Terry Turner, writer and researcher for RetireGuide
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    Terry Turner

    Terry Turner

    Senior Financial Writer and Financial Wellness Facilitator

    Terry Turner has more than 35 years of journalism experience, including covering benefits, spending and congressional action on federal programs such as Social Security and Medicare. He is a Certified Financial Wellness Facilitator through the National Wellness Institute and the Foundation for Financial Wellness and a member of the Association for Financial Counseling & Planning Education (AFCPE®).

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    Lee Williams, senior editor for RetireGuide.com

    Lee Williams

    Senior Financial Editor

    Lee Williams is a professional writer, editor and content strategist with 10 years of professional experience working for global and nationally recognized brands. He has contributed to Forbes, The Huffington Post, SUCCESS Magazine, AskMen.com, Electric Literature and The Wall Street Journal. His career also includes ghostwriting for Fortune 500 CEOs and published authors.

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    Alex Ponce

    Licensed Agent at Insuractive

    Alex Ponce is a licensed agent at Insuractive with over 10 years of industry experience. He specializes in Medicare insurance and is licensed to sell in all 50 states.

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  • Published: July 6, 2021
  • Updated: May 23, 2023
  • 5 min read time
  • This page features 9 Cited Research Articles
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A licensed insurance professional reviewed this page for accuracy and compliance with the CMS Medicare Communications and Marketing Guidelines (MCMGs) and Medicare Advantage (MA/MAPD) and/or Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (PDP) carriers’ guidelines.

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APA Turner, T. (2023, May 23). Medigap Plan N Supplement Insurance. RetireGuide.com. Retrieved June 9, 2023, from https://www.retireguide.com/medicare/supplement-insurance/compare/medigap-plan-n/

MLA Turner, Terry. "Medigap Plan N Supplement Insurance." RetireGuide.com, 23 May 2023, https://www.retireguide.com/medicare/supplement-insurance/compare/medigap-plan-n/.

Chicago Turner, Terry. "Medigap Plan N Supplement Insurance." RetireGuide.com. Last modified May 23, 2023. https://www.retireguide.com/medicare/supplement-insurance/compare/medigap-plan-n/.

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What Does Medigap Plan N Cover?

Medigap Plan N is supplemental insurance sold by private insurers. It helps you cover certain deductibles, coinsurance and copayments not covered by Original Medicare — Medicare Part A and Part B.

Out-of-Pocket Costs Medigap Plan N Covers
  • Medicare Part A deductible – $1,600 for each benefit period in 2023
  • Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs for an extra 365 days after your Original Medicare benefits are used up
  • Medicare Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment
  • Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayment – Plan N pays 100% of these costs except for a copayment of up to $20 for some doctor visits and a $50 copayment for certain emergency room visits
  • Pays 80% of your medical costs — up to your plan’s limits — for medical emergencies while traveling in a foreign country
  • Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance
  • The first three pints of blood you require for medical procedures each year
Source: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Medigap Plan N is one of the more comprehensive Medicare Supplement plans available, but there are some out-of-pocket costs that it does not cover.

Out-of-Pocket Costs Not Covered by Medigap Plan N
  • Medicare Part B deductible – not covered by any Medigap plan available to newly eligible Medicare enrollees
  • Medicare Part B excess charges – the amount a doctor or other health care provider can legally charge you over and above the Medicare-approved amount for a medical service, supply or item
Source: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Most routine dental, vision and hearing services are excluded from coverage under Plan N. If you want coverage for these, you should consider a Medicare Advantage plan or a standalone dental and/or vision plan. 

Medigap Plan N and other Medicare Supplement plans also do not cover prescription drug costs. But you can buy a standalone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan from a private insurer to help with these costs if you want to keep Original Medicare. Most Medicare Advantage plans incorporate prescription drug coverage in their plans, so — in most cases — you will not need to purchase a standalone Part D plan.

Medigap Plan N is one of eight standardized Medicare Supplement plans sold by private insurers and currently available to people newly eligible for Medicare. There are two other Medigap plans — Plan C and Plan F — that are no longer available to new Medicare enrollees (those who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020) but those already enrolled in these plans can keep them or have the option to purchase these plan with another carrier. 

How Much Does Medigap Plan N Cost?

Medigap Plan N is sold by private insurers, and several factors contribute to how much an insurer charges for monthly premiums.

Basic coverage and benefits for Medigap Plan N are standardized in most states — with the exception of Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin, which have their own standardized Medigap plans.

You will need to consider these costs when selecting a Medigap policy that best fits your health care and financial needs.

Medigap Plan N Costs
  • Medigap Plan N monthly premium (in addition to any Medicare Part A and your Part B premiums)
  • Copayment of up to $20 for doctor visits
  • Copayment of up to $50 for emergency room visits — if you are not admitted as a hospital inpatient due to the cause of the visit
  • Your Medicare Part B deductible
  • Any Medicare Part B excess charges (up to 15% in most states)
Source: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

When selecting a Medigap policy, be aware of how insurance companies set their monthly premium rates. Rate-setting methods vary by company and can affect premiums as you age.

Common Methods for Setting Medigap Premium Rates
Attained age rates
Monthly premiums are based on your current age at any time, meaning that your premiums can increase as you get older.
Issue age rates
Monthly premium prices are based on your age when you first buy a Medigap policy, and prices do not increase with age.
Community rates
Everyone who buys a plan is charged the same monthly premiums regardless of age.

Insurers can still raise your premiums for factors other than age — such as inflation. Carefully consider all your potential costs over the course of your lifetime before deciding on a Medigap plan.

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Find a local Medicare plan that fits your needs by connecting with a licensed insurance agent.

Key Differences Between Medigap Plan N, Plan G and Plan D

Medigap Plan N is similar to both Medigap Plan G and Plan D. But it does not have all the benefits of the other two plans. However, you may find that Plan N is more affordable and may be a better choice for you when you compare each plan’s benefits and consider the amount of coverage you need.

Quick Comparison of Medigap Plan N, Plan G and Plan D Coverage
BenefitsPlan DPlan GPlan N
Medicare Part A deductible100%100%100%
Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs for 365 days beyond Original Medicare coverage100%100%100%
Medicare Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment100%100%100%
Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance100%100%100%
Foreign travel emergency care (up to plan limits)80%80%80%
Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayment100%100%100% – except for up to $20 doctor visit copays and $50 ER visits for which you are not admitted as a hospital inpatient
Medicare Part B excess chargesNot Covered100%Not Covered
Source: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Is Medigap Plan N a Good Option for Me?

Medigap Plan N is less expensive than some other plans, and if you don’t visit your doctor very often or seldom need other medical services, the copayments and coinsurance charged for certain services under Plan N may be negligible when compared with the higher premiums of other Medicare Supplement plans.

Plan N may also save you money if you live in one of the eight states that do not allow excess charges.

States that Do Not Allow Medicare Excess Charges
  • Connecticut
  • Massachusetts
  • Minnesota
  • New York (only allows 5% excess charge)
  • Ohio
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont

Talking with a professional financial advisor or Medigap expert can help you understand the full cost of any Medicare Supplement plan.

Last Modified: May 23, 2023

9 Cited Research Articles

  1. U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2022). Costs. Retrieved from https://www.medicare.gov/basics/costs/medicare-costs
  2. U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2022, September). National Medicare Handbook. Retrieved from https://www.medicare.gov/publications/10050-Medicare-and-You.pdf
  3. U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2022, September 27). 2023 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles 2023 Medicare Part D Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amounts. Retrieved from https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2023-medicare-parts-b-premiums-and-deductibles-2023-medicare-part-d-income-related-monthly
  4. U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services. (2022, September 9). Medicare & You 2023. Download. Retrieved from https://www.medicare.gov/publications/10050-Medicare-and-You.pdf
  5. Bunis, D. (2022, May 11). Medigap Plans Help Bridge Gap of Original Medicare Costs. Retrieved from https://www.aarp.org/health/medicare-insurance/info-2017/choosing-right-medigap-plan.html
  6. U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services. (2022, March). Choosing a Medigap Policy: A Guide to Health Insurance for People With Medicare. Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20230314223405/https://www.medicare.gov/sites/default/files/2022-03/02110-medigap-guide-health-insurance.pdf
  7. U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services. (n.d.). How to Compare Medigap Policies. Retrieved from https://www.medicare.gov/supplements-other-insurance/how-to-compare-medigap-policies
  8. U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services. (n.d.). Medicare Costs at a Glance. Retrieved from https://www.medicare.gov/basics/costs/medicare-costs
  9. U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services. (n.d.). What’s Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap)? Retrieved from https://www.medicare.gov/supplements-other-insurance/whats-medicare-supplement-insurance-medigap