Medigap Plan F: Who Can Still Buy It and Why
Plan F pays every Medicare-approved cost after Medicare, but only people eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020 can buy it. Who qualifies, and how to weigh a move to Plan G.
Medigap Plan F is the most complete Medicare Supplement ever sold. It pays every gap in Original Medicare's approved costs, including the Part B deductible, with only the foreign travel benefit paid at 80%. But since January 1, 2020, federal law has closed Plan F (and Plan C) to anyone newly eligible for Medicare. You can buy Plan F only if you were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. If you already have Plan F, you can keep it as long as you pay the premium. This guide explains who still qualifies, what the cutoff means for people who delayed Part B, and how to decide whether to stay on Plan F or move to Plan G.
The short answer
- Plan F pays 100% of the Medicare-approved costs Original Medicare leaves you, including the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026) and Part B excess charges.
- Only people eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020 can buy it. If you turned 65 or first qualified for Medicare on or after that date, Plan F is not available to you; Plan G is the closest plan.
- If you have Plan F today, it is guaranteed renewable: the company cannot cancel it as long as you pay your premium.
- Because no one newly eligible for Medicare can join Plan F, it is worth comparing your Plan F premium with Plan G every so often.
What Plan F covers
In Jackie's words, Plan F "features the most coverage available of the offered Medicare Supplements." Under the Medicare.gov standardized chart it pays, in full, the Part A deductible ($1,736 per benefit period in 2026), the Part B deductible ($283), Part B coinsurance and excess charges, Part A hospital and hospice coinsurance with 365 extra hospital days, skilled nursing coinsurance and the first three pints of blood. Foreign travel emergencies are paid at 80% up to plan limits.
Put simply, Plan F is Plan G plus the Part B deductible. On Plan F you can walk out of a Medicare-approved appointment with no bill at all, which is the convenience its long-time owners value. Like every supplement sold today, it does not include drug coverage, so you keep a separate Part D plan.
Who can buy Plan F
You can buy Plan F (or Plan C) only if you were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. Eligible is the key word: if you turned 65 before 2020 but delayed Part B because you were still working, you can still buy Plan F later, because you were eligible before the cutoff. The same is true if you had Medicare before 2020 because of a disability.
Everyone else, including people who turned 65 in 2020 or later, can buy Plan G instead.
| Your situation | Plan F available? |
|---|---|
| Turned 65 and became eligible for Medicare in 2019 or earlier | Yes |
| Eligible before 2020 but delayed Part B while working, enrolling now | Yes |
| On Medicare before 2020 because of a disability | Yes |
| Turned 65 in 2020 or later | No; Plan G is the closest plan |
| Already has Plan F | Yes, can keep it while premiums are paid |
Source: 2026 Medicare Parts A and B premiums and deductibles.
High deductible Plan F
A high deductible version of Plan F exists for the same pre-2020 group. Its deductible is the same one CMS sets for high deductible Plan G: $2,950 in 2026 and $3,050 in 2027 (CMS). Its premium is lower to reflect that.
Stay on Plan F or move to Plan G?
Plan F and Plan G differ by one benefit: the Part B deductible, $283 in 2026. Divide that by twelve and the break-even is about $23.58 a month. If a Plan G quote for your age and ZIP code is more than that below your current Plan F premium, Plan G would cost you less over a year for the same coverage, as long as you can get it.
The catch is getting it. Outside a guaranteed issue situation, a company selling you Plan G can ask health questions, and New Jersey has no birthday rule that would let you switch without them (NAIC state chart, May 11, 2026). If you have had a new diagnosis, surgery or hospital stay since you bought Plan F, staying put may be the safer choice. If you are healthy, a Plan G application is worth pricing.
Remember too that CMS resets the Part B deductible each year, so the break-even moves with it. The 2027 amount is announced around November 2026.
Switching from Plan F to Plan G, step by step
- Find your latest Plan F premium notice and your Medicare card, so the comparison uses real figures.
- Get Plan G quotes, then apply with the company you choose. Answer the medical questions completely and honestly.
- Wait for written approval and a confirmed effective date, ideally the first of a month.
- Use the 30-day free look on the new policy: you pay both premiums for that month, and you can still change your mind (Medicare.gov).
- Only then cancel Plan F, in writing, and stop any automatic bank draft for it.
- Leave your Part D plan alone: it is separate and is not affected by changing supplements.
What Jackie checks for you
- Whether you were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020, from your Medicare card dates.
- Your current Plan F premium against Plan F and Plan G premiums for your age and ZIP code from the companies she is appointed with.
- Whether a switch would mean health questions, and how likely approval is, before anything is canceled.
- That your Part D plan still fits your prescriptions for 2027.
The bottom line
Plan F still offers the fullest Medicare Supplement coverage, but only people eligible for Medicare before 2020 can buy it. If you have it, check once in a while whether a Plan G quote beats your premium by more than about $23.58 a month, and switch only after a new policy is approved. Jackie can check your options and the numbers at no cost: call or text (856) 727-4221.
Want to go through this with someone?
Jackie Layser will go through your doctors, your prescriptions and your real numbers by phone, Zoom or in person, and explain plainly what we found. Solutions You Can Count On.
Prefer to talk it through? Book a no-cost consultation by phone, Zoom or in person, and find official Medicare forms and publications on our Resources page.
Sources
- Medicare.gov: Compare Medigap plan benefits, Medicare.gov (CMS)
- 2026 Medicare Parts A and B premiums and deductibles, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- CMS: Deductible amount for Medigap high deductible options F, G and J, calendar year 2027, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- State Medigap rules: birthday rule and coverage under 65 (as of May 11, 2026), National Association of Insurance Commissioners
- Medicare.gov: Can I switch or drop my Medigap policy?, Medicare.gov (CMS)
Please note: We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options. Garden State Medicare Solutions is not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program. Medicare has neither endorsed nor reviewed this information.