What is the difference between Plan F and Plan G?
One deductible, and a rule that closed Plan F to most people. Here is what it means if you already have F.
The difference between Plan F and Plan G is one item: the annual Part B deductible. Plan F covers it. Plan G does not. Everything else about the two plans is identical.
Why Plan F is closed
Federal law closed Plan F, along with Plan C, to anyone who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. The reasoning was that first dollar coverage removed any cost signal from using services.
If you became eligible before that date, you can keep an existing Plan F and in some cases still buy one. Everyone else is choosing between G and the other open letters.
If you already have Plan F
You do not have to do anything, and your coverage is not going away. But it is worth a look every few years for one reason.
Closed plans tend to see steeper rate increases over time. No new members can join, so the pool ages together and claims rise with no younger entrants to offset them. A Plan F that was competitively priced years ago can drift well above the cost of a Plan G with the same effective coverage.
The comparison to run
- Find your current Plan F annual premium.
- Get a Plan G quote from several carriers.
- Add the annual Part B deductible to the Plan G premium, since that is the one thing G does not cover.
- Compare the totals.
If Plan G plus the deductible is meaningfully cheaper than your Plan F premium, switching saves money for identical practical coverage.
The catch
Switching from F to G means a new application, and outside a guaranteed issue situation Texas allows medical underwriting. You can be declined.
So run the numbers, then apply and get written approval before cancelling anything. Never cancel the existing policy first. See switching Medigap plans.
High deductible versions
Both F and G have high deductible versions with much lower premiums, where you pay a set annual amount before the policy begins paying.
For someone in good health who wants catastrophic protection rather than first dollar coverage, this can be substantially cheaper. See high deductible Plan G.
The short version
- Newly eligible after 2020: Plan G or Plan N. Plan F is not available to you.
- Eligible before 2020 with Plan F: keep it if it prices well, and compare against Plan G every couple of years.
- Either way: coverage is standardized, so the only real variables are price, the pricing method and the carrier's rate history.
See choosing between G, N and F.
Common follow-up questions
Should I switch from Plan F to Plan G?
Compare your Plan F premium against a Plan G premium plus the annual Part B deductible. If G comes out lower, it is worth applying, subject to underwriting.
Will my Plan F be cancelled?
No. Existing policies continue. It is closed to new eligibles, not terminated for current holders.
Is Plan G worse than Plan F?
Only by the amount of the annual Part B deductible. Everything else is the same.
Want this looked at properly?
We are an independent agency in McAllen serving Hidalgo, Cameron and Starr counties. No cost to talk it through.
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What is Medigap (Medicare Supplement insurance)?
Medigap