How Much Is the Average Cost for Medicare Supplement Plan F?

Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) Plan F is the most popular Medigap plan, with 55 percent of Medigap beneficiaries enrolled in Plan F in 2016.¹

But how much does Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan F cost?

The average premium for Medicare Supplement Plan F was $169.14 per month in 2018.²

Learn more about the average cost of Medigap Plan F in each state in 2018, and find out if the benefits of Plan F work for your health coverage needs.

What is the average cost of Medigap Plan F by state?

The chart below shows the average cost of Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan F for each state in 2018.²

Plan F was less expensive in Iowa, New Mexico and South Carolina in 2018, and more expensive in New York, Connecticut and North Dakota. Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin have different Medigap plan standards.

Note: Plan cost data was not available for Massachusetts, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin and Washington D.C.

How much does high-deductible Plan F cost?

Plan F also offers a high-deductible option. With this Medigap plan option, you typically  pay a lower premium in exchange for a higher deductible.  

The average premium for high deductible Plan F in 2018 was $57.16 per month, or roughly one-third of the average monthly cost of the traditional Plan F.²

In 2019, high-deductible Plan F offers an annual deductible of $2,300, meaning you are responsible for paying the first $2,300 worth of covered expenses before the plan’s coverage begins.

What can affect the average cost of Plan F?

The average cost of Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan F — or any Medigap plan for that matter — can be influenced by a number of factors.

• Location
  As you can see from the chart above, the average monthly cost of Medigap Plan F can vary quite a bit from one state to another. The cost of a Medicare Supplement Insurance plan can vary based on location in the same way that a gallon of gas or milk can.
  
  It’s likely no coincidence that of the five states with the highest average cost for Plan F, four rank in the top ten most expensive states to live in the U.S. in 2018.³
  
  
• Insurance carrier
  Medicare Supplement Insurance is sold by private insurance companies. These companies can set their own premium rates. A licensed insurance agent can help you compare plans from several different Medicare Supplement Insurance providers.
  
  
• Benefits
  Because Plan F provides more benefits than any other type of Medigap plan, Plan F may have higher monthly premiums than other types of Medigap plans in some areas.

Other factors such as age, gender, smoking status and health can also affect Medigap plan rates.

Should I choose Medigap Plan F?

The true cost of a Medigap plan is not limited to just the monthly premium. You may also want to consider how much you will end up spending on out-of-pocket Medicare costs over the course of the year that your Medigap plan doesn’t cover.

One potential benefit of choosing Plan F is that it covers many out-of-pocket Medicare costs.

The chart below shows how Plan F compares with of other types of Medigap plans.

What is happening to Plan C and Plan F in 2020?

Some Medicare beneficiaries commonly ask, “Is Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan F ending?”

The answer is that Plan F, as well as Plan C, are not ending. Because of a new federal law, Plan F and Plan C won’t be available for Medicare beneficiaries who became eligible on or after January 1, 2020.

If you already have Plan C or Plan F before 2020, you will be able to keep your plan. If you become eligible for Medicare before 2020, you may still be able to buy either Plan C or Plan F after January 1, 2020, if either is available where you live.

Explore Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan F costs where you live

A licensed insurance agent can help you explore the Medicare Supplement Plan F options that may be available in your area, including the average cost of your Medigap plan options.