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Plan G is better value than Plan F for nearly everyone who can buy either. The two plans differ on exactly one benefit: Plan F pays the Medicare Part B deductible, $283 in 2026 according to CMS, and Plan G leaves it to you. Yet at age 65, Plan F averages $220.14 a month against $165.85 for Plan G in 2026 average pricing, a gap of about $651 a year to buy back a $283 deductible.
The verdict in one table:
| Plan F | Plan G | |
|---|---|---|
| Part B deductible ($283 in 2026) | Pays it | You pay it |
| Part A deductible and hospital coinsurance | Covers | Covers |
| Part B coinsurance (20%) | Covers | Covers |
| Part B excess charges | Covers | Covers |
| Skilled nursing facility coinsurance | Covers | Covers |
| Foreign travel emergency | Covers 80% | Covers 80% |
| Average premium at 65 (2026) | $220.14/month | $165.85/month |
| Average premium at 85 (2026) | $321.64/month | $266.87/month |
| Who can buy it | Only people eligible for Medicare before Jan 1, 2020 | Anyone with Medicare Parts A and B |
Premium averages are the 2026 figures from MedicareSupplement.com pricing data, the same source behind our Medigap cost comparison chart. Your quotes will differ by state, carrier and health class. The shape of the gap is what matters, and it is consistent.
Which is better, Medicare Plan F or Plan G?
Plan G is better for anyone buying today, and for most current Plan F holders who can pass underwriting to switch. You give up $283 a year of deductible cover and save roughly $650 a year in premiums at 65. Plan F only wins if your specific Plan F premium sits within about $24 a month of the Plan G quote from the same carrier, which is uncommon now that the Plan F pool is closed.
There is one more wrinkle. Plan F is the most comprehensive Medicare supplement plan ever sold, and some long term holders value never seeing a medical bill at all. That peace of mind is real. Price it honestly, though: at 85, average Plan F costs $321.64 a month against $266.87 for Plan G, and the extra $657 a year still buys the same single $283 deductible. Predictability is worth something. It is rarely worth paying $2 for every $1 of cover.
Why can’t new Medicare members buy Plan F?
New members cannot buy Plan F because the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) banned the sale of Medigap plans that cover the Part B deductible to anyone who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. Congress wanted new members to keep some skin in the game on routine care. Plan C closed at the same time for the same reason. People eligible before 2020 kept the right to buy Plan F, and they still have it.
That closed pool explains the pricing spiral. Plan F adds no new 65 year olds. Its membership gets older and claims more each year, so premiums rise faster than Plan G’s, which keeps enrolling every new Medicare cohort. If you hold Plan F, expect the gap over Plan G to widen, not narrow. Our Plan G costs by age breakdown shows how Plan G premiums climb from 65 to 85, and even at 85 Plan G averages less than Plan F costs many members at 75.
How does the medicare plan f vs plan g cost math work by age?
The math works the same way at every age: subtract the Plan G premium from the Plan F premium, multiply by 12, and compare the result with $283. If the annual premium saving beats $283, Plan G costs less overall, and you keep the difference. At 65 the average saving is about $651. At 85 it is about $657. The deductible stays a few hundred dollars while the premium gap grows, so the case for Plan G strengthens with age.
| Age | Plan F average | Plan G average | Annual premium saving with G | Minus $283 deductible | Net saving with G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 65 | $220.14/mo | $165.85/mo | $651 | $283 | About $368/yr |
| 85 | $321.64/mo | $266.87/mo | $657 | $283 | About $374/yr |
Use your own quotes in that table, not the averages. Premiums for the same letter vary widely between carriers, and benefits for a given letter are identical by law, so the cheapest Plan G from a financially sound carrier beats a pricey Plan G every time. Shopping the letter, not the logo, is the whole game in Medigap. Our Plan N vs Plan G comparison is worth reading if you are also weighing the cheaper Plan N and its copays.
What should you watch out for when switching from Plan F to Plan G?
Watch out for medical underwriting. Outside your initial enrollment period and a few state specific windows, such as birthday rules, an insurer can ask health questions when you change plans and can decline you or charge more. Apply for Plan G first and keep Plan F in force until the new policy is issued. Never cancel first. A declined application costs you nothing if your old policy is still running.
Also check the premium rating method. Attained age policies start cheaper and rise as you age. Issue age and community rated policies cost more at first and rise more slowly. Two Plan G quotes $30 apart at 65 can cross over by 75. Ask each carrier which method it uses and what its last three annual increases were. If you are still deciding whether Medigap itself fits, start with what the best Medicare plan that covers everything actually looks like, then come back to the F and G question with quotes in hand.
How do Plan F and Plan G compare with high deductible versions?
Both letters also come in high deductible form in many states. High deductible Plan G and high deductible Plan F give you the same benefit chart, but only after you pay a set amount of covered out of pocket costs yourself each year, set at $2,950 for 2026. Premiums drop sharply in exchange, often to a fraction of the standard versions. For a healthy new member who wants catastrophic backup rather than first dollar cover, high deductible Plan G is usually the cheapest credible route into Medigap, and it makes the standard F versus G argument moot: the deductible that separates F and G disappears inside the much larger high deductible both plans share.
Do not confuse the two deductible ideas. The $283 Part B deductible is the single line that separates standard Plan F from standard Plan G. The high deductible is a separate plan design that applies to all Medicare cost sharing, not just Part B. If an agent quotes you a surprisingly cheap Plan G, ask which design it is before you compare it with anything else in this article.
Frequently asked questions
What is the only difference between Medicare Plan F and Plan G?
The only benefit difference is the Medicare Part B deductible. Plan F pays it and Plan G does not. For 2026 that deductible is $283 for the year, according to CMS figures. Every other line on the federal Medigap benefit chart is identical: Part A deductible, hospital and skilled nursing coinsurance, Part B coinsurance, excess charges, blood, hospice and foreign travel emergency cover all match.
Why is Plan G cheaper than Plan F if the difference is only $283?
Plan G is cheaper because Plan F’s pool is closed and aging. Nobody newly eligible for Medicare after January 1, 2020 can buy Plan F, so no younger, healthier members join, and average claims rise. Insurers price that in. At 65, 2026 averages put Plan F at $220.14 a month and Plan G at $165.85, a $54.29 gap that buys you only $283 a year of extra cover.
Should I switch from Plan F to Plan G?
Run the annual math. If Plan G with the same insurer costs more than $283 a year less than your Plan F, switching saves money even after you pay the Part B deductible yourself. At average 2026 prices the saving is about $651 a year at 65. The catch is underwriting: outside protected windows, most states let insurers health screen switchers and decline, so apply before you cancel anything.
Can I buy Plan F if I turned 65 in 2026?
No. Anyone who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020 cannot buy Plan F or Plan C, under the federal MACRA rule. Eligibility is based on when you first became eligible, not when you enrolled. If you were eligible before 2020 and delayed enrollment, you can still buy Plan F today from a carrier that sells it, though Plan G usually costs less overall.
Does Plan G cover Part B excess charges like Plan F does?
Yes. Plan G and Plan F both cover Part B excess charges in full, which is one reason both sit at the top of the Medigap range. Plan N, the cheaper alternative, does not cover excess charges and adds copays of up to $20 for office visits and $50 for emergency room visits. Our Medigap cost comparison chart shows Plan N’s lower premiums next to what those gaps can cost.
