Medicare Supplement Plan F: Costs, Coverage and Why It's Great
Medicare Plan F gives you the best benefits of any of the 10 Medicare Supplement plans.
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With Medicare Supplement Plan F, you won't pay anything when you go to the doctor or hospital. That's because the plan will cover all of your medical costs after Original Medicare pays its portion of the bill.
If you are new to Medicare, you can't get Medicare Supplement Plan F (also called Medigap Plan F). Instead, choose Plan G, which has benefits that are nearly as good as Plan F's.
Plan F is popular, and it's expensive. The average cost of Plan F is $184 per month, which is on top of the $174.70 per month you pay for Medicare Part B.
What is Medicare Plan F?
Medicare Supplement Plan F is the best add-on plan you can get to fill in the coverage gaps of Original Medicare.
Medigap Plan F will pay the rest of your medical bill after Original Medicare, leaving you with no costs.
How does Medicare Plan F work with Original Medicare?
- When you sign up for Medicare, you'll first get Original Medicare coverage from the government. This is also called Medicare Part A for hospital coverage and Medicare Part B for medical coverage.
- On top of Original Medicare, you can buy a Medicare Supplement plan from an insurance company. This will pay for many medical costs that aren't covered by the government plan. For example, if Original Medicare from the government only pays for 80% of your MRI bill, certain Supplement plans pay for the remaining 20%.
What does Medicare Plan F cover?
Medicare Plan F pays for any medical procedures that are covered by Original Medicare. And Plan F has the same coverage no matter what insurance company you use.
Medicare Supplement Plan F pays for doctor visits and outpatient care.
Your costs | Plan F + Original Medicare | Original Medicare only |
|---|---|---|
| Part B deductible | $0 | $240 |
| Part B coinsurance | $0 | 20% of the bill |
| Part B excess charges | $0 | Up to 15% of the bill |
Plan F pays for hospital stays and other inpatient care.
Your costs | Plan F + Original Medicare | Original Medicare only |
|---|---|---|
| Part A deductible | $0 | $1,632 |
| Part A coinsurance | $0 | $408-$816 per day |
| Part A hospice care | $0 | 5% of respite care & $5 per prescription |
Medicare Plan F also pays for other costs such as nursing homes, medical care while abroad and blood transfusions.
Your costs | Plan F + Original Medicare | Original Medicare only |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled nursing facility | $0 | $204 per day |
| Blood (3 pints) | $0 | Actual costs |
| Foreign travel emergency | 20% | 100% (usually) |
What is not covered by Medicare Plan F?
Plan F won't pay for anything that's excluded from Original Medicare coverage, such as medications.
Plan F won't pay for:
Prescription drugs aren't covered by either Plan F or Original Medicare. Many people get drug coverage by adding on a Medicare Part D plan.
You can also buy stand-alone dental insurance and vision plans.
A Medicare Advantage plan will give you much better coverage for extra services such as eye exams and dental checkups than any Medigap plan. And Medicare Advantage plans usually cover prescription drugs too.
The trade-off is that Medicare Advantage plans help you save on routine costs and will lower your monthly bills. But if you get very sick, your medical costs with Medicare Advantage will usually be thousands of dollars.
On the other hand, Plan F doesn't include extras, but it has very good coverage for medical care.
Is Medigap Plan F still available?
You can't get Plan F if you're new to Medicare. However, you can still buy a plan or keep your plan if you were eligible for Original Medicare before Jan. 1, 2020.
Plan F was discontinued because of a law to end plans that provide 100% free health care. When medical care is completely free, some people see the doctor for minor issues, so the Medicare program had to pay for the extra appointments.
What is the difference between Medicare Plans F and G?
Medicare Plan F covers more of your medical costs and is more expensive than Plan G.
However, Plan G is nearly as good as Plan F. Plus, Plan G is the best coverage you can get if you're not able to get Plan F because you're new to Medicare.
- Plan F covers more medical costs than Plan G: Plan F pays for the Part B medical deductible, but Plan G doesn't. This means with Plan G, your medical costs would be $240 higher than with Plan F.
- Plan F is more expensive than Plan G: Plan F costs $36 more per month than Plan G, on average. That's about $432 more per year.
- Fewer people can get Plan F: New Medicare enrollees can't sign up for Plan F because you have to have been eligible for Medicare before 2020 to qualify. There are no enrollment restrictions for Plan G.
Plans F and G are very similar. And because Plan F only covers $240 more of your medical expenses than Plan G, it's not always a better deal.
If you're deciding between Plan F and Plan G, it's only worth it to pay for Plan F if it costs less than $20 more per month than Plan G. Otherwise, it's a better deal to choose Plan G and pay the extra $240 for medical care.
How much does Medicare Plan F cost?
Medicare Supplement Plan F costs an average of $184 per month for 2024.
The cost of Plan F varies widely based on your location, age, gender, when you sign up, the company and sometimes your health status.
Cheapest companies for Medicare Plan F
Company | Monthly cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Wellcare | $150 |
| Cigna | $184 |
| AARP | $188 |
| Mutual of Omaha | $193 |
Average cost for a 65-year-old female who doesn't smoke
How to save on Plan F
You'll get the best deal on Medicare Supplement plans if you sign up for a plan during the open enrollment period when you first become eligible for Medicare.
- During this time, you could get discounted rates called preferred pricing.
- You also won't have to answer questions about your medical history. This means you won't pay more or have your application denied if you have a chronic medical condition.
What is a high-deductible Medicare Plan F?
High-deductible Medigap Plan F has the same benefits as the standard Plan F policy, but you must meet a $2,800 deductible before it starts paying.
High-deductible Plan F gives you coverage if you need lots of medical care. It won't pay for your expenses in years when you need routine or moderate amounts of health care. But in a year when you need expensive medical care, it will protect you from very high medical costs.
High-deductible Plan F costs $52 per month, on average. That's $132 per month cheaper than standard Plan F.
If you're on a tight budget, it's better to have some type of cheap supplemental coverage than to only have Original Medicare.
When Original Medicare is your only coverage, you could have unlimited medical costs. That's because you won't have a cap on your medical spending, called an out-of-pocket max. But even a cheap add-on plan will protect you from a situation where you would owe $20,000 on a $100,000 hospital bill.
How does the high-deductible Plan F work?
- High-deductible Plan F has a deductible of $2,800 in 2024.
- So after you pay $2,800 in medical expenses, the Medigap plan will kick in to pay for all medical costs after that point.
- Before you meet the $2,800 deductible, you'll only have Original Medicare coverage. This means when you need medical care, you'll have to pay the deductibles for Original Medicare, which will also count toward your Plan F deductible.
How to buy Medicare Plan F
Buy Medicare Plan F by shopping directly with an insurance company or broker.
- Find out if you qualify for Plan F by checking if you were eligible for Medicare prior to 2020.
- Use Medicare.gov's plan comparison tool to see which companies are offering plans in your area. You won't be able to buy a plan on the government website, but Medicare.gov will tell you the options that are available.
- Shop around and compare quotes from different companies. Remember that Plan F will have the same benefits no matter what company you buy it from. So choosing one of the best Medicare Supplement companies can help you get cheap rates and good customer service.
- Remember to buy a Medigap policy when you're first eligible. It's easiest and cheapest to get a policy during the six-month period after you first enroll in Medicare Part B after age 65.
Once you have Medigap, you will always be able to renew your plan. Plus the insurance company can't cancel your policy unless you stop paying.
But if you sign up late or want to change your Medigap plan, you may have to pay higher rates or your application could be denied by the insurance company. That's because in many cases, you'll have to answer questions about your medical history.
Are Medicare Plan F premiums tax-deductible?
The cost for Medicare Plan F is only tax-deductible if you itemize your deductions or are self-employed.
If you take a standard deduction and aren't self-employed, you can't deduct the cost of Medicare Plan F.
- If you're itemizing your deductions, you usually won't be able to deduct the full amount that you're paying for your Medicare Supplement plan. Instead, you'll only be able to deduct your combined costs for insurance and medical care that are more than 7.5% of your income.
- If you're self-employed, you can deduct the full cost of Medicare Plan F and other health insurance costs. These costs are treated as a write-off to your business, so they reduce the amount of income that you pay taxes on.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Medicare Plan F cost?
The average cost of Plan F is $184 per month. Your costs depend on where you live, your age and gender, and sometimes your health history.
Is Medicare Plan F still available for 2024?
Yes, Medicare Plan F is available but only to those that became eligible for Medicare prior to 2020. If you're new to Medicare, get Plan G, which has benefits that are nearly as good as Plan F's.
Is Medicare Plan F a good Supplement plan?
Yes, Plan F is one of the best Medigap plans because you won't have to pay anything to go to the doctor or hospital. However, it's one of the more expensive Medicare Supplement plans and is only available to seniors who qualified for Medicare prior to 2020.
Methodology
Medicare Supplement policy details are based on information from Medicare.gov and CMS.gov. Additional sources include the American Journal of Hematology.
Medicare Supplement Plan F costs were calculated using 2024 actuarial data for a 65-year-old female who doesn't smoke based on preferred or guaranteed issue rates without a household discount. Averages exclude Select plans and plans in states that don't use national standardization.
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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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