UHC Medigap Plans 2027

UnitedHealthcare sells several of the 10 standardized plan letters in most states. The exact lineup depends on your state, and Plans C and F are only for people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020.

Medigap benefits are standardized by plan letter. Prices vary by insurer, age, ZIP code and tobacco use.

A Medicare Supplement plan is built to cover the gaps in Original Medicare. These are the costs it can pick up:

Federal law sets exactly what each plan letter covers, so the same letter has the same benefits from every insurer in your state.

*Plans C and F can only be bought by people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. **Plans K and L have a yearly out-of-pocket limit that Medicare sets each year; after you reach it, the plan pays 100% of covered services for the rest of the year. ***Plan N pays all Part B coinsurance except copays of up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 for emergency room visits that do not lead to an inpatient admission. Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin standardize their plans differently.

If your UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plan is ending for 2027, you generally have a guaranteed issue right to buy certain Medigap plans, including from UnitedHealthcare, without health questions. See UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans.

UnitedHealthcare Plan G covers every gap in Original Medicare except the Part B deductible, including Part B excess charges. UnitedHealthcare Plan N usually costs less each month, but you pay copays of up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 for ER visits that do not lead to admission, and it does not cover excess charges. See UnitedHealthcare Plan G and UnitedHealthcare Plan N.

Most people new to Medicare choose one of these three. Plan G covers every gap except the Part B deductible. Plan N trades a lower premium for copays of up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 for ER visits that do not lead to admission, and it does not cover Part B excess charges. High-Deductible Plan G has a $3,050 deductible for 2027, up from $2,950, then covers like Plan G. See Plan G vs Plan N.

The method depends on the insurer and the state. Ask how a policy is priced before you buy, not just what it costs today.

Federal law also gives you guaranteed issue rights in certain situations, generally within 63 days after other coverage ends:

For 2027, a standalone Part D plan has a maximum deductible of $700 and an out-of-pocket cap of $2,400. Buy one when you buy Medigap to avoid a lifelong late enrollment penalty.

Plans K and L pay a share of most costs instead of all of them: Plan K pays 50% and Plan L pays 75% of most cost sharing, after which you pay the rest. In exchange for lower premiums, both have a yearly out-of-pocket limit that Medicare sets each year. Once you reach it, the plan pays 100% of covered services for the rest of the year.

These plans can suit people who want catastrophic protection at a lower premium and can handle some costs along the way. Ask whether UnitedHealthcare offers Plan K or L in your state.

Plans C and F are the only plans that cover the Part B deductible. Since January 1, 2020, they cannot be sold to people newly eligible for Medicare. If you were eligible for Medicare before that date, even if you did not enroll, you may still be able to buy Plan C or F, including a High-Deductible Plan F with the same $3,050 deductible for 2027.

For most people who can buy either, the question is simple math: compare the yearly premium difference between Plan F and Plan G with the Part B deductible. If Plan F costs more than the deductible saves you, Plan G is the better value.

If you have Medicare before 65 because of a disability or end-stage renal disease, federal law does not require insurers to sell you a Medigap policy, but many states do. Prices for people under 65 can be much higher, and plan choices may be limited. When you turn 65, you get a new six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, when you can buy any plan sold in your state at the same prices as everyone else your age.

Inside the U.S., a Medigap plan follows you everywhere, because it works with any provider that accepts Medicare. Outside the U.S., Original Medicare generally pays nothing, but Plans C, D, F, G, M and N cover 80% of emergency care abroad after a $250 yearly deductible, up to a $50,000 lifetime limit. Travelers who spend long stretches overseas may want separate travel medical coverage as well.

Medigap benefits never change once you buy, but premiums can. Insurers file rate increases with state regulators, often once a year. Because the same plan letter covers the same benefits everywhere, switching to a lower-priced insurer can save money without changing your coverage.

The catch is underwriting. Outside your Medigap Open Enrollment Period or a guaranteed issue situation, most states let the new insurer ask health questions and decline you. If you are healthy, shopping your policy every few years can pay off; if you have serious health conditions, think carefully before dropping a policy you already have. Never cancel your current policy until the new one is approved and in force.

In most cases you never file a Medigap claim. Your doctor bills Medicare, Medicare pays its share, and the claim crosses over to your Medigap insurer automatically, which pays its share. You get a Medicare Summary Notice and an explanation of benefits from the insurer showing what each paid. If you have Plan G, the only bill you usually see is for the Part B deductible early in the year.

Because Medigap plans sold today do not cover prescriptions, nearly everyone with a UnitedHealthcare Medigap plan should also have a Part D plan. You can buy the drug plan from any insurer; it does not have to match your Medigap company. Choose it by your drugs and pharmacy in Medicare Plan Finder, and review it every fall, because drug plans change far more from year to year than Medigap policies do.

If you delay drug coverage without other creditable coverage, the late enrollment penalty adds 1% of the national base beneficiary premium, $41.33 for 2027, for every month you went without, for as long as you have Part D.

If you turn 65 in 2027, your Initial Enrollment Period lasts seven months: the three months before your birthday month, your birthday month and the three months after. Signing up during the first three months means your coverage starts on the first day of your birthday month.

If your income and savings are limited, two programs can cut your Medicare costs sharply:

If you qualify for both Medicare and full Medicaid, you may also be able to join a Dual Special Needs Plan. See help for low-income Part D beneficiaries.

You do not have to compare plans alone, and you should not have to pay for help. These are the free options:

Before any call, have your Medicare card, your list of drugs and doses, your doctors and your preferred pharmacies ready. It turns a long conversation into a short one.