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United Healthcare Medigap Plan F in 2027: Who Can Buy It, What It Pays and When to Rethink It

Reviewed by Russell Noga, Licensed Medicare Insurance Broker (all 50 states) — Last updated November 8, 2026

UnitedHealthcare still sells Medigap Plan F in most states, but only to people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020, and the policy pays every Medicare-approved cost that Original Medicare leaves behind, including the Part B deductible and excess charges. For 2027, a current Plan F holder’s main question is whether its premium costs more than Plan G’s premium plus the projected $292 Part B deductible.

2027 by the Numbers

29.70%

UnitedHealthcare share of U.S. Medigap enrollment at the end of 2025 (Mark Farrah Associates report for UnitedHealthcare)

4,169,443

Americans with Plan F at the end of 2025, down from 5,318,043 three years earlier (same reports)

$292

projected 2027 Part B deductible, the one cost Plan F pays that Plan G does not (Medicare Trustees)

Plan F was the most popular Medicare Supplement for years, and UnitedHealthcare, the largest Medigap insurer in the country, holds a large block of those policies. Since 2020, federal law has barred insurers from selling Plan F to anyone newly eligible for Medicare, so the group of Plan F owners is closed and getting older each year.

This page explains who can still buy a UnitedHealthcare Plan F, what it pays, and how to test whether keeping it still makes financial sense. A rundown of every letter the company sells is on our UnitedHealthcare Medicare Supplement plans page.

✔ Licensed in all 50 states
✔ Based on CMS 2027 data
✔ Free plan comparison

Key Highlights

✔

Plan F covers the Part A deductible, Part B deductible, coinsurance and excess charges.

✔

Only people eligible for Medicare before 2020 can buy it, even if they enrolled later.

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National Plan F enrollment fell about 22% from 2022 to 2025 while Plan G grew about 31%.

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If F costs more than $292 a year above G, Plan G is cheaper in every year.

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Who Can Still Buy a UnitedHealthcare Plan F

The cutoff is about eligibility, not enrollment. A person who turned 65 in 2019 but delayed Part B while working can still buy Plan F later, because that person was eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020.

Eligible to buy Plan F

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Turned 65 before January 1, 2020

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Qualified for Medicare under 65 because of a disability or end-stage renal disease before 2020

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Was eligible before 2020 but signed up for Part B later

Not eligible

✔

Turned 65 on or after January 1, 2020

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First qualified for Medicare through disability in 2020 or later

UnitedHealthcare’s Medigap policies are issued by UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or an affiliate, and the letters it files differ by state. Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin use their own plan designs, so Plan F as a letter does not exist there.

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What Plan F Pays in 2027

Original Medicare cost Amount Plan F pays
Part A deductible per benefit period $1,736 in 2026; 2027 amount not yet announced 100%
Part B deductible $292 projected for 2027 100%
Part B coinsurance Usually 20% with no cap 100%
Part B excess charges Up to 15% above the approved amount 100%
Skilled nursing coinsurance, days 21-100 Daily amount set each year 100%
Emergency care abroad Not covered by Medicare 80% after a $250 deductible, up to a $50,000 lifetime limit

Standardized Plan F benefits per CMS. Plan F does not cover prescription drugs, dental, vision or hearing aids.

A fuller explanation of the letter itself is in our what is a Medigap Plan F guide.

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A Shrinking Pool: National Plan F Enrollment

UnitedHealthcare commissions yearly Medigap market reports from Mark Farrah Associates, based on the Medicare Supplement experience exhibits insurers file with state regulators. Comparing the end-of-2022 and end-of-2025 reports shows how fast the market is moving away from Plan F.

Measure Dec. 31, 2022 Dec. 31, 2025 Change (our math)
Plan F enrollees, U.S. 5,318,043 4,169,443 -21.6%
Plan F share of Medigap 38.63% 30.18% -8.45 points
Plan G enrollees, U.S. 4,827,422 6,321,431 +30.9%
UnitedHealthcare Medigap enrollees 4,372,111 4,266,891 -2.4%

Figures from the 2023 and 2026 editions of the report; plan-letter totals exclude California plans regulated by the Department of Managed Health Care.

Why a closed block matters: No new 65-year-olds can join Plan F, so the people left in it get older on average each year. Insurers set rates by state and by policy form, and an aging pool can put upward pressure on premiums, although actual increases depend on each insurer’s claims and state approval.

Our Math: The $292 Break-Even Between Plan F and Plan G

Plan G pays everything Plan F pays except the Part B deductible. That makes the comparison simple: if the yearly premium gap between the two is larger than the deductible, Plan G costs less even in a year with heavy medical use. The premium gaps below are examples, not UnitedHealthcare prices.

Example monthly premium gap (F minus G) Yearly gap Result with a $292 deductible
$15 $180 Plan F saves up to $112 in a year the deductible is met
$25 $300 About even; Plan G saves $8
$40 $480 Plan G saves at least $188
$60 $720 Plan G saves at least $428

Our own illustration using the projected 2027 Part B deductible. Plug in the real gap from your own two quotes.

Price comparisons for the two letters are covered in our Plan F vs Plan G cost guide, and the G version from the same company is on our United Healthcare Medicare Plan G page.

Switching From UnitedHealthcare Plan F to Plan G

Moving from F to G is a move to lesser benefits, which matters in states with yearly switching rules. In most other states, the new policy usually requires answering health questions.

1

Get a Plan G quote Ask UnitedHealthcare and at least one other insurer for Plan G at your current age and ZIP code.

2

Check your state’s rules California, Oregon, Idaho, Kentucky, Maryland and Nevada are among the states with birthday-based windows that allow a move to equal or lesser benefits without underwriting; rules differ by state.

3

Apply before canceling Keep Plan F active until the Plan G application is approved in writing.

4

Cancel Plan F after approval Once the new policy is issued, cancel Plan F in writing so premiums do not overlap for long.

Health matters most: Anyone who might not pass underwriting should not drop Plan F first. A guaranteed renewable Plan F cannot be canceled for health reasons, which is its own kind of value. Timing options are covered in our when can I switch Medicare Supplement plans guide.

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High-Deductible Plan F for Pre-2020 Enrollees

Federal rules also allow a high-deductible version of Plan F, open only to the same pre-2020 group. For 2027 its deductible is $3,050, after which it pays like regular Plan F. Insurers decide whether to file it in each state, so availability from UnitedHealthcare varies.

$3,050

2027 high-deductible F and G deductible (CMS)

$0

out of pocket on regular Plan F for Medicare-covered care

$2,400

2027 Part D out-of-pocket cap, paid on top of any Medigap plan

A Pre-Renewal Checklist for Plan F Holders

Before paying another year of premiums

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Read any rate-change letter and note the new monthly premium

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Compare it with a Plan G quote plus the $292 projected deductible

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Confirm whether a household or multi-insured discount still applies

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Check whether your state has a birthday or anniversary switching window

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Review your Part D plan during annual enrollment, Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, 2026, since Plan F has no drug coverage

None of these steps requires leaving Plan F. They simply show whether its guaranteed full coverage is still priced fairly for the year ahead.

Bottom Line

The Bottom Line

UnitedHealthcare Plan F remains the most complete Medigap letter, but it is closed to anyone eligible for Medicare in 2020 or later, and the national pool is shrinking fast. Current owners can test it each year: if F costs more than $292 a year above Plan G and they can pass underwriting or use a state switching window, Plan G is likely the better buy.

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Frequently Asked Questions

➤ Can I buy UnitedHealthcare Plan F if I turned 65 in 2021?

No. Plan F can only be sold to people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. Someone who turned 65 in 2021 can look at Plan G instead.

➤ I turned 65 in 2019 but delayed Part B. Can I still get Plan F?

Yes. Eligibility, not enrollment, is what counts. A person who was eligible before 2020 can buy Plan F later, though health questions may apply outside open enrollment or a guaranteed-issue right.

➤ Will UnitedHealthcare cancel my Plan F because it is no longer sold to new enrollees?

No. Medigap policies are guaranteed renewable, so the insurer cannot cancel Plan F as long as premiums are paid and the application was truthful.

➤ How many people still have Plan F?

Reports prepared for UnitedHealthcare by Mark Farrah Associates counted 4,169,443 Plan F enrollees nationally at the end of 2025, about 30% of the Medigap market. Three years earlier the count was 5,318,043.

➤ Is UnitedHealthcare Plan F different from another company’s Plan F?

No. Plan F benefits are standardized by federal law, so every insurer’s Plan F pays the same costs. Premiums, discounts and rate history are what differ.

➤ Is Plan F worth keeping in 2027?

It depends on the price gap with Plan G. If Plan F costs more than about $292 a year above Plan G, Plan G will cost less overall, but switching usually requires passing health questions.

➤ Does UnitedHealthcare offer high-deductible Plan F?

It depends on the state, because insurers file letters state by state. Where sold, the 2027 deductible is $3,050, and only people eligible for Medicare before 2020 can buy it.

➤ Does Plan F cover prescription drugs?

No. Plan F does not include drug coverage. Plan F holders need a separate Part D plan, which has a $2,400 out-of-pocket cap and a maximum $700 deductible in 2027.

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TTY users 711  |  Mon–Fri: 5am–7pm, Sat–Sun: 7am–4pm CT

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