Central New York guide
Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Plans in New York: What Makes New York Different
A Medicare Supplement, or Medigap, plan fills the gaps in Original Medicare. New York has some of the most consumer-friendly Medigap rules in the country, which matters a great deal when an insurer leaves the market. This guide covers how the plans work, the New York rules, and what to compare.
Updated . Written for the 2027 plan year.
What a Medicare Supplement pays
Original Medicare pays most of the cost of covered hospital and medical care, but it leaves deductibles, coinsurance, and copays for you to pay, with no annual limit. A Medicare Supplement is a private policy that pays some or all of those leftover costs. You use it alongside Original Medicare, and it works with any doctor or hospital in the United States that accepts Medicare, with no network and no referrals.
Medigap plans sold today do not include prescription drug coverage, so most people pair one with a standalone Part D plan.
The lettered plans
Medigap plans are standardized by letter (A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N). A Plan G from one insurer covers exactly what Plan G from another insurer covers; what differs is the premium and the company's service and rate history. Plans C and F, which cover the Part B deductible, are only available to people who became eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. Plan G and Plan N are the most common choices for people new to Medigap today.
Why New York is different
- Continuous open enrollment: New York requires Medigap insurers to accept applicants at any time of year, regardless of health history. There is no medical underwriting and no waiting for a special window.
- Community rating: New York Medigap premiums do not vary by age, so a 78-year-old pays the same rate as a 65-year-old for the same plan from the same company.
- No Part B excess charges: New York prohibits doctors from billing more than the Medicare-approved amount, so the excess-charge exposure that Plan N carries in other states does not apply here.
- One caution: an insurer may apply a waiting period of up to six months for pre-existing conditions if you did not have prior creditable coverage. Prior coverage, including a Medicare Advantage plan that is ending, counts toward reducing or eliminating that wait.
- Federal law separately gives you a 63-day guaranteed-issue window after a Medicare Advantage plan is terminated, but in New York the year-round rule already covers you.
Medigap plus Part D
Because Medigap has no drug coverage, choose a standalone Part D plan with the same start date. Going without creditable drug coverage for 63 days or more can add a permanent late enrollment penalty to your Part D premium.
What to compare
- The premium for the same lettered plan across companies, since the benefits are identical by law.
- Each company's history of rate increases. Community rating means your premium does not rise because you age, but it can rise for everyone on the plan.
- Plan G (higher premium, very little out of pocket) versus Plan N (lower premium, small copays for office and emergency visits).
- Any household or other discounts the company offers, and how claims and customer service are handled.
Is a Supplement the right move after an Excellus non-renewal?
If your Excellus Medicare Advantage plan is ending, this is a natural moment to consider Original Medicare with a Supplement, because New York's rules mean nothing about your health can be held against you, and it is the choice that keeps every doctor. The trade-off is a separate monthly premium for the Supplement, plus the need for a separate drug plan. A licensed agent can put the two paths next to each other with your doctors and prescriptions filled in.