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The average cost of supplemental health insurance for seniors is about $149.50 a month in 2026 for a Medicare Supplement, or Medigap, policy, based on the national average published by MedicareSupplement.com. Plan level changes the figure a lot. At age 65 the same source averages $165.85 a month for Plan G, $122.98 for Plan N and $220.14 for Plan F, and each plan costs more at older ages. That premium sits on top of the standard Medicare Part B premium of $202.90 a month set by CMS for 2026.
Supplemental health insurance for seniors is cover that pays costs Original Medicare leaves behind, and for most seniors the term means a Medigap policy. Medicare pays about 80 percent of approved Part B costs and charges a deductible for hospital stays. A supplement fills part or all of that gap in exchange for a monthly premium. This guide breaks the average down by plan and age, shows the full monthly stack with Medicare premiums, and covers the smaller supplemental policies seniors buy alongside Medigap.
- Average Medigap premium in 2026: $149.50 a month across plans (MedicareSupplement.com).
- Plan G averages: $165.85 a month at age 65, rising to $266.87 at age 85.
- Standard Part B premium in 2026: $202.90 a month (CMS).
- Part A hospital deductible in 2026: $1,736 per benefit period (CMS), the bill a supplement is mainly bought to avoid.
What is supplemental health insurance for seniors?
Supplemental health insurance for seniors is a private policy that pays part of the deductibles, coinsurance and copays that Original Medicare leaves to the patient. A Medigap policy is the main form. It works alongside Medicare Parts A and B. Smaller supplemental policies, such as hospital indemnity and critical illness cover, pay fixed cash amounts for set events and sit alongside any main cover.
Medigap plans are standardized by letter. Every carrier Plan G has the same benefits as every other carrier Plan G, so price and pricing method are the real differences between quotes. That standardization makes averages meaningful here in a way they rarely are in other insurance lines. Our Medigap cost comparison chart lays the plan letters side by side, and our ranking of the top Medicare supplement plans explains which letters most seniors actually buy.
How much does supplemental health insurance for seniors cost on average?
The overall average is $149.50 a month in 2026, according to MedicareSupplement.com. Averages by plan and age spread widely around that figure. Plan G, the most widely bought plan for new enrollees, averages $165.85 a month at age 65 and $266.87 at age 85. Plan N runs about $40 a month less than Plan G at each age in the same data, in exchange for small office and emergency copays.
| Age | Plan G average | Plan N average | Plan F average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 65 | $165.85 a month | $122.98 a month | $220.14 a month |
| 70 | $181.41 a month | $139.42 a month | $213.62 a month |
| 75 | $205.12 a month | $165.30 a month | $244.89 a month |
| 80 | $251.92 a month | $185.48 a month | $294.99 a month |
| 85 | $266.87 a month | $218.73 a month | $321.64 a month |
Source: MedicareSupplement.com average cost by age, 2026. Plan F is closed to people who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020, so its column matters mainly to long time holders comparing a switch. Averages are national. Your state, ZIP code, sex, tobacco use and the carrier pricing method can move your quote well above or below the table.
What is the full monthly cost with Medicare premiums included?
A senior with Plan G at age 65 pays about $368.75 a month in premiums before any care, combining the $202.90 standard Part B premium with the $165.85 average Plan G premium. With Plan N the stack is about $325.88 a month. Part A is premium free for most people who paid Medicare taxes while working. A Part D drug plan premium, which varies by plan, sits on top of both stacks.
| Monthly premium stack at age 65 | With Plan G | With Plan N |
|---|---|---|
| Medicare Part B premium, 2026 standard rate (CMS) | $202.90 | $202.90 |
| Medigap premium, average (MedicareSupplement.com) | $165.85 | $122.98 |
| Total premiums before care | $368.75 | $325.88 |
| Main cost left to pay when you get care | Part B deductible, $283 in 2026 | Part B deductible plus copays up to $20 per office visit and $50 per emergency visit |
The Part B premium figure is from the CMS 2026 announcement, reported by the Railroad Retirement Board at rrb.gov. Higher income households pay income related surcharges on Part B, which raises the stack. Lower income households may qualify for state help with premiums. The comparison that matters is total cost over a year of actual care, since Plan N copays are small for a healthy year and frequent for a year with weekly appointments.
Why does the average cost rise so much with age?
Most Medigap policies use attained age pricing, where the premium rises as you get older, on top of general rate increases. Issue age pricing sets the premium from your age at purchase and does not rise for age itself. Community rated pricing charges everyone in an area the same premium regardless of age, so it starts higher at 65 and rises more slowly in relative terms.
The table above shows the practical result. A Plan G holder pays roughly $100 a month more at 85 than at 65 on national averages. Budgeting for a supplement means budgeting for that slope, and it is one reason some buyers choose a community rated or issue age policy even when its first year premium is higher. Our age by age breakdown of Medigap Plan G costs by age follows one plan through the same climb in more detail.
What other supplemental policies do seniors buy, and what do they cost?
Hospital indemnity, critical illness, cancer and accident policies are the other supplemental products sold heavily to seniors. They pay fixed cash amounts when a set event happens, such as a hospital admission or a cancer diagnosis. Market guides put typical individual premiums in the tens of dollars a month, far below Medigap, because the benefits are narrow and capped rather than open ended.
| Supplemental policy type | Illustrative monthly premium range | What it pays |
|---|---|---|
| Critical illness, $10,000 benefit | Often $12 to $45 | A lump sum after a covered diagnosis |
| Hospital indemnity | Often $18 to $60 | A set amount per admission or per hospital day |
| Accident policy | Often $10 to $35 | Scheduled amounts for covered injuries |
| Cancer only policy | Often $15 to $50 | Lump sum or scheduled benefits after a cancer diagnosis |
Ranges are the illustrative market ranges published in a supplemental insurance cost guide at blog.creamytales.com, checked October 2026. Treat them as a shape of the market, since age and benefit size move these premiums a lot at senior ages. These policies do not replace Medigap. A hospital indemnity payment of a few hundred dollars a day helps with a Part A deductible. It does not pay 20 percent coinsurance on a year of specialist care.
What bills is a supplement mainly protecting you from?
The largest single bill is the Part A inpatient hospital deductible of $1,736 per benefit period in 2026, which a patient can owe more than once in a year. Skilled nursing facility coinsurance runs $217 a day for days 21 to 100 in 2026. Part B coinsurance of 20 percent has no cap under Original Medicare alone, so a long treatment can produce the biggest total of all.
Those CMS figures, reported by the American Hospital Association at aha.org, are the arithmetic behind the average premium. A Plan G holder who has one hospital stay in a year has the $1,736 deductible paid by the policy. A healthy holder with no claims pays the premium for certainty. Whether that trade suits you depends on your savings and your health pattern, and our comparison of Medicare Plan F vs Plan G shows how the two broadest supplements handle the same bills.
How can seniors lower the average cost of supplemental cover?
Buy during your Medigap open enrollment period, the six months that start when you are 65 and enrolled in Part B. Carriers must accept you then and cannot charge more for health conditions, which keeps you in standard pricing. Compare the same plan letter across at least three carriers, since benefits are identical and only price and pricing method differ. Consider Plan N if your doctor visits are infrequent.
Ask which pricing method each quote uses before you compare first year prices. An attained age policy that looks cheapest at 65 can be the most expensive of the set by 80. Check household discounts, which several carriers offer when both spouses hold policies, and pay annually if a carrier discounts for it. Avoid stacking several small indemnity policies on top of a full Medigap plan without adding up the combined premium. Duplicated narrow cover is a common way seniors end up paying above average for protection they use once.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average cost of supplemental health insurance for seniors?
About $149.50 a month in 2026 for a Medicare Supplement policy, based on the national average published by MedicareSupplement.com. By plan at age 65, Plan G averages $165.85 a month, Plan N $122.98 and Plan F $220.14. Premiums rise with age and vary by state, carrier and pricing method, so your own quote can sit well away from the average.
Is Medigap the same as supplemental health insurance?
Medigap is the main form of supplemental health insurance for seniors on Original Medicare. It pays deductibles, coinsurance and copays that Medicare leaves behind. The broader term also covers smaller policies such as hospital indemnity, critical illness and cancer cover, which pay fixed cash amounts for set events and cost far less per month.
Does supplemental insurance cover prescriptions and dental care?
A Medigap policy does not cover prescription drugs, routine dental, vision or hearing care, or long term custodial care. Drugs need a separate Medicare Part D plan. Dental and vision cover are sold as separate policies. Hospital indemnity and similar small supplements pay cash you can spend on those bills, and the policy itself still excludes them as medical benefits.
Why do prices differ so much for the same Medigap plan?
Benefits for a plan letter are standardized, so every Plan G pays the same claims. Price differs because carriers use three pricing methods, community rated, issue age rated and attained age rated, and because state rules, ZIP code, sex, tobacco use and discounts differ. Two neighbours with the same plan can pay very different premiums from different carriers.
Can a senior be denied supplemental insurance?
Outside protected enrollment windows, yes. During the six month Medigap open enrollment period that begins at 65 with Part B, carriers must accept you at standard pricing. After that window, most states allow medical underwriting, and a carrier can charge more or decline an application, apart from specific guaranteed issue situations such as losing employer cover.
