What Is a Medicare Supplement (Medigap)?

A Medicare Supplement (also called Medigap) is a private policy that pairs with Original Medicare to help pay the deductibles, coinsurance, and copays that Parts A and B leave behind.

Medigap plans are standardized — Plan G and Plan N are the most popular today — meaning the benefits of each lettered plan are identical no matter which insurer you buy from. The only differences are price, customer service, and rate stability.

With Medigap, you can see any provider in the country that accepts Medicare. There are no networks and no referrals — a major advantage for people who travel or split time between states.

The best time to buy a Medigap plan is during your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period that starts when you're 65 and enrolled in Part B. During this window, you can get any plan with no health questions asked.