Medicare Plan G Cost: Average Rates & What Drives Them

Plan G is the most popular Medicare Supplement plan for people who became eligible for Medicare in 2020 or later. It pays most of the costs Original Medicare leaves to you, including the Part A deductible and Part B coinsurance. The one main gap it leaves open is the yearly Part B deductible.

Federal rules standardize the benefits, so every Plan G offers the same coverage. Price is the only real difference between policies, and it varies a lot. This guide shows how much Plan G costs by pricing method, by insurer, and by state, and what you still pay after buying it.

The three pricing methods in the table work differently. With attained age pricing, the premium starts low and rises as you get older. With issue age pricing, the premium is set by the age you were when you bought and does not rise with age, though inflation increases can still apply. Community rated pricing charges everyone in an area the same.

Attained age plans cost less at 65 and, at 75, the gap narrows as the premium has caught up. That is why a policy that looks cheapest in the first year may not be the cheapest over a decade. When you compare quotes, ask which method each insurer uses and request the rate history.

Identical coverage can come at very different prices. The averages below are for a 65 year old nonsmoker.

The spread across companies is larger than the difference between plan letters at some insurers. That is why comparing at least a few quotes matters more for Plan G than for most other insurance products. A low price from an insurer that raises rates sharply every year can end up costing more than a pricier steady option.

State averages show how much geography matters. Some states are much more expensive than others, and within a state the lowest and highest insurer prices can be far apart.

Each row shows the state average, followed by the lowest and highest quote found in that state. States that require community or issue age pricing, such as New York, tend to have higher starting premiums but flatter increases.

Plan G leaves a few costs in place. You still pay the Part B premium to Medicare, the yearly Part B deductible, and any prescription drug costs, since Medigap does not include drug coverage. A separate Part D plan handles drugs.

A high-deductible version of Plan G also exists. It has a much lower premium, but you pay covered costs yourself until you reach the deductible. A SHIP counselor or licensed agent can explain which version fits a person's expected medical use.

The two figures above do not measure the same thing. One is an average premium across insurers for a 65 year old. The other is the lowest quote for a single sample profile in one city. NerdWallet's figure is a sample starting quote, not an average, so it will always sit below an average that includes every insurer. Differences in age, ZIP code, sex, tobacco status, and discounts all change the result.

• Get quotes from several insurers for the same plan letter and the same pricing method.
• Ask about household and automatic payment discounts.
• Check each insurer's history of rate increases.
• Use the Medicare.gov plan finder to see which companies sell Plan G in your ZIP code.