Medicare Supplement Plan G, Explained for Arizona Seniors

If you have started shopping Medicare Supplement plans in Arizona, you have almost certainly run into Plan G. Multiple insurers may sell the same standardized plan letter, but the premium, pricing method, discounts and service can differ.

Here is what is actually going on.

Medigap plans are standardized by letter

This is the fact everything else follows from. Medigap uses standardized plan letters, each with a different set of benefits. Within the same letter, the required basic benefits are the same no matter which company sells the policy. Not every insurer offers every letter.

When you compare the same version of Plan G, one insurer's policy and another's must provide the same standardized basic benefits. High-deductible Plan G is a separate version with different member cost sharing, so compare like with like.

That has a direct consequence for how you should shop: compare the monthly premium, pricing method, available discounts, rate history and service, while confirming that the policies are the same standardized version. Medicare's current Medigap benefits chart is the primary source for what each plan letter covers.

What Plan G does

For many Part B services, Original Medicare usually pays 80% of the Medicare-approved amount after you meet the Part B deductible, leaving 20% coinsurance. Part A uses different deductibles and coinsurance. Medigap policies help pay specified costs according to the plan letter; they do not simply pay 20% of every medical bill.

Practically, that means:

• You keep Original Medicare. Plan G works alongside Parts A and B rather than replacing them.
• Broad provider access. Standard Plan G works with providers nationwide who accept Medicare. A Medicare SELECT version may require a network for non-emergency care.
• You pay a monthly premium and some costs can remain. Standard Plan G does not cover the Part B deductible, and no Medigap policy pays for every service Original Medicare excludes. High-deductible Plan G requires additional out-of-pocket spending before the policy begins paying.
• Prescriptions are separate. Part D prescription plans are not covered with Medigap plans, so you will need a separate Part D plan as well.

Because deductibles and plan limits can change, confirm current figures on Medicare.gov's Medigap benefits chart rather than relying on an older article.

Plan G versus Plan N

Plan N is the other letter people commonly weigh against Plan G. Both are Medigap, both are standardized, and both keep Original Medicare's nationwide access.

The general shape of the trade-off is that Plan N may have a lower monthly premium while leaving certain office-visit and emergency-room copayments and not covering Part B excess charges. Plan G covers those standardized gaps but, like Plan N, does not cover the Part B deductible. Which is a better fit depends on your expected use, provider billing and the premium difference in your ZIP code.

That last part matters more than most comparison articles admit. The premium spread between G and N is not fixed. It moves by carrier and by area, and in some years and some ZIP codes the gap is wide enough to change the answer entirely. This is a "run the numbers on your situation" question, not a "which letter is best" question.

Why reviewing the premium can matter

Medigap premiums can increase over time even though the standardized benefits within a plan letter stay the same. Reviewing current prices can tell you whether other policies are available at a different premium.

That does not mean a switch is automatic. Your best-protected time to buy is the one-time six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period that begins the first month you are both 65 or older and enrolled in Part B.

Outside that window, an insurer may ask health questions, charge more or decline your application unless you have a guaranteed-issue right or another protection under state law. Medicare's buying guidance explains the six-month window, and its switching guidance explains why you should keep your current policy until a replacement is approved.

If a new policy is approved, compare the effective date, premium, pricing method and any waiting-period rules before canceling the old one. You generally have a 30-day period to decide whether to keep the new Medigap policy while continuing to pay both premiums.

What to bring to the conversation

If you want a useful comparison rather than a sales pitch, come with:

1. Your current plan letter and carrier, if you already have a Supplement.
2. What you currently pay per month, including your Part D premium.
3. Your ZIP code, since availability and pricing are local.
4. Your prescription list, for the Part D half of the decision.

That is enough for a licensed agent to compare your plan letter among the insurers the agent represents and explain what is available. Ask which carriers are included in the comparison and whether medical underwriting applies.

Is Plan G even the right structure?

Worth asking. A Supplement is one of two structures, and the other one, Medicare Advantage, works completely differently. Our side-by-side comparison of Medicare Advantage and Medigap lays out which situations point which way, and our Arizona Medicare Supplement page goes deeper on how Medigap works here specifically.

If you would rather have someone check it for you, CSG does not charge a separate fee for its plan-comparison help. Insurance companies generally compensate agents, and compensation can vary by carrier and product, so it is reasonable to ask which insurers an agent represents and how the agent is paid.