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What Is Medigap Plan N? What You Need to Know

Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan N is a good option if you don’t visit the doctor frequently.

Medigap Plan N offers nearly the same benefits as higher-coverage plans, such as Plan G, but often at lower monthly premiums. A potential downside is that you pay copays of up to $20 for medical office visits and up to $50 for non-admitted emergency visits.

Medicare Supplement Insurance, or Medigap, is sold by private insurance companies to cover certain copays, coinsurance and deductibles left over from Original Medicare. If you expect to have relatively infrequent medical appointments, Medigap Plan N may be a more cost-effective option compared with other Medigap plan types.

Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan N is often called Medigap Plan N. You might also see it referred to as "Medicare Plan N" or even "Medicare Part N," even though those labels aren't quite accurate.

What is Medicare Supplement Plan N?

Once Medicare pays its approved amount for health care costs and services, Medicare Supplement Plan N pays for certain out-of-pocket costs, such as your Medicare Part A deductible or Part B coinsurance. However, there are copays for certain doctor’s office visits and emergency room visits:

  • Office visits:

    Up to $20 for some office visits.

  • Emergency room visits:

    Up to $50 if you're not admitted to hospital inpatient care.

After that, Plan N covers anything of your Part B copay or coinsurance that's left.

Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan N is the third most popular plan type, covering about 10% of all Medigap members as of 2022. Plan F and Plan G have more members (and of the two, only Plan G is available to new Medicare members).

Medigap plans are only available if you have Original Medicare — they can’t be used with Medicare Advantage plans.

There are 10 standardized Medigap plans available in most states (except Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin, which use different standards). The plans differ in terms of coverage for services, out-of-pocket limits and premium costs. Compare Medicare Supplement plans' costs and coverage to find the best fit for you.

Medicare Supplement Plan N pros and cons

Medigap Plan N has advantages and disadvantages:

» MORE:

Medigap Plan N vs. Plan G

What Medigap Plan N covers

Here’s what Plan N covers, according to Medicare.gov:

  • Part A coinsurance and hospital stays up to an additional 365 days after Medicare benefits are used up.

  • Part A deductible.

  • Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment.

  • Part B coinsurance (copayments are up to $20 per office visit and up to $50 per emergency room visit; waived if admitted).

  • Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance.

  • Blood transfusion (first three pints).

  • Medically necessary emergency health care service for the first 60 days when traveling outside the U.S. Deductible and limitations apply.

What Medigap Plan N doesn’t cover

Medigap Plan N is one of the more comprehensive Medicare Supplement Insurance plans. However, there's one benefit included in some other plans that Plan N doesn’t cover — Medicare Part B excess charges (if a provider is permitted to charge more than Medicare’s approved amount and does so).

Additionally, all Medigap plans, including Plan N, sold to new Medicare members don’t cover the following:

  • Part B deductible. (Since 2020, new Medicare members can’t buy any plan that covers the Part B deductible, although existing members may own older plans that do.)

  • Prescription drugs.

  • Long-term care (like non-skilled care you get in a nursing home).

  • Dental care.

  • Vision care.

  • Hearing aids.

  • Private-duty nursing.

How much does Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan N cost per month?

Private companies sell Medigap policies, and they each set their own prices. Medigap Plan N premiums for a 65-year-old nonsmoker range from $90 to $232 per month in Atlanta, which has average costs among major U.S. metro areas for the most popular plan types.

The cost of a Medigap Plan N policy can vary based on factors including age, location and tobacco use.

» MORE:

How much does a Medicare Supplement Insurance plan cost?

Buy Medigap Plan N during Medigap open enrollment

The best time to buy a Medicare Supplement Insurance policy is during your Medigap open enrollment period.

When shopping for a Medigap plan, review your medical records. If you don’t frequently visit the doctor, then Plan N may be the better option for you.

Compare alternative plans