Medigap Plan N is one of the most popular Medicare Supplement plans because of its lower monthly premium, but the tradeoffs behind that lower price often get glossed over in a quick sales pitch. Medicare Supplement Plan N (sometimes shortened to Medsupp Plan N) shares most of Plan G’s benefits, just not all of them. Here are six details about Plan N that you may not know.
1. Plan N Doesn’t Cover Part B Excess Charges (but they are RARE!)
Some doctors don’t accept Medicare “assignment,” meaning they can legally charge up to 15% more than Medicare’s approved amount for a service. Plan G and Plan F cover that extra 15% in full. Plan N does not. If your doctor charges an excess fee, you’re responsible for it out of pocket. A handful of states (including New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Vermont) ban excess charges outright, which makes this gap a non-issue there. Everywhere else, it’s worth asking before you enroll.
Here is the thing: Very few doctors charge Excess Charges. According to KFF, about 96% of Original Medicare doctors nationwide are participating providers who accept Medicare assignment, which means they cannot make you pay excess charges. (Source)
💡 Tip: Ask any doctor’s office directly whether they accept Medicare assignment on all claims. Most do, but it’s a five-minute call that can save you a surprise bill later.
2. You’ll Pay an “up to” Copay for Some Office and ER Visits
Plan N pays 100% of Part B coinsurance with two exceptions: you may owe up to a $20 copay for an office visit and up to a $50 copay for an emergency room visit (waived if you’re admitted to the hospital). The key word is “up to” which means your copy could be less. $20 and $50 are the maximum but many of our Senior65.com clients say they pay less. Source: Medicare.gov.
These copays are small compared to the premium savings versus Plan G, but they’re not zero, and a plan comparison that only quotes the monthly premium without mentioning them is telling half the story.
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3. The Part B Deductible Is Still Your Responsibility
Like Plan G, Plan N doesn’t cover the annual Part B deductible ($283). You pay that amount out of pocket each year before Part B coinsurance benefits kick in. This is standard across most modern Medigap plans (only Plan F and Plan C, which are closed to anyone who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020, cover the Part B deductible), but it’s still a number worth having in your budget rather than discovering at the pharmacy or doctor’s office.
4. Plan N’s Lower Premium Isn’t Guaranteed to Stay Lower
Plan N typically starts cheaper than Plan G, but Medigap premiums for any plan can rise over time based on your age, medical inflation, and the pricing method your carrier uses (community-rated, issue-age-rated, or attained-age-rated). Many community-rated plans also offer new-member discounts that shrink as you get older, so the gap between what you pay for Plan N and Plan G today isn’t necessarily the same gap you’ll see in ten years. It’s worth asking a carrier how it prices renewals, not just what the starting premium looks like.
5. Foreign Travel Emergency Coverage Works the Same as Plan G
One thing Plan N does match Plan G on: foreign travel emergency care. Plan N covers 80% of the cost of medically necessary emergency care outside the U.S., up to your plan’s lifetime limit, after a small deductible. Source: Medicare.gov. If you travel internationally and picked Plan N over Plan G expecting to lose this benefit, that’s one tradeoff you don’t actually have to make. Learn more about Medigap options overall on our Medigap overview page.
6. Switching to Plan N Later Usually Means Medical Underwriting
If you enroll in a different Medigap plan first and decide later that Plan N looks like a better fit, switching outside your initial Medigap Open Enrollment Period usually requires medical underwriting. That’s true whether you’re moving from Plan G to Plan N or between any two Medigap plans. A pre-existing condition doesn’t automatically disqualify you, but every carrier weighs your health history differently, so it’s worth checking your odds before you apply. Our Medigap Underwriting Checker gives you a fast read on where you stand.
Some states also offer a Birthday Rule or similar annual window that lets you switch to an equal or lesser plan without underwriting, but that only moves you between Medigap plans, never from Medicare Advantage into Medigap. Check our Birthday Rule state guide to see if your state has one. For the full picture on switching, see our Medicare switching guide for the ultimate list of how you can change plans.
Is Plan N Still Worth It?
None of these six items make Plan N a bad choice. For many people who see doctors who accept Medicare assignment and don’t mind small copays, Plan N’s lower premium is a genuinely good trade for what it gives up. The point is simply that “Plan N is cheaper” is the whole story. A full comparison includes excess charge exposure, the office and ER copays, and how your specific doctors bill Medicare. Our team at Senior65.com can walk through these details for your state and situation, at no cost to you. Getting a Med Sup quote on Senior65.com typically takes less than 30 seconds.
Our help is free, and by law no one can offer you a lower price on the same plan. If you’re ready to compare Plan N against Plan G or another option for your area, get a Medigap quote, or call 800-930-7956 to speak with our team directly.