Medigap Plan G Premiums Are Rising Faster Than Usual, With Some Rates Up More Than 26 Percent in 2026

Rate filings reviewed by KFF Health News show that Plan G, the most commonly purchased Medicare supplement type, saw premium increases ranging from just over 12 percent to more than 26 percent in the first quarter of 2026. The increases, drawn from early 2026 state insurance commission filings by Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana, Mutual of Omaha, and UnitedHealthcare, represent a sharper pace of change than many beneficiaries have experienced in prior years.

More than 12 million Americans, about 43 percent of traditional Medicare beneficiaries, use Medigap coverage to help pay for costs that original Medicare does not cover, such as hospital deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments. Plan G, which covers most Medicare-approved costs outside the Part B deductible, has grown in popularity since Plan F closed to new enrollees in 2020.

Rising rates reflect several factors, according to the reporting: higher use of medical services after the pandemic, an aging beneficiary pool, labor and supply cost increases in healthcare, and state-level regulatory rules that affect how insurers set rates.

In one example from the reporting, a 65-year-old woman in Alaska saw her Plan G monthly premium rise from about 172 dollars to about 192 dollars in a single year.

Beneficiaries who want to switch Medigap plans outside a guaranteed-issue window may face medical underwriting in most states, which means they could be denied coverage or charged more based on health conditions. The annual enrollment period running October 15 through December 7 does not include guaranteed-issue rights for Medigap unless an enrollee is also leaving a Medicare Advantage plan.