Medicare Supplement Plan G vs. Plan N: Which Is Better?
Plan G and Plan N cover most of the same gaps in Original Medicare, and both let you see any doctor or hospital in the country that accepts Medicare.
The real difference is how you pay for that coverage: a higher premium with almost nothing due at the visit, or a lower premium with a few small copays along the way.
Because switching Medigap plans later may require medical underwriting in many states, it's worth taking the time now to choose the plan that's the best long-term fit, not just the cheapest one this year.
Quick Answer: Plan G is usually the better fit if you want predictable costs and don't want to think about copays when you get care.
Plan N is usually the better fit if the premium savings are real money to you and you don't mind an occasional small bill.
Neither plan is "better" on its own. The plan that's better for you comes down to one calculation: are Plan N's annual premium savings bigger than the copays and any excess charges you're likely to pay?
Plan G vs. Plan N Comparison Chart
Both plans are standardized, so a Plan G policy covers the same benefits no matter which company sells it, and the same is true for Plan N.
The difference between the two plans is entirely in this chart.
Both plans require you to pay the annual Medicare Part B deductible ($283 in 2026) before either plan's benefits kick in.
| Feature | Plan G | Plan N |
|---|---|---|
| Part A hospital coinsurance | Covered 100% | Covered 100% |
| Part B deductible | You pay ($283 in 2026) | You pay ($283 in 2026) |
| Part B coinsurance (after deductible) | Covered 100% | Covered, except small copays |
| Office visit copay | None | Up to $20 |
| Emergency room copay | None | Up to $50 (waived if admitted) |
| Part B excess charges | Covered | Not covered — only applies if your provider doesn't accept Medicare assignment |
| Skilled nursing coinsurance | Covered | Covered |
| Foreign travel emergency | Covered to plan limits | Covered to plan limits |
| Provider network | None — any Medicare provider | None — any Medicare provider |
| Referrals required | No | No |
| Typical monthly premium | Higher | Lower |
| Rate stability | Historically slightly higher increases, but not guaranteed | Historically slightly lower increases, but not guaranteed |
| Best for | Predictable medical costs | Lower monthly premium |
The chart looks close, but two rows drive almost the entire cost difference between the plans: the office/ER copays and Part B excess charges. Everything else is functionally identical.
For most people, the decision comes down to just three questions: how much more does Plan G cost each month, how often do you expect to use healthcare, and do your providers accept Medicare assignment?
The Real Tradeoff: Premiums vs. Copays
Plan G asks you to pay more every month so you almost never see a bill for a Medicare-covered service.
Plan N asks you to pay less every month in exchange for a small copay here and there.
Mathematically, Plan N only "wins" if what you save on premium over a year is more than what you'd pay in copays and excess charges that same year.
That's a math problem, not a preference, which is why I always walk clients through an actual example rather than a general rule.
One thing I've noticed helping Medicare beneficiaries over the years is that people often focus on the monthly premium and overlook how often they actually use healthcare, which is really what decides which plan comes out ahead.
Who Should Choose Each Plan
Plan G Often Fits If:
- You want the fewest possible surprises at the doctor
- You see specialists or urgent care fairly often
- You sometimes see providers who don't accept Medicare assignment
- You'd rather budget one predictable premium than track copays
Plan N Often Fits If:
- You're generally healthy and don't visit the doctor often
- The premium savings are meaningful money to you
- You mostly see providers who accept Medicare assignment
- An occasional $20 or $50 bill wouldn't bother you
Most people ask me "which plan is better" like there's one right answer.
I've helped thousands of Medicare beneficiaries choose between Plan G and Plan N, and one thing I've learned is that there isn't one universally "better" plan.
The better plan is the one that fits how you actually use healthcare.
I've enrolled healthy, rarely-see-the-doctor clients in Plan N who save several hundred dollars a year without ever noticing a copay.
I've also enrolled clients in Plan G who see specialists constantly and would have erased their entire Plan N premium savings within the first few months.
A Real-World Cost Example
Here's a simplified example using a $35-per-month premium gap between the two plans, which is a realistic spread in many states.
Say someone is comparing a $175 Plan G premium against a $140 Plan N premium.
Over the year, they have 8 office visits, no ER visits, and no excess charges.
| Plan G | Plan N | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly premium | $175 | $140 |
| Annual premium | $2,100 | $1,680 |
| Office copays (8 visits × $20) | $0 | $160 |
| Total annual cost | $2,100 | $1,840 |
In this example, Plan N still comes out about $260 ahead for the year, even after the copays.
But that $20 figure is a maximum, not a guaranteed charge on every visit.
It can disappear entirely in a year with more frequent care, or with an excess-charge bill from a provider who doesn't accept Medicare assignment.
Run your own numbers with a Medigap cost calculator before deciding.
Use your own visit frequency as the input, not a national average.
When Plan N May Cost More Than Expected
Plan N isn't automatically the "cheaper" plan once the year is over.
It tends to cost more than the premium alone suggests for people who:
- Have frequent office visits or ongoing specialist care
- Use the emergency room more than once in a year
- Regularly see a provider who doesn't accept Medicare assignment, since excess charges aren't covered under Plan N
- Would find tracking copays and provider notices frustrating
On the flip side, Plan G may not be worth the extra premium for someone who rarely sees a doctor.
That person might happily trade a little unpredictability for lower monthly costs.
Sample Premiums by Company
Premiums vary by company, age, ZIP code, gender, and tobacco use, so it's worth comparing more than one carrier before deciding.
The sample rates below are for a 65-year-old female nonsmoker in a single ZIP code, quoted in July 2026. They're examples only, and your own quote will differ.
| Company | Plan G Premium | Plan N Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Aetna | $208.33 | $140.86 |
| Cigna | $147.69 | $97.60 |
| Mutual of Omaha | $201.03 | $137.96 |
| Aflac | $169.80 | $116.16 |
Notice the gap between a company's own Plan G and Plan N rate is fairly consistent.
But the gap between companies on the same plan is much larger. Cigna's Plan G here is cheaper than Aetna's Plan N.
That's why you should decide on the plan letter first, based on how you use healthcare, then compare companies on price.
It's also why we compare current quotes across several companies rather than assuming one plan letter is automatically the affordable one. See our roundup of companies we're currently comparing for Plan G for more on how that shortlist gets built.
Does Plan N Have Lower Rate Increases?
Historically, some industry analyses have found that Plan N experiences slightly lower average rate increases than Plan G.
This shouldn't be interpreted as a guarantee that any individual company's Plan N will increase less than its Plan G. It's a broad historical pattern, not a promise about your own policy.
Rate increases across the board have been substantial in 2026. Early-2026 filings from several of the largest carriers for Plan G ranged from just over 12% to more than 26% in a single quarter, according to CBS News reporting on actuarial rate-tracking data.
Your carrier, your state, and your specific policy block usually matter more to your own future increases than the plan letter does.
A carrier with a poorly performing Plan N block in your state can still raise rates aggressively.
Meanwhile, a well-run Plan G block can hold steady for years. Read more on how Medigap rate increases actually work before assuming either plan is safe from them.
Can You Switch Between Plan G and Plan N Later?
Not automatically, and this is the part people are most often surprised by.
Outside your one-time Medigap Open Enrollment Period or a qualifying guaranteed issue right, switching from Plan G to Plan N (or back) usually means answering health questions.
You'd also need to pass medical underwriting in most states. See Medicare's official guide to choosing a Medigap policy for how guaranteed issue rights work nationwide.
A number of states now offer a birthday rule or similar annual switching window that skips underwriting.
But rules vary widely by state and don't cover every situation. See how attained-age vs. issue-age pricing affects switching for the pricing side of this decision.
Confirm your own state's current rules with your state Department of Insurance.
The biggest mistake I see isn't choosing Plan G or Plan N. It's choosing either plan based only on the monthly premium, without thinking about how you'll actually use healthcare over the next several years.
Don't pick Plan N today assuming you'll just switch to Plan G later if your health needs change, or the other way around.
I've had clients whose health changed enough between enrollment and a later switch attempt that they couldn't pass underwriting for the plan they wanted.
Choose based on your situation today and your best guess about the next several years, not as a placeholder you plan to revisit.
The right plan isn't the one with the lower premium or the one with zero copays. It's the one where your total annual cost, premium plus what you're likely to pay out of pocket, comes out ahead for how you actually use care.
Bottom Line
If you want the most predictable costs and don't mind paying more for that peace of mind, choose Plan G.
If the premium savings are meaningful to you and you're comfortable with an occasional small bill, choose Plan N.
| If This Sounds Like You... | Consider |
|---|---|
| I rarely see a doctor and want a lower premium | Plan N |
| I see specialists regularly and want predictable costs | Plan G |
| I don't want to think about copays | Plan G |
| I don't mind occasional copays if I save money | Plan N |
| I sometimes see providers who don't accept Medicare assignment | Plan G |
Either way, compare quotes from more than one company before deciding.
The gap between companies on the same plan is often bigger than the gap between the two plans themselves.
After helping Medicare beneficiaries for more than 15 years, I've found people are happiest with their decision when they choose the plan that matches how they actually use healthcare, not the one with the lowest premium or the richest benefits on paper.
FAQs
- Is Plan G always the more comprehensive choice?
- Do Plan G and Plan N cover the same things at every company?
- Will Plan N's copays apply to every visit?
- Is Plan N a bad choice if I travel a lot within the U.S.?
