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January 14, 2022
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View PackagesMedigap is sold by private insurance companies and quite literally fills the “gaps” that Original Medicare doesn’t cover, such as copayments, coinsurance, and deductibles. Certain Medigap plans also offer coverage that Original Medicare lacks, such as emergency medical care costs during international travel. Although these plans are federally regulated and offer the same benefits, private insurance premiums for Medigap policies vary widely, costing anywhere from $51 to $650 per month in 2021. For customers who became eligible for Medicare after January 1, 2020, this Medigap premium must be paid in addition to your standard Part B premium, which is $203 in 2021.
With potentially costly Medigap premiums, Medicare Advantage plans may initially seem like a better choice, especially for healthy individuals. However, it’s a bit more complex than that. For example, with Medicare Advantage, you are responsible for your copays, coinsurance, and deductibles. Unfortunately, with Medicare Advantage or solely Original Medicare, a single surgical procedure costing $100,000 has the potential to leave you with $20,000 in medical bills after all Medicare coverages are applied.
Even healthy individuals have good reason to consider Medigap, especially since everyone’s health eventually begins to decline with age.
Healthy individuals will likely find Medigap Plan G, Plan G-High Deductible, or Plan N most cost-effective, depending on how often you may expect a need for medical care and your level of risk averseness. If you became eligible for Medicare prior to January 1, 2020, then you’d also be eligible for Plan F-High Deductible, which covers Part B coinsurance and copays entirely––another plan of interest for healthy people.
All of these Medigap plans include coverage for emergency medical expenses during international travel. This is in addition to 100 percent coverage for your Part A deductible, Part B excess charges, 365 days of skilled nursing, and Part A coinsurance — all for lower-than-average premiums. Plan G covers Part B copays and coinsurance but costs slightly more than Plan N each month, which limits your Part B costs to a $20 copay for some office visits and up to $50 copay for emergency room visits that don’t result in inpatient admission.
Since the government regulates Medicare supplemental insurance, the actual coverage of each specified plan will be the same across different insurers. With that said, there were some qualities we looked for when making our choices for which insurers offered the best Medigap plans for healthy individuals.
If you want to learn about the best Medigap Plans overall, then check out my rundown of this year’s best Medicare supplemental insurance.
Aetna, which recently became a subsidiary of CVS Health, is an insurance legend with more than a century of experience providing coverage for U.S. residents. Today, Aetna boasts a network of 1.2 million health professionals and serves over 22.1 million medical members. The company’s supplemental Medicare policies are available in most of the country. Aetna also offers stand-alone dental and prescription policies that Medigap subscribers can add to their plans.
To receive a personalized quote for Aetna’s Medigap insurance, you can either call their customer service line or use the quote-finding tool on their website.
| Aetna Medigap Policy | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|
| Plan F – High Deductible | $77 |
| Plan G – High Deductible | $48 |
| Plan G | $124 |
| Plan N | $97 |
*Quote for a 70-year-old nonsmoking woman from Texas
Less than 20 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Philadelphia-based Cigna was established as the Insurance Company of North America. To this day, it remains the United States’ oldest stockholder-owned insurer. Cigna’s Medigap plans are available in 48 states, and the company provides three of the plans we selected as best for healthy individuals.
Plans G and N cover emergency medical expenses endured during international travel and ensure your out-of-pocket costs beyond your Part B premium do not include any surprises. Part F-High Deductible is a low premium option for those willing to spend about $2,000 before coverage starts. Cigna is well known for its 24/7 Health Information Line and its focus on holistic health.
In a matter of minutes, you can obtain a sample quote from Cigna through either their website or customer service hotline.
| Cigna Medigap Policy | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|
| Plan F – High Deductible* | $40 |
| Plan G | $148 |
| Plan N | $109 |
*Quote for a 70-year-old nonsmoking woman from Texas
Since its start in 1909, Mutual of Omaha has been a mutual company owned by and accountable only to its policyholders. As such, Mutual of Omaha customers can be extra confident the company has their well-being in mind. Currently, Mutual of Omaha provides insurance and financial products for personal and business purposes nationwide, including Medigap. Mutual of Omaha offers three of the four policies we identified as great picks for healthy individuals: Plan G, Plan N, and Plan F- High Deductible.
For a personalized Medigap quote from Mutual of Omaha, you can either visit their website or contact them via telephone.
| Mutual of Omaha Medigap Policy | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|
| Plan G – High Deductible | $41 |
| Plan G | $116 |
| Plan N | $91 |
*Quote for a 70-year-old nonsmoking woman from Texas
FYI: In 47 states, people who purchase a Medigap policy after their first six months of eligibility or switch from a Medicare Advantage plan may experience higher premiums, as it’s likely their provider will require information such as age, family history, and preexisting conditions.
Senior advocacy organization AARP has partnered with UnitedHealthcare to form the most popular Medicare supplement provider in America, with over 4 million insured individuals across all 50 states. AARP offers all major Medigap plan options. Among the Medigap plans we identified as best for healthy people, AARP provides Plan F-High Deductible, Plan G, and Plan N.
AARP’s plans also include a few extra incentives for healthy individuals, including free fitness and health memberships, discounts from both AARP and UnitedHealthcare, and round-the-clock access to health experts, healthy recipes, and more. Furthermore, healthy 65-year-old individuals or older can see discounts as high as 39 percent.
To get a personalized quote for AARP Medigap, visit the company’s website and fill out your basic info or call UnitedHealthcare.
| AARP Medigap Policy | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|
| Plan | $40 |
| Plan G | $128 |
| Plan N | $109 |
*Quote for a 70-year-old woman from Texas
Anthem, a Blue Cross Blue Shield Association member, has been a symbol of expertise in the insurance industry for over 75 years and maintains its headquarters in Indiana. Today, Anthem Medigap is available in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Anthem offers two of the plans we designated as best for healthy people: Plan G and Plan N. It does not offer high-deductible choices. Anthem provides enrollment discounts for both spouses or domestic partners as well as a free SilverSneakers program membership. Anthem’s Extras Packages allow you to sign up for stand-alone Anthem vision and/or dental insurance at the same time you select your Medigap plan. You can also add Part D for prescription assistance. Many Anthem Extras packages give you access to both Aetna Member and Travel Assistance programs which help you maintain your health at home as well as on your adventures abroad.
| Anthem Medigap Policy | Monthly Premium |
|---|---|
| Plan G | $151 |
| Plan N | $134 |
*Quote for a 70-year-old woman from Colorado
Certain Anthem payment options allow you to save even more. For example, you can save $2 per month using an automatic bank draft to pay your bill or $48 annually should you prefer to pay in one lump sum.
