned surgeries.
- You could pay the full deductible ($3,050 in 2027) from savings in a bad year.
- You will bank the premium savings, so two or three quiet years fund one bad one.
- You built up an HSA while working. You cannot contribute once you are on Medicare, but you can spend the balance on qualified medical costs. Our page on HSAs and Medicare covers the timing rules.
Who should stick with regular Plan G?
Regular Plan G fits people who want predictable costs or expect to use care. You pay a higher premium, and your yearly cost for Medicare-covered care is just the Part B deductible.
- You manage a chronic condition with frequent tests, specialists or infusions.
- You have a surgery or procedure coming up.
- A $3,000 bill would mean borrowing or putting it on a card.
- You want no thinking about deductibles at all.
If you want a lower premium without a large deductible, compare Plan G vs Plan N, which trades small copays for a smaller discount.
What mistakes do people make with High-Deductible Plan G?
The biggest mistake is picking the high-deductible plan for the low premium and then spending the savings. The plan only works if the money is there when the bad year comes.
Other mistakes to avoid:
- Planning to switch to regular Plan G when health changes. By then, you may not pass the health questions. Your one-time Medigap Open Enrollment Period is the only window when Nebraska companies must accept you regardless of health, unless a guaranteed issue right applies. Nebraska has no birthday rule.
- Thinking drug costs count toward the deductible. They do not. You still need a Part D plan for prescriptions.
- Using an old deductible figure. It is $2,950 for 2026 and $3,050 for 2027. CMS adjusts it each year.
- Comparing only one company. Benefits are standardized, so the same plan letter covers the same things everywhere. Price and rate history are what vary. Our guide to Medicare Supplement companies in Nebraska explains what to compare.
Where can you get unbiased help comparing these plans?
You can compare Medigap prices by ZIP code on Medicare.gov, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (TTY 1-877-486-2048). Nebraska SHIP (formerly SHIIP), part of the Department of Insurance, offers one-on-one counseling at 1-800-234-7119. See SHIP and local Medicare help for more.
If you want both plans quoted from several companies and the math run on your own numbers, talk to me. My help costs you nothing.
Frequently asked questions
It is $3,050 for 2027, up from $2,950 in 2026, according to CMS. You pay that much in Medicare-covered costs that Medicare does not pay, such as the Part A and Part B deductibles and your 20% coinsurance, before the policy pays anything. After you reach it, the plan pays like regular Plan G for the rest of the calendar year.
Yes. The Part B deductible, $283 in 2026, is one of the costs that counts toward the high deductible. So does the Part A hospital deductible ($1,736 per benefit period in 2026), Part B coinsurance and excess charges. Your Part D drug costs, dental, vision and other services Medicare does not cover do not count.
You can apply, but it is not guaranteed. Outside your one-time Medigap Open Enrollment Period and guaranteed issue situations, Nebraska companies can ask health questions and may refuse coverage because of health reasons. Nebraska has no birthday rule that allows a yearly switch. If you think you will want regular Plan G within a few years, it may be safer to start with it.
You cannot put new money into an HSA once you have Medicare, but you can keep spending the balance you built while working. IRS Publication 969 says HSA money can pay qualified medical expenses and Medicare premiums at 65 or older, but not Medigap premiums. So an existing HSA can help cover the bills that count toward your high deductible.
No. High-Deductible Plan G is a Medigap policy that works with Original Medicare, so you can see any provider in the country that accepts Medicare with no network or referrals. Medicare Advantage plans replace Original Medicare, usually use networks, and set their own copays and out-of-pocket maximums. You cannot have both at the same time.
Sources
- CMS: 2027 Medigap high-deductible options for Plans F, G and J (opens in a new tab)
- Medicare.gov: Choosing a Medigap Policy (CMS Product No. 02110, March 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- Nebraska Department of Insurance: Medicare Supplement Fact Sheet 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- CMS: 2026 Medicare Parts A and B premiums and deductibles (opens in a new tab)
- IRS Publication 969: Health Savings Accounts (opens in a new tab)
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options. 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048.
