{
  "slug": "medigap-plan-cost-compare",
  "title": "Medigap Plan Cost Comparison Calculator",
  "heading": "Medigap Plan Cost Compare Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/medigap-plan-cost-compare",
  "summary": "Compare total annual cost across Medigap Plan G, N, and high-deductible G options.",
  "description": "Medigap (Medicare Supplement) plans are standardized by letter, meaning Plan G from any insurer covers identical benefits, so the only real differentiator between carriers is premium and how it rises with age. The practical decision most retirees face is which plan letter to buy: Plan G covers everything except the Part B deductible, Plan N covers similarly but requires small copays for office and ER visits, and High-Deductible Plan G has a much lower premium but requires you to pay a large deductible before coverage kicks in. This calculator totals the annual premium plus expected out-of-pocket costs — copays, the Part B deductible, and excess charges — for each plan type given your expected utilization, so you can see true total cost, not just premium, since a cheaper premium plan sometimes costs more overall for high utilizers.",
  "formula": "Total cost = annual premium + Part B deductible (if not covered) + estimated copays × visit frequency + excess charges.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=medigap-plan-cost-compare",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "planGPremium",
      "label": "Plan G annual premium",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 2200,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "planNPremium",
      "label": "Plan N annual premium",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 1700,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "hdgPremium",
      "label": "High-Deductible Plan G annual premium",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 500,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "hdgDeductible",
      "label": "High-Deductible Plan G deductible",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 2870,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "officeVisitsPerYear",
      "label": "Expected office/ER visits per year",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 8,
      "unit": null,
      "min": 0,
      "max": 60
    },
    {
      "id": "partBDeductible",
      "label": "Part B deductible",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 240,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "cheapest",
      "label": "Cheapest option total cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "gTotal",
      "label": "Plan G total annual cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "nTotal",
      "label": "Plan N total annual cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "hdgTotal",
      "label": "High-Deductible Plan G total cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Plan G annual premium: 2200 $",
      "Plan N annual premium: 1700 $",
      "High-Deductible Plan G annual premium: 500 $",
      "High-Deductible Plan G deductible: 2870 $",
      "Expected office/ER visits per year: 8",
      "Part B deductible: 240 $"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Cheapest option total cost: $1,940",
      "Plan G total annual cost: $2,440",
      "Plan N total annual cost: $2,100",
      "High-Deductible Plan G total cost: $1,940"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter plan g annual premium ($).",
      "Enter plan n annual premium ($).",
      "Enter high-deductible plan g annual premium ($).",
      "Enter high-deductible plan g deductible ($).",
      "Enter expected office/er visits per year.",
      "Enter part b deductible ($).",
      "Read your cheapest option total cost on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "planGPremium": 1300,
        "planNPremium": 1000,
        "hdgPremium": 300,
        "hdgDeductible": 1720,
        "officeVisitsPerYear": 5,
        "partBDeductible": 140
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "planGPremium": 2200,
        "planNPremium": 1700,
        "hdgPremium": 500,
        "hdgDeductible": 2870,
        "officeVisitsPerYear": 8,
        "partBDeductible": 240
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "planGPremium": 3500,
        "planNPremium": 2700,
        "hdgPremium": 800,
        "hdgDeductible": 4590,
        "officeVisitsPerYear": 13,
        "partBDeductible": 380
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "Why do all insurers charge different prices for the 'same' Plan G?",
      "a": "Federal and state law standardizes what Plan G covers, but each insurer sets its own premium based on its pricing method (community-rated, issue-age-rated, or attained-age-rated) and its own claims experience and overhead. This is why shopping around annually across carriers for the identical Plan G benefits can save hundreds of dollars a year for zero difference in coverage."
    },
    {
      "q": "Is Plan N worth the savings over Plan G?",
      "a": "Usually yes for lower utilizers. Plan N costs less because you pay small copays ($20 for office visits, up to $50 for ER visits not resulting in admission) and any Part B excess charges a provider might bill. If you see doctors frequently, those copays add up, but for most retirees with routine annual usage, Plan N's premium savings outweigh the copay cost."
    },
    {
      "q": "Who should consider High-Deductible Plan G?",
      "a": "Healthy retirees comfortable self-funding up to the deductible ($2,870 in 2025) in a bad year, in exchange for a dramatically lower premium most years. It functions like a catastrophic backstop — you're financially exposed for routine care but protected from a true high-cost medical event, similar logic to choosing an HDHP while still working."
    },
    {
      "q": "Can I switch Medigap plans later without medical underwriting?",
      "a": "Generally no after your initial 6-month Medigap open enrollment period following Part B enrollment — switching later typically requires medical underwriting, and insurers can deny coverage or charge more based on health status, except in a handful of states with guaranteed-issue rules or during specific trial-right periods. Choose carefully at enrollment since switching later isn't guaranteed."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/cobra-vs-aca-marketplace-cost",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/hdhp-vs-ppo-total-cost"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Medigap Plan Cost Comparison Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/medigap-plan-cost-compare)"
}