How Medigap works
A Medigap policy pays after Original Medicare does, covering some or most of your deductibles and that uncapped 20%. Plans are standardized by letter — a Plan G from one insurer covers the same things as a Plan G from another — so the comparison is mostly premium and service.
You keep Original Medicare's freedom: any doctor or hospital in the country that accepts Medicare, no networks, no referrals. Medigap does not include drug coverage, so it is usually paired with a standalone Part D plan.
The one window that really matters
For six months after your Part B starts (at 65 or later), you have a guaranteed right to buy any Medigap plan with no health questions. After that window closes, insurers in most states can decline you or charge more based on health — which makes this one of the few Medicare decisions that can be hard to undo.
Educational information, not advice about any specific plan. For details on every option available in your area, visit Medicare.gov or call 1‑800‑MEDICARE.