As of 2020, people who are new to Medicare cannot enroll in Medicare Supplement Plan F, also known as Medigap Plan F. But if you are already enrolled in Plan F, you can keep it.
Medicare Supplement Plan F is a Medigap plan that helps pay for out-of-pocket costs that Original Medicare (parts A and B) does not cover.
Medicare currently offers 10 Medigap plans, including Plan F.
As of January 1, 2020, Medigap plans are no longer allowed to cover the Medicare Part B deductible. This means that people who are new to Medicare in 2020 and beyond can no longer enroll in Plan F, which does cover the Part B deductible.
People who are already enrolled in Plan F can keep it, though. Medigap policies are guaranteed to be renewable as long as you maintain your enrollment and pay the monthly premium associated with your policy.
This article explains why Plan F is no longer available to new Medicare enrollees and which other Medigap plans offer similar coverage.
Original Medicare (parts A and B) pays for about 80% of healthcare-related costs. Supplemental insurance policies like Medigap can help pay for the remaining costs, sometimes significantly lowering out-of-pocket expenses.
About 1 in 4 people with Original Medicare also have a Medigap policy. These policies are sold by private companies and have an additional monthly premium.
Plan F is one of the 10 standardized Medigap plans. In addition to the standard version, a high deductible option is also available in some areas. This option has a lower monthly premium, but you must meet a deductible of $2,870 in 2025 before your policy starts paying for costs.
Out of all of the Medigap plans, Plan F is the most inclusive. Plan F covers 100% of the following costs:
- Part A deductible
- Part A coinsurance and hospital costs
- Part A skilled nursing facility coinsurance
- Part A hospice coinsurance and copays
- Part B deductible
- Part B coinsurance and copays
- Part B excess charges
- blood (first three pints)
Plan F also covers 80% of medical needs when you’re traveling outside the United States.
One of the rules enacted by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) is that Medigap plans are no longer allowed to cover the Medicare Part B deductible. This change went into effect on January 1, 2020.
This new rule affected Medigap plans that cover the Part B deductible, including Plan F. This means that, as of January 2020, Plan F is no longer an option for people who enroll in Medicare.
If you were eligible for Medicare prior to January 1, 2020, but didn’t enroll at that time, you may still be able to buy a Plan F policy.
Some Medigap plans have similar benefits to Plan F. If you’re newly eligible for Medicare and would like to purchase a Medigap policy similar to Plan F, consider the following plans:
The table below compares Plan F coverage with similar Medigap plans:
| Covered cost | Plan F | Plan G | Plan D | Plan N |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part A deductible | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Part A coinsurance and hospital costs | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Part A skilled nursing facility coinsurance | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Part A hospice coinsurance and copays | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Part B deductible | 100% | — | — | — |
| Part B coinsurance and copays | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% (except for some copays related to office and ER visits) |
| Part B excess charges | 100% | 100% | — | — |
| blood (first three pints) | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| international travel | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% |
Plan F is one of the 10 types of Medigap plans. It covers a breadth of expenditures that Original Medicare doesn’t pay for.
Starting in 2020, new rules prohibit Medigap policies from covering the Medicare Part B deductible. Because of this, people who are new to Medicare in 2020 won’t be able to enroll in Plan F. Those who already have Plan F, however, can keep it.
Some Medigap plans offer coverage that’s very similar to Plan F, including Plan G, Plan D, and Plan N.
If you are enrolling in Medicare this year, comparing different Medigap policies offered in your area can help you find the best coverage for your needs.