Medicare Plan N: Coverage, Cost and How It Works
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Medicare Plan N is the best Medigap plan for balancing good coverage with affordable rates.
And at $121 per month on average, it's more affordable than Plans F and G but has coverage that's almost as good. It is the third-most-popular Medigap option, making up 10% of all Medicare Supplement plans.
How does Plan N work?
Medicare Supplement plans, also called Medigap plans, let you pay less when you go to the doctor or hospital.
That's because, like other Medicare Supplement plans, Plan N pays for costs that Original Medicare doesn't.
Original Medicare only pays for about 80% of your medical costs. A Medicare Supplement plan can help lower your bills by paying for some of the remaining costs.
You can buy Medigap plans, including Plan N, from health insurance companies like AARP/UnitedHealthcare, Aetna and Cigna. Medigap plans with the same letter all have the same coverage, no matter the company. The best way to choose a company is to compare prices, customer service and added perks.
How supplemental policies work
- Medicare Parts A and B pay their portion of medical expenses, usually 80% of costs.
- Supplemental plans then pay some of the rest, filling in gaps that Medicare doesn't pay.
- You pay the remainder of the bill, if there is any.
What does Medicare Supplement Plan N cover?
Plan N covers the $1,676 Medicare Part A deductible and coinsurance for Medicare Parts A and B.
Category | Plan N coverage |
|---|---|
| Part A coinsurance (hospital care) | |
| Part B coinsurance (medical care) | |
| Blood (first 3 pints) | |
| Part A hospice care coinsurance | |
| Skilled nursing home coinsurance | |
| Part A deductible | |
| Part B deductible | |
| Part B excess charges | |
| Foreign travel emergencies | 80% of costs |
Plan N has some of the best coverage of any Medigap plan. Only Plans C, F and G have more coverage. You can only get Plan C or F if you were eligible for Medicare before 2020.
If you have Medicare Plan N, you have to pay a flat fee when you see a doctor.
Plan N does not cover the extra amount that doctors can charge if they do not accept Medicare-approved rates. These are called Part B excess charges, and they don't happen often because most doctors use the Medicare-approved rates for medical care.
Plan N does not cover your low Medicare Part B deductible. And Plan N copays for doctor visits don't count toward the Part B deductible. Plan N does not have a separate deductible aside from the Part B deductible.
No matter how much medical care you need each year, you'll still have to pay your share of certain medical bills. That's because Plan N does not have an out-of-pocket limit. No matter how high your bills are, you'll still have to pay your portion.
Medicare Plan N cost
Plan N costs an average of $121 per month.
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This monthly cost is on top of the cost of Original Medicare, which includes Parts A and B. Most people get Part A for free. Part B costs $185 per month in 2025.
Plan N is a great option if you want cheap rates and good coverage. It has nearly as much coverage as Plan G but costs $38 less each month, on average.
Medigap rates by plan
Plan | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| High-deductible G | $49 |
| High-deductible F | $54 |
| Plan K | $83 |
| Plan N | $121 |
| Plan L | $126 |
Average monthly rates for a 65-year-old woman who does not smoke.
Medigap Plan N rates by state
The cost for Plan N ranges from $91 per month in New Mexico to $297 per month in New York.
Medicare Supplement rates change based on where you live, as well as your gender, age (in most states) and sometimes your health.
State | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $103 |
| Alaska | $122 |
| Arizona | $114 |
| Arkansas | $132 |
| California | $146 |
Average monthly rates for a 65-year-old woman who does not smoke.
Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin have their own Medigap systems and don't sell Plan N.
Medicare Plan N vs. Plan G
You should get Plan N if you want low monthly costs but also coverage that is almost as good as Plan G.
If you're willing to pay more each month, Plan G has slightly better coverage.
Plan differences | Plan G | Plan N |
|---|---|---|
| Average cost | $159/month | $121/month |
| Medicare Part B coinsurance for medical care | ||
| Medicare Part B excess charges |
Plan N is a better choice if budget is your main concern, or if you don't need as much medical care. But Plan G could be a better choice if you think you will go to the doctor often.
Let's say, for example, that Plan N costs $150 per month, while Plan G costs $200 a month.
If you have Plan N and visit the doctor twice a month, you'll pay up to an extra $40 in copays. In this case, the cost of Plan N plus the copays would be $2 more that month than the total cost for Plan G, which does not charge copays. Even though the monthly rate is more expensive, Plan G is a better option if you go to the doctor often.
It is difficult, if not impossible, to predict how many times you are going to have to visit a physician or an ER in the course of a year, but you might have a general idea. When comparing Plans N and G, think about how often you usually see a doctor. This can help you decide if Plan N is actually cheaper with the copays factored in.
High-deductible Plan G is a low-cost alternative
High-deductible Plan G can give you peace of mind that you won't have high medical bills if you suffer a bad illness or injury. It's cheaper than Plan N but has more coverage after pay the first $2,870 of your medical bills, called the deductible. The amount you pay toward the plan's deductible counts toward your $257 Part B deductible.
A high-deductible Plan G costs an average of $49 per month.
Is Plan N or Plan G more popular?
Medigap Plan G is more popular than Plan N.
More than a third of people who buy Medigap plans choose Plan G or the high-deductible version. About 10% of people choose Plan N.
Plan F, including the high-deductible version, is popular. It makes up almost 1 in 4 Medigap plans. You can only buy Plan F if you were eligible for Medicare before 2020.
Plan G is more popular than Plan N because it has more coverage and doesn't charge doctor and emergency room copays.
Is Plan N the best Supplement plan for you?
Medigap Plan N is good if you're on a budget and still want good coverage.
Plan N is cheaper than Plan F or Plan G, and you'll have some out-of-pocket costs for medical care. However, your medical costs will be minimal, and you won't pay anything for expensive medical care such as hospital stays.
There are multiple factors to consider when choosing the best plan for you.
- Coverage vs. cost: Think about how much you can afford to pay each month and how much coverage you need for your medical care.
- Pricing differences between providers: The cost for Medicare Supplement plans changes between insurance companies. Comparing companies lets you get the same coverage for the best price.
- Out-of-pocket costs: Some Medigap plans have deductibles. And not every plan covers Medicare Parts A and B coinsurance. This means that you'll have to pay more for your medical care with some plans than with others.
- Extra perks: Some companies give you extra benefits like free gym memberships or coverage for vision and dental care. You shouldn't choose a plan just for the perks. But you might be able to narrow down your choices based on what extra benefits a plan has.
Medicare Supplement Plan N reviews
Most Medicare Supplement companies sell Plan N, but the cheapest rates come from Cigna, Aetna and AARP/UnitedHealthcare.
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Costs for Medicare Supplement plans vary by age, location and other factors.
Remember that all companies offer the same medical coverage for each Medigap policy. However, companies have different rates, customer service and add-on benefits.
Medigap Plan N costs by company
Company | Monthly rate | |
|---|---|---|
| Cigna | $110 |
| Aetna | $119 |
| AARP | $130 |
| Humana | $132 |
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $155 |
Average monthly rates for a 65-year-old woman who does not smoke.
Cigna Medicare Supplement
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Editor rating
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Monthly Plan N rate
$110 ?
Cigna Medicare Supplement plans are available in most of the country, and its Plan N is one of the cheapest on the market.
Cigna has a low average rate for Plan N, and the company also offers added value with a rewards program. The program gives you discounts on health and wellness programs and services, like chiropractic visits and weight management programs.
Overall, Cigna gets 15% more complaints about its Medicare Supplement than expected. But it depends on which one of Cigna's companies sells plans in your state. One company has two and half times the number of complaints expected for a company its size, while another one has two-third fewer complaints.
Cigna sells Medicare Supplement Plan N in 46 states and Washington, D.C.
Aetna Medicare Supplement
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Editor rating
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Monthly Plan N rate
$119 ?
Aetna Medicare Supplement is a great choice if you value good customer service.
If budget is your main concern, Aetna is a good choice. Aetna has low rates for Medicare Supplement Plan N, and its rates are also cheap for its other Medigap plans.
Aetna also has good customer service. Overall, the company has 28% fewer complaints than an average company its size.
Aetna sells Plan N in 43 states and Washington, D.C.
AARP/UnitedHealthcare Medicare Supplement
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Editor rating
-
Monthly Plan N rate
$130 ?
AARP Medicare Supplement policies, sold through UnitedHealthcare, are some of the best and most popular on the market.
AARP/UnitedHealthcare has great rates on Medigap plans, and its members get extra perks from AARP. You have to join AARP to buy a plan, but the membership costs just $16 per year. Along with your Medigap plan, you will have access to discounts for vision, dental and hearing programs, as well as a 24/7 nurse line and free gym memberships where available.
UnitedHealthcare has good service overall, with 14% fewer complaints than average for its Medicare Supplement plans. However, there are some complaints about the company sending too much junk mail and having overly aggressive marketing tactics.
Humana Medicare Supplement
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Editor rating
-
Monthly Plan N rate
$132 ?
Humana has high rates for Plan N and usually has poor customer service.
Humana is expensive for Medigap Plan N. Plus, the company has poor customer service. Overall, Humana gets more than five times the complaints expected for a company its size. You can probably find a better deal on Medigap coverage with another company.
Humana sells Plan N in 44 states. Overall, the company sells about 5% of all Medicare Supplement plans
Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Medicare Supplement
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Editor rating
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Monthly Plan N rate
$155 ?
Blue Cross Blue Shield isn't cheap for Plan N, but the company offers good perks.
Blue Cross Blue Shield is expensive for Plan N, so it's not a good option if you're on a budget. But the company does have some interesting perks that might make up for the high price. Some BCBS companies have a program, called Blue-to-Blue, that lets you change Medigap plans without taking your medical history into account. That helps you switch plans, if you think another plan will be better, but still pay a lower rate. You might also be able to get a discount for automatic payments.
Blue Cross Blue Shield sells Plan N in 44 states and Washington, D.C. But because BCBS is made of independent companies, where you live determines what specific company your plan comes from. For example, Plan N in Georgia comes from Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, but in Maryland, Plan N comes from CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield. In some states, more than one Blue Cross Blue Shield company sells Plan N.
Frequently asked questions
What is Medicare Plan N?
Plan N gives you extra coverage that helps pay for the things that Original Medicare doesn't. For example, Plan N pays for your $1,676 yearly Part A deductible, as well as your share of the medical bills you get when you go to a doctor or stay in the hospital. Plan N has more coverage than Plan K, which is also a cheap option, but less coverage than Plan G, which is more popular.
What are the disadvantages of Plan N?
With Plan N, you still have to pay up to $20 when you visit a doctor and up to $50 if you go to the emergency room. And Plan N doesn't pay for the Part B deductible. Only Plans C and F do that, but you can't get those plans unless you could get Medicare before 2020.
What is the difference between Medigap Plan G and N?
Plan G is more expensive than Plan N, but it also has better coverage. With Plan G, you don't have to pay when you see a doctor or visit an emergency room, but you do with Plan N. Plan G also covers the higher amount that doctors might charge if they don't use Medicare-approved rates, called Part B excess charges. Plan N doesn't cover these charges.
Methodology and sources
Medicare Supplement rate data is for the 2025 plan year and includes costs for all private insurance companies. Rates are for a 65-year-old woman who does not smoke. Average costs represent the price during the initial enrollment period for a person who has preferred or guaranteed-issue status. No medical underwriting rates were included. Comparisons are based on plan details, coverage levels and cost data.
Additional sources include AARP/UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, the Better Business Bureau, Cigna and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
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Availability of benefits and plans varies by carrier and location and may be limited to certain times of the year, unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 73 organizations that offer 5,110 products in your area. Contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP), to get information on all of your options.
These numbers provided are not specific to your area, but rather represent the number of organizations and the number of products available on a national basis. We will connect you with licensed insurance agents who can provide information about the number of organizations they represent and the number of products they offer in your service area. Not all plans offer all of these benefits. Benefits may vary by carrier and location. Limitations and exclusions may apply.
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Medicare supplement insurance is available to people age 65 or older enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B, and in some states to those under age 65 eligible for Medicare due to disability or end stage renal disease.
Medicare Advantage and Part D plans and benefits are offered by these carriers: Aetna Medicare, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Anthem Blue Cross, Aspire Health Plan, Cigna Healthcare, Dean Health Plan, Devoted Health, Florida Blue Medicare, GlobalHealth, Health Care Service Corporation, Healthy Blue, Humana, Molina Healthcare, Mutual of Omaha, Premera Blue Cross, Medica Central Health Plan, SCAN Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Health Plan, Simply, UnitedHealthcare, Wellcare and WellPoint.
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