Medicare Supplement Plan F Vs Plan G: Costs And Coverage

If you're comparing Medicare Supplement Plan F vs Plan G, you're already narrowing in on two of the strongest Medigap options available. Both plans cover nearly identical benefits, but one key difference, the Part B deductible, can significantly affect what you pay in premiums and out-of-pocket costs over time.

Plan F has long been the gold standard for comprehensive coverage, yet its rising premiums and limited eligibility have pushed many beneficiaries toward Plan G. The right choice depends on your enrollment eligibility, your budget, and how you weigh monthly premiums against a single annual deductible. Getting this decision wrong can mean overpaying by hundreds of dollars each year for coverage that's functionally the same.

At Golden Health and Life Agency, we help Medicare-eligible individuals compare plans across over 300 insurance carriers to find the coverage that actually fits. This guide breaks down the real differences between Plan F and Plan G, costs, coverage, eligibility rules, and long-term financial value, so you can make a confident, informed decision.

What Plan F and Plan G are

Medicare Supplement plans, also called Medigap, are private insurance policies that fill the gaps Original Medicare (Parts A and B) leaves behind, such as deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments. Plan F and Plan G are both standardized Medigap plans, which means every carrier that sells them must offer the exact same set of covered benefits. The only real differences between carriers are the monthly premium you pay and the quality of service you receive.

The coverage both plans share

Both Plan F and Plan G sit at the top tier of Medigap coverage, paying nearly every significant out-of-pocket cost you face under Original Medicare. They both cover the Medicare Part A deductible, Part A coinsurance and hospital costs for up to 365 days after Medicare benefits run out, Part B coinsurance or copayments, skilled nursing facility coinsurance, the first three pints of blood, Part A hospice care coinsurance, Part B excess charges, and foreign travel emergency costs up to plan limits.

Here is a side-by-side breakdown of where they align and where they split:

Benefit	Plan F	Plan G
Part A deductible	Covered	Covered
Part A coinsurance	Covered	Covered
Part B coinsurance	Covered	Covered
Skilled nursing facility coinsurance	Covered	Covered
Part B excess charges	Covered	Covered
Foreign travel emergency (80%)	Covered	Covered
Part B deductible	Covered	Not covered

What makes Plan F unique

Plan F is the only Medigap plan that pays 100% of your Medicare Part B deductible, which is $257 in 2025 according to Medicare.gov. That means you owe nothing beyond your monthly premium for any Medicare-covered service. No deductibles, no coinsurance, no copays at all.

Because Plan F covers every gap, it consistently carries the highest monthly premiums of any Medigap plan available.

Premium costs have also climbed over time because the people still enrolled in Plan F tend to be older, use more healthcare services, and drive up the risk pool for everyone in that plan.

What makes Plan G different

Plan G covers everything Plan F covers except the Part B deductible. Once you pay that single annual deductible yourself, Plan G absorbs 100% of your remaining Medicare-eligible costs for the rest of the year. That structure gives you near-identical protection to Plan F at a noticeably lower monthly premium.

Comparing medicare supplement plan f vs plan g side by side, the entire decision often comes down to straightforward math. If the premium difference between the two plans is larger than the Part B deductible, Plan G saves you money every year.

Eligibility and availability rules

Not every Medicare beneficiary can enroll in Plan F, and understanding this distinction before you compare costs saves you time and frustration. Federal law changed Plan F's availability, and whether you qualify depends entirely on when you first became eligible for Medicare.

Who can still enroll in Plan F

The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) closed Plan F to new Medicare beneficiaries starting January 1, 2020. If your Medicare Part A eligibility date is on or after that date, you cannot purchase Plan F, regardless of which state you live in or which carrier you contact. This rule applies to high-deductible Plan F as well.

If you became Medicare-eligible before January 1, 2020, you can still enroll in Plan F today, even if you didn't buy it at that time.

You need to confirm your Medicare Part A eligibility date, not your enrollment date, to know whether you qualify. People who turned 65 before 2020 or received Medicare due to disability before that date remain eligible to purchase Plan F from any carrier that still offers it in their state.

Why Plan G is open to everyone

Plan G carries no eligibility restrictions based on when you became Medicare-eligible. Any Medicare beneficiary with Parts A and B active can apply for Plan G at any time, subject to standard underwriting rules outside of open enrollment or guaranteed issue periods. That open availability, combined with its near-identical coverage, makes Plan G the default top-tier option for anyone who aged into Medicare in 2020 or later.

Your best window to enroll in either plan without medical underwriting is during your six-month Medigap open enrollment period, which begins the month you turn 65 and are enrolled in Part B. Applying outside that window may require you to answer health questions.

Coverage differences you should know

When you compare medicare supplement plan f vs plan g head to head on benefits, one difference separates them: the Medicare Part B deductible. In 2025, that deductible is $257 per year. Plan F pays it entirely on your behalf; Plan G requires you to pay it out of pocket before coverage activates for outpatient services.

The Part B deductible in practice

The Part B deductible applies to Medicare-covered outpatient services, which include doctor visits, lab tests, and durable medical equipment. With Plan F, you never pay this deductible because your plan covers it. With Plan G, you pay $257 once per calendar year, and after that single payment, your plan picks up 100% of all remaining Medicare-approved costs. If you see specialists regularly, you will likely meet that deductible early in the year anyway.

Once you satisfy the Part B deductible with Plan G, you owe nothing further for Medicare-approved services for the remainder of that calendar year.

What neither plan covers

Both plans share identical coverage gaps, and recognizing them upfront avoids surprises. Neither Plan F nor Plan G covers these services:

• Prescription drugs: You need a separate Part D plan for drug coverage.

• Routine dental, vision, and hearing: These fall outside Original Medicare entirely.

• Long-term custodial care: Neither plan pays for nursing home or in-home custodial services.

• Cosmetic procedures: Not covered under any Medigap plan.

These gaps are equal across both plans, so they play no role in your Plan F versus Plan G decision. Your comparison stays focused entirely on the Part B deductible and how it affects your monthly premium costs over time.

Cost comparison and break-even math

When comparing medicare supplement plan f vs plan g, the premium gap between the two plans is where the financial decision gets real. Plan F consistently carries higher monthly premiums than Plan G, and that difference exists specifically because Plan F covers the Part B deductible on your behalf. The actual gap varies by carrier, your location, and your age, but understanding the math behind it helps you decide which plan puts more money in your pocket.

How premiums differ between the two plans

Premium differences between Plan F and Plan Gtypically range from $20 to $60 per month, depending on your state and the carrier you select. That translates to $240 to $720 per year in additional cost for Plan F coverage. Since the only benefit Plan F adds over Plan G is the Part B deductible, which is $257 in 2025, you can see immediately how that math works against Plan F in most situations.

If the annual premium difference between Plan F and Plan G exceeds $257, you pay more for Plan F than you would ever recover through its extra benefit.

The break-even calculation

Running the numbers on your specific quotes is straightforward. Subtract your Plan G annual premium from your Plan F annual premium, then compare that difference to the current Part B deductible. If the difference is larger than $257, Plan G saves you money even after you pay the deductible yourself. If the difference is smaller, Plan F comes out slightly ahead, though that scenario is increasingly rare given current market pricing. Ask any carrier you contact to provide both quotes side by side so you can run this calculation in under a minute.

How to choose or switch plans safely

Choosing between medicare supplement plan f vs plan g is not just a coverage decision; it is a financial one that plays out over years. Start by confirming your Medicare Part A eligibility date before anything else, because if you became eligible on or after January 1, 2020, Plan F is simply not an option for you, and Plan G is where your comparison begins.

Choosing the plan that fits your situation

Request premium quotes for both plans from multiple carriers in your area on the same day so you are reviewing the same time period and rate class. Carrier premiums for the same standardized plan can vary significantly, which means shopping across carriers matters just as much as choosing between Plan F and Plan G. Once you have your quotes, run the break-even math outlined in the previous section. If the annual premium difference exceeds $257, Plan G is the stronger financial choice for most people.

Your coverage benefits under Plan G are identical to Plan F for every Medicare-approved service once you satisfy the Part B deductible.

Switching plans without losing coverage

If you are already enrolled in Plan F and want to move to Plan G, medical underwriting applies in most states outside of guaranteed issue periods. That means the carrier can review your health history and either decline your application or charge a higher rate. The safest time to switch is during a guaranteed issue period, such as when your current plan is discontinued or your carrier exits the market in your state.

Before you submit any application to switch, confirm that your new Plan G coverage is approved and active before canceling your existing Plan F policy. Letting Plan F lapse before Plan G is confirmed can leave you with a gap in coverage that Original Medicare alone will not fill.

Your next steps

The medicare supplement plan f vs plan g decision comes down to one number: the difference between your annual Plan F and Plan G premiums compared to the $257 Part B deductible. In most cases, Plan G saves you money every year while delivering the same practical coverage. Confirm your Medicare Part A eligibility date first, run your break-even calculation with real quotes from multiple carriers, and apply during your open enrollment period to avoid underwriting.

Doing this comparison on your own across hundreds of carriers takes time you may not have. At Golden Health and Life Agency, our team works with over 300 insurance carriers to pull side-by-side quotes so you can see the real cost difference in minutes, not hours. If you are ready to stop guessing and start comparing plans built around your actual budget and health needs, speak with a Medicare specialist today.