Medigap Plan N Supplement Insurance
Medigap Plan N is a Medicare Spupplement insurance plan that helps you pay out-of-pocket costs if you have Original Medicare. Medigap Plan N is one of the more comprehensive supplemental plans, similar to Plan D and Plan G, but it doesn’t cover as many out-of-pocket costs.
- Written by Terry Turner
- Edited By Lee Williams
- Reviewed By Alex Ponce
- Updated: April 14, 2022
- 5 min read time
- This page features 6 Cited Research Articles
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.
- Medicare Part A deductible – $1,556 for each benefit period in 2022
- 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 percent 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 percent 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
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.
- 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
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 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)
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.
- 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.
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.
| Benefits | Plan D | Plan G | Plan N |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicare Part A deductible | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Medicare Part A coinsurance and hospital costs for 365 days beyond Original Medicare coverage | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Medicare Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Foreign travel emergency care (up to plan limits) | 80% | 80% | 80% |
| Medicare Part B coinsurance or copayment | 100% | 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 charges | Not Covered | 100% | Not Covered |
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.
- 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.
6 Cited Research Articles
- U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services. (2020). Medicare & You 2021. Download. Retrieved from https://www.medicare.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/10050-Medicare-and-You_0.pdf
- Bunis, D. (2020, July 6). 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
- U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services. (2020, February). Choosing a Medigap Policy: A Guide to Health Insurance for People With Medicare. Retrieved from https://www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/02110-medicare-medigap-guide.pdf
- 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
- U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services. (n.d.). Medicare Costs at a Glance. Retrieved from https://www.medicare.gov/your-medicare-costs/medicare-costs-at-a-glance
- 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