What are the Top 5 Medicare Supplement Plans

If you’re looking for supplemental coverage to go with Medicare (Original Medicare Parts A & B), the top five Medigap (supplement) plans for 2025 are typically: Plan G, Plan N, Plan F (if you’re eligible), Plan A, and Plan L. Each offers a different balance of cost vs. coverage. What really matters is your health, how much you’ll use care, budget, and whether you became Medicare-eligible before Jan 1 2020 (because that affects Plan F & C availability).
Let’s break down what that means, how to choose wisely, and what to watch out for.

Table of Contents

1. What is a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan?

Before picking the “top” plans, you have to understand what these do.

After enrolling in Original Medicare (Parts A & B), you’ll still face copays, coinsurance, deductibles, and other costs. Medigap (also called Medicare Supplement Insurance) is private insurance you buy to fill some of those gaps.
The plans are standardized by letter (Plan A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, N). Across insurers in most states, a given letter has the same basic set of benefits.
Key caveat: For people who become eligible for Medicare on or after Jan 1 2020, Plan F and Plan C are not available.
What the plans don’t cover: things like long-term care, dental/vision/hearing, prescription drugs (you need Part D for that) so the “top” plans still don’t do everything.

What this really means: Choosing a Medigap plan isn’t just about “which one is best” it’s about your specific scenario (health, budget, enrolment date, state of residence).
There are a lot of plan letters but only some make sense for many people.

2. Criteria: How I judged the “top” 5 plans

Because “top” means different things, here’s how I picked these five:

Coverage breadth: How many out-of-pocket costs the plan handles.
Popularity / availability: What many beneficiaries pick (which often signals value).
Cost vs benefit balance: Premiums vs reduced risk of surprise bills.
Eligibility restrictions: Especially the 2020 restriction.
Flexibility / future-proofing: Being able to switch, medical underwriting risks, and your ability to enroll at optimal time.

With those in mind, here are the top picks and what makes each stand out then I’ll show how to decide which one you should pick.

3. Top 5 Medigap Plans: What they are & when they shine

1. Plan G

What it covers: Almost everything that Original Medicare doesn’t (hospital coinsurance, doctor coinsurance, excess charges in many cases, etc.), except the Medicare Part B deductible.
Why it’s top: Since Plan F is often unavailable for new eligibles, Plan G has become one of the most popular “comprehensive” options.
When it’s a good pick: If you want strong coverage, you anticipate moderate-to-high medical usage, you want fewer surprise costs, and you qualify (i.e., you’re eligible for Medicare now)
Things to check: Premiums will be higher than minimal-coverage plans; you still pay the Part B deductible.
Mini-hook: If you hate surprise medical bills, Plan G might give peace of mind.

2. Plan N

What it covers: Very good coverage, but it may require copays for some doctor visits and emergency room visits; it doesn’t cover Part B excess charges.
Why it’s top: It strikes a strong value balance coverage high, but lower premium than top full-coverage options in many cases.
When it’s a good pick: If you’re relatively healthy, don’t expect heavy medical usage, want decent protection but want to save on monthly cost.
Things to check: You’ll have to pay copays (e.g., for ER visits), and if you see a lot of out-of-network/remote doctors, you want to check how those copays apply.
Mini-hook: Lower monthly cost, but a little out-of-pocket risk remains.

3. Plan F (if you’re eligible)

What it covers: The most comprehensive covers virtually all Medicare-covered costs plus Part B deductible and excess charges.
Why it’s top: For those who qualify, it is the “luxury” Medigap plan almost no cost sharing beyond premium.
When it’s a good pick: If you became eligible for Medicare before Jan 1 2020, you qualify; you use a lot of health services; you want minimal risk; and you’re okay paying higher premium.
Things to check: If you’re newly eligible, you may not get this plan; premiums likely high; may not be the best value if you’re very healthy.
Mini-hook: If you can get it, it’s “full coverage” but it may cost more than the benefit is worth if you’re low-use.

4. Plan A

What it covers: Basic Medigap coverage: hospital coinsurance, Part A hospice, some blood/transfusions; a minimal from the library of plans.
Why it’s top: Because for some people, a “boring” plan plus low premium is exactly the right answer. If you’re healthy, want just a safety net, Plan A can be the budget-conscious pick.
When it’s a good pick: If you’re in good health, anticipate low usage, want to minimize premium, and are comfortable paying some coinsurance.
Things to check: You’ll need to cover more out-of-pocket cost than someone on Plan G or F; check your doctor/usage pattern.
Mini-hook: Sometimes “less” is just right if fewer doctor visits are your norm.

5. Plan L

What it covers: Medium-level coverage. Shares costs (25% of many Part B coinsurance) until you hit an out-of-pocket maximum (around $3,610 in 2024) after which plan pays 100%.
Why it’s top: It’s a compromise – more protection than basic plans, but less premium than highest-coverage ones.
When it’s a good pick: If you want stronger protection than Plan A/N but can tolerate some shared cost; you’re moderately healthy; you like predictable cap of out-of-pocket risk.
Things to check: That annual OOP cap matters a lot; if you expect heavy usage beyond that cap, you’ll want to run numbers.
Mini-hook: Want balance, not extremes? Plan L might fit.

4. How to choose your Plan: Step-by-Step

Here’s how I’d walk a smart friend through picking a plan:

Step 1: Determine your eligibility & restrictions

Did you become eligible for Medicare before Jan 1 2020? If yes, you may qualify for Plan F or C. If no, those are off the table.
What state you live in (some states offer different variations).
Are you currently in Original Medicare (Parts A & B)? Because Medigap works only with that (not with Medicare Advantage typically).

Step 2: Estimate your expected medical usage

Do you already have chronic conditions, frequent doctor/hospital visits, specialists, EMERGENCY risk (travel, etc)?
Are you relatively healthy and expect low usage?
Do you travel often (some plans cover foreign emergency care).

Step 3: Compare premiums vs out-of-pocket risk

Get quotes for your ZIP code for the lettered plans you’re eligible for. Premiums differ by insurer, state, age, gender, smoking status.
For each plan: evaluate how much you would pay in premiums plus how much you might have to pay out-of-pocket (deductibles, copays, etc).
Example: Plan G vs Plan N higher premium vs slightly higher cost-sharing. Which makes sense for YOU?

Step 4: Consider stability & flexibility

Once you pick a plan and insurer, switching later may require medical underwriting (if you’re not in a special enrollment window).
Premiums can increase annually; check insurer’s history for premium hikes.
How long you plan to keep Original Medicare + Medigap: If long‐term, maybe more coverage now pays off later.
Other features: customer service of insurer, discounts, additional benefits (some insurers throw in incentives).

Step 5: Final decision & enrollment timing

It’s best to enroll during your Medigap open enrollment window (6 months after your Medicare Part B begins) because you’ll have guaranteed issue rights.
Fill out application carefully, compare insurers, compare quoting platforms.
Keep your budget in mind: if a premium hike would squeeze you, maybe the “medium” option is safer.

Micro-story:
My Aunt Joan turned 65 last year. She is healthy, sees a doctor twice a year, visits no specialists, travels occasionally but not abroad. She compared Plan G and Plan N. Plan G premium was high, so she chose Plan N. She accepted paying small copays for office/ER visits in exchange for lower monthly cost. Six months in, she had two check-ups and one unexpected ER trip (just observation). Her total cost (premium + copays) was still less than what she feared with a high premium plan. If she’d been sicker, she would’ve gone for Plan G.

5. Common Mistakes to Avoid

Choosing just by premium: Lowest monthly cost might make sense now but higher out-of-pocket risk later.
Not checking eligibility rules: E.g., assuming you can get Plan F when you turn 65 after 2020.
Ignoring future changes: Health may change, premiums may go up.
Ignoring plan availability in state: Some insurers don’t offer all plan letters in every state.
Assuming Medigap covers everything: Prescription drugs, vision/dental/hearing & long-term care are typically not included.
Delaying enrollment: Missing your open enrollment window means you may face underwriting or denial.

6. Summary of Which Plan Might Be “Best” for Different Profiles

Profile	Recommended plan	Why
You want maximum coverage and you became eligible before Jan 1 2020	Plan F	Covers nearly all out-of-pocket costs.
You want very strong coverage, you’re fine paying higher premium, you use care fairly often	Plan G	Almost full coverage except Part B deductible.
You’re healthy/moderate usage, cost conscious, okay with some copays	Plan N	Good value balance.
You’re very healthy, very low usage, want to keep premium low and accept more cost-sharing	Plan A	Basic safety net rather than full protection.
You’re moderate usage, want a mix of strong coverage but lower premium than top tier	Plan L	Shared cost model + out-of-pocket cap.

7. Final Thoughts

Here’s the bottom line: There’s no one “best” Medigap plan for everyone. The “top 5” listed here give you solid options across different needs. What really matters is matching your expected usage, budget, and future outlook. If you’re turning 65 or close to enrollment: start early, compare quotes, understand what you’ll pay both monthly and when you use care, and don’t assume you can “fix” a poor choice later without cost or difficulty.