Medicare Supplement · High-Deductible Plan G
High-Deductible Plan G in 2026-2027: Full Plan G Protection at the Lowest Medigap Premium
High-Deductible Plan G is the low-premium version of standard Plan G. The benefits are identical, but they begin only after you pay a $2,950 annual deductible in 2026. Until then, you cover Medicare's own cost sharing yourself: the Part A and Part B deductibles and the 20 percent coinsurance on most outpatient care. In exchange, monthly premiums are typically the lowest you will find on any Medicare Supplement plan.
Written by the licensed advisor team at Pinnacle Insurance Advisors · Last updated July 29, 2026
The reason a plan like this exists is that Original Medicare alone has no ceiling. In 2026, the Part A hospital deductible is $1,736 per benefit period, the Part B deductible is $283, and after that you owe 20 percent of the Medicare-approved amount for most services with no annual out-of-pocket cap. Twenty percent of a serious illness can be a very large number. High-Deductible Plan G replaces that open-ended risk with a known worst case: once your spending reaches the deductible, the plan pays like standard Plan G for the rest of the year.
This plan fits a specific mindset. If you would rather keep monthly costs as low as possible and handle routine bills from savings, the high-deductible design rewards you in the years you stay healthy. If the thought of a $2,950 bill in a rough year would strain your budget, standard Plan G or Plan N will likely feel more comfortable.
High-Deductible Plan G fits you if…
- You could absorb up to $2,950 in medical bills in a bad year without financial strain.
- You want the lowest monthly premium available in Medigap while keeping true catastrophic protection.
- You are generally healthy and expect most years to bring only routine care.
- You prefer paying for care as you use it over paying higher premiums for coverage you may not use.
What High-Deductible Plan G Covers
| Benefit | Plan G | Plan N | Plan F | HD Plan G ★ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part A coinsurance and hospital costs (up to 365 extra days after Medicare benefits are used) | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% after $2,950 deductible (2026) |
| Part B coinsurance or copayment | 100% | 100% after copays up to $20 office / $50 ER | 100% | 100% after $2,950 deductible (2026) |
| Blood (first 3 pints) | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% after $2,950 deductible (2026) |
| Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% after $2,950 deductible (2026) |
| Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% after $2,950 deductible (2026) |
| Part A deductible | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% after $2,950 deductible (2026) |
| Part B deductible | Not covered | Not covered | 100% | Not covered |
| Part B excess charges | 100% | Not covered | 100% | 100% after $2,950 deductible (2026) |
| Foreign travel emergency (up to plan limits) | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% after $2,950 deductible (2026) |
| Out-of-pocket limit | None | None | None | None |
Plan F (including high-deductible Plan F) can only be sold to people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. Someone newly eligible today cannot buy Plan F, so this column is for comparison and for people who qualified before that date. High-Deductible Plan G covers the same benefits as Plan G, but you pay all Medicare-covered coinsurance, copayments, and deductibles yourself until you reach the plan deductible of $2,950 in 2026; after that the plan pays as shown. Plan N pays the Part B coinsurance in full except a copay of up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 for emergency room visits that do not end in an inpatient admission. No standardized Medigap plan sold to newly eligible people covers the Part B deductible, which is $283 in 2026. Medicare.gov shows the out-of-pocket limit as N/A for Plans F, G, and N, meaning these plans have no annual out-of-pocket cap of their own; Plans K and L are the only standardized plans with one. All dollar figures are the 2026 amounts from medicare.gov; CMS announces final 2027 figures in late September 2026. Foreign travel emergency coverage is 80% up to plan limits (per CMS publications, after a $250 deductible and up to a $50,000 lifetime maximum, for care during the first 60 days of a trip).
High-Deductible Plan G: Pros & Cons
Why people pick it
- Premiums are typically the lowest of any Medigap plan, usually well below standard Plan G from the same carrier.
- Identical benefits to standard Plan G once you meet the deductible, including coverage for Part B excess charges.
- Caps your annual spending on Medicare-approved services at the $2,950 deductible, unlike Original Medicare alone, which has no cap.
- Use any doctor or hospital in the country that accepts Medicare, with no networks and no referrals.
- Federally standardized benefits mean choosing a lower-priced carrier gives up nothing in coverage.
The trade-offs
- You pay Medicare's deductibles and 20 percent coinsurance yourself until your spending reaches $2,950 for the year.
- A hospital stay early in the year can mean paying the $1,736 Part A deductible out of pocket before the plan pays anything.
- The deductible resets every January and is adjusted annually, so plan for it to change over time.
- Moving up to standard Plan G later usually requires passing medical underwriting.
- No drug coverage is included, so you still need a standalone Part D plan.
What High-Deductible Plan G Costs
Because Medigap plans are federally standardized, every High-Deductible Plan G includes exactly the same benefits no matter which insurance company sells it. That turns shopping into a pure price comparison: the only meaningful differences between carriers are the premium you pay today and how the company has raised rates on existing policyholders over time. Premiums for the very same plan can vary widely by carrier, your age, your county, and sometimes tobacco use, so quoting several companies before you apply is the single most effective way to save.
Timing matters as much as the rate. During your one-time Medigap open enrollment window, which begins when you are 65 or older and enrolled in Part B, carriers must accept you regardless of health. Outside that window, switching usually means medical underwriting, and a carrier can decline your application or charge more based on your health history. That makes the choice between High-Deductible Plan G and its siblings worth getting right the first time. A licensed advisor at Pinnacle Insurance Advisors in Fort Lauderdale can compare carrier rates for your age and county at no cost; call 1-877-826-0053.
One call compares every carrier's High-Deductible Plan G rate in your county. Free, and the premium is the same either way.
High-Deductible Plan G questions, answered
With High-Deductible Plan G, you pay the deductibles and coinsurance Original Medicare charges until your out-of-pocket spending reaches $2,950 for the year in 2026. Amounts you pay toward the Part A and Part B deductibles and the 20 percent Part B coinsurance count toward that total. After you meet it, the plan pays like standard Plan G.
Compare related plans
Among the four, High-Deductible Plan G is the lowest-premium choice: standard Plan G offers near-complete coverage at a higher premium, Plan N trades small copays for savings, and Plan F covers everything but is only open to people eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020.
Plan G
Medigap Plan G covers nearly every gap in Original Medicare except the $283 Part B deductible. See what it pays, its trade-offs, and how to shop the rate.
Compare →Plan N
Medigap Plan N trades small copays, up to $20 office and $50 ER, for a lower premium than Plan G. Compare the two and see who Plan N fits best.
Compare →Plan F
Medigap Plan F covers every gap in Original Medicare, including the $283 Part B deductible, but only those eligible before 2020 can buy it. Keep it or switch?
Compare →Back to Medicare Supplement overview
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