In short
- The only benefit difference is the Part B deductible: $283 in 2026, up from $257 in 2025.
- Plan F can only be sold to people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020.
- Break-even: if Plan F's premium is more than $283 a year ($23.58 a month) above Plan G's, Plan G wins even when you pay the full deductible.
- Switching from F to G in Nebraska usually means answering health questions, so keep Plan F until Plan G is approved.
Plan G vs Plan F at a glance
| Feature | Plan G | Plan F |
|---|---|---|
| Who can buy it | Anyone eligible for a Medigap policy | Only people eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020 |
| Part B deductible | You pay it ($283 in 2026) | Covered ($283 in 2026) |
| Part A hospital deductible | Covered ($1,736 per benefit period in 2026) | Covered ($1,736 per benefit period in 2026) |
| Part B coinsurance (20%) | Covered in full | Covered in full |
| Part B excess charges | Covered in full | Covered in full |
| Skilled nursing, days 21 to 100 | Covered ($217 a day coinsurance in 2026) | Covered ($217 a day coinsurance in 2026) |
| Foreign travel emergency | 80% up to plan limits | 80% up to plan limits |
| High-deductible version | Yes, open to people new to Medicare ($2,950 deductible in 2026, $3,050 in 2027) | Yes, but only for people eligible before 2020 (same deductible) |
| Your cost for Medicare-approved care beyond the premium | The Part B deductible, $283 in 2026 | Nothing |
| New policyholders | New 65-year-olds join every year | No one new to Medicare since 2020 can join |
The short answer
If you became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020, Plan G is the choice, because Plan F cannot be sold to you. If you can still buy Plan F, it only makes sense when its premium is less than about $23.58 a month above Plan G's; otherwise Plan G costs less even in a year you pay the full deductible.
Plan F used to be the plan most people bought when they turned 65. It still has the most coverage of any Medigap plan. But since 2020, most people new to Medicare cannot buy it, and for many who can, Plan G now does the same job for less money.
What is the only difference between Plan G and Plan F?
Plan F pays the Part B deductible and Plan G does not. That is the whole difference. The Part B deductible is $283 in 2026, up $26 from $257 in 2025. The 2027 amount is usually announced in November.
Everything else is the same, because Medigap plans are standardized by federal law. Both plans pay:
- The Part A hospital deductible, $1,736 per benefit period in 2026
- Part B coinsurance, the 20% Medicare leaves you after the deductible
- Part B excess charges (only Plans F and G cover them)
- Skilled nursing coinsurance for days 21 to 100, $217 a day in 2026
- 80% of foreign travel emergency care, up to plan limits
So with Plan G, the most you pay for Medicare-approved care in 2026 is $283 plus your premium. With Plan F, it is your premium. See the details on Medigap Plan F and Medigap Plan G.
Who can still buy Plan F?
You can buy Plan F only if you were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. Federal law stopped insurers from selling plans that cover the Part B deductible, Plans C and F, to people new to Medicare on or after that date.
What that means in practice:
- You turned 65 in 2020 or later: Plan F is off the table. Plan G is the closest plan you can buy.
- You turned 65 before 2020 but delayed Part B (for example, you kept working): you can still buy Plan F.
- You got Medicare through disability before 2020: you were eligible before the cutoff. The Nebraska Department of Insurance's 2026 fact sheet says people on Medicare due to disability get a Medigap Open Enrollment Period when Part B begins, though companies may not offer every plan. Older state guides said otherwise, so confirm with the company or Nebraska SHIP (1-800-234-7119) before you count on it. Read more on Medicare under 65.
Is Plan F worth the higher premium?
Plan F is worth it only when the extra premium is smaller than the Part B deductible. In 2026, the deductible is $283, which works out to about $23.58 a month. Get Plan F and Plan G quotes from the same company and compare.
| Plan F premium above Plan G | Extra you pay for Plan F per year | Plan G deductible (2026) | Which costs less in a year you pay the full deductible |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10 a month | $120 | $283 | Plan F, by $163 |
| $20 a month | $240 | $283 | Plan F, by $43 |
| $23.58 a month | $283 | $283 | A tie |
| $30 a month | $360 | $283 | Plan G, by $77 |
| $40 a month | $480 | $283 | Plan G, by $197 |
Two things move this math over time. The Part B deductible usually rises each year, which helps Plan F a little. And Plan F's pool of policyholders gets no new 65-year-olds, since no one new to Medicare can join it. Ask each company for its recent rate history on both plans before you decide.
Should you switch from Plan F to Plan G?
Switch only if the savings are real and you can pass the health questions. In Nebraska, outside your one-time Medigap Open Enrollment Period or a guaranteed issue situation, companies can review your health and turn you down. Nebraska has no birthday rule that lets you switch plans each year.
If you want to try, do it in this order:
- Get Plan G quotes from a few companies and compare them with your current Plan F premium.
- Check whether the yearly savings beat the $283 deductible by enough to matter to you.
- Apply for Plan G while keeping Plan F active.
- Once Plan G is approved, you get 30 days to decide whether to keep it. You pay both premiums for that month.
- Cancel Plan F only after you have decided to keep Plan G.
Who is each plan a better fit for?
Plan G fits nearly everyone buying a Medigap plan for the first time today. It is the most complete plan people new to Medicare can buy, and for many who can still buy Plan F, it costs less overall.
Plan F still fits some people:
- You already have it, and your health would make answering health questions risky.
- Your quotes show Plan F costing less than about $23.58 a month more than Plan G.
- You want no deductible at all and accept paying a bit more for it.
If you are healthy and want a lower premium than either plan, the high-deductible version may be worth a look. Our Plan G vs High-Deductible Plan G page runs that math with the $3,050 deductible for 2027.
What mistakes do people make with Plan F and Plan G?
The biggest mistake is canceling Plan F before Plan G is approved and you have decided to keep it. Medicare's own guide says that once you cancel a Medigap policy, you cannot get it back.
Other common ones:
- Paying any price for Plan F because it is "the best." Coverage is only $283 better in 2026. Past that point, you are paying extra for nothing.
- Waiting for fall enrollment to switch. The Annual Enrollment Period, October 15 to December 7, 2026, covers Medicare Advantage and Part D. It gives no special right to change Medigap plans. You can apply for a new Medigap policy any month.
- Comparing plan letters but not companies. A Plan G is the same benefit at every company. What differs is price, how the premium is rated, and rate history. Most Nebraska policies are attained-age rated, so your premium rises as you age.
- Forgetting about Plan N. If you are healthy and see doctors only a few times a year, compare Plan G vs Plan N too.
Where can you check this without a sales pitch?
Medicare.gov lets you compare Medigap plans and see estimated prices by ZIP code. You can also 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 Nebraska Department of Insurance, gives unbiased one-on-one counseling at 1-800-234-7119. Our page on SHIP and local help explains what each resource does.
If you want quotes from several companies side by side, talk to me. My help costs you nothing.
Frequently asked questions
Only if you were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. Federal law stopped the sale of Plans C and F to people new to Medicare on or after that date, because those plans cover the Part B deductible. If you turned 65 before 2020 but delayed enrolling, you can still buy Plan F. Everyone else can buy Plan G, which covers the same things except the $283 Part B deductible (2026).
No. People who have Plan F can keep it. Any Medigap policy issued since 1992 is guaranteed renewable, which means the company cannot cancel it as long as you stay enrolled and pay the premium. Switching is only worth considering if Plan G from a company you trust costs enough less to cover the Part B deductible and you can pass any health questions.
Take the yearly premium difference and compare it with the Part B deductible, $283 in 2026. If Plan F costs more than $283 a year extra, about $23.58 a month, Plan G costs less even in a year you pay the whole deductible. In a year you use little Part B care, Plan G does even better. If Plan F's extra cost is smaller than that, Plan F can come out ahead.
Usually, yes. Nebraska has no birthday or anniversary rule, and outside your Medigap Open Enrollment Period or a guaranteed issue situation, the Nebraska Department of Insurance says companies may refuse coverage because of health reasons. Apply for Plan G first and keep paying for Plan F until the new policy is approved and in force.
Yes. Plan F and Plan G are the only two Medigap plans that cover Part B excess charges, the extra amount a doctor who does not accept Medicare assignment can bill. In many cases that charge cannot be more than 15% above the Medicare-approved amount. On excess charges, hospital costs, skilled nursing and foreign travel, the two plans pay the same.
When you replace one Medigap policy with another, you get 30 days to decide whether to keep the new one, starting when you get the new policy. You pay both premiums for the month you have both. Medicare's guidance is clear: do not cancel your first policy until you have decided to keep the second, because once you cancel a Medigap policy, you cannot get it back.
Sources
- Medicare.gov: Compare Medigap plan benefits (opens in a new tab)
- Medicare.gov: Choosing a Medigap Policy (CMS Product No. 02110, March 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- CMS: 2026 Medicare Parts A and B premiums and deductibles (opens in a new tab)
- CMS: 2027 Medigap high-deductible options for Plans F, G and J (opens in a new tab)
- Nebraska Department of Insurance: Medicare Supplement Fact Sheet 2026 (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.
