How High-Deductible Plan G Works
You're responsible for your Medicare-approved cost-sharing until it adds up to $2,950 for the year — after that, the plan pays like standard Plan G for the rest of the year.
Original Medicare continues paying its share of your care before you meet the HDG deductible — you're responsible for the applicable cost-sharing that standard Plan G would normally cover under Medicare Part A and Part B, not the full amount Medicare approves for a service.
The deductible isn't a single lump-sum charge. It accumulates from your share of coinsurance, doctor visits, lab work, and outpatient care as you receive it throughout the year — the same costs standard Plan G would otherwise cover.
Once those add up to $2,950, High-Deductible Plan G takes over and pays the same benefits as standard Plan G: Part A and B coinsurance, skilled nursing coinsurance, Part B excess charges, and foreign travel emergency care within plan limits.
The deductible resets every January 1st, and CMS adjusts the amount annually based on Medicare cost trends. It has risen over time — from $2,370 in 2021 to $2,870 in 2025 and $2,950 in 2026.
Common Mistake
Choosing High-Deductible Plan G purely for the low premium without setting aside the $2,950 as available savings. The first time you have a Medicare-covered hospital stay or a run of specialist visits, the bill is bigger than expected — not because the plan failed, but because the deductible wasn't budgeted for.
2026 Florida Premiums
High-Deductible Plan G's premium runs substantially lower than standard Plan G or Plan N — the tradeoff is the $2,950 deductible.
| Plan | Sample Monthly Premium | Sample Annual Premium |
|---|
| Standard Plan G | $180 | $2,160 |
| Plan N | $130 | $1,560 |
| High-Deductible Plan G | $68 | $816 |
Sample 2026 premiums for a 65-year-old female non-tobacco applicant, obtained August 27, 2026 through Medicare.gov. Not statewide averages — actual premiums vary by age, ZIP code, sex, tobacco use, household discounts, and insurance company.
How We Collected These Rates
- Quote date: August 27, 2026
- Applicant: Female, non-tobacco, age 65
- Source: Medicare.gov
- Discounts: Available discounts may affect your final premium
These figures compare all three plans at the same age using a single benchmark carrier. Other insurers may charge more or less. See our Best Medicare Supplement Companies in Florida guide for a fuller comparison.
High-Deductible Plan G vs. Standard Plan G vs. Plan N
Plan G, Plan N, and High-Deductible Plan G all supplement Original Medicare, but they differ in premiums, cost-sharing, and certain benefits. Standard Plan G provides the most complete cost-sharing coverage, Plan N trades some cost-sharing for a lower premium, and HDG requires you to meet a $2,950 deductible before its Plan G benefits begin.
| Feature | Standard Plan G | Plan N | High-Deductible Plan G |
|---|
| Annual deductible | $283 (Part B only) | $283 (Part B only) | $2,950 |
| Doctor visit copay | $0 | Up to $20 per visit | 100% of coinsurance until deductible is met |
| ER copay | $0 | Up to $50 (waived if admitted) | 100% of coinsurance until deductible is met |
| Part B excess charges | Covered | Not covered | Covered after deductible |
| Best for | Wanting full coverage with predictable costs | Comfortable with occasional copays for a lower premium | Comfortable self-insuring the deductible for a much lower premium |
See our full Plan G, Plan N, and Plan G vs. Plan N guides for more detail on the other two options, or our 2026 Medicare Supplement Plans guide for every plan letter side by side.
See how medical expenses can build your deductible — Original Medicare pays its share throughout, and these are examples of what's left to you.
What This Means Across Plans: Florida Scenarios
Whether High-Deductible Plan G saves you money depends entirely on how much Medicare cost-sharing you incur in a given year — use the tool above to explore HDG on its own, or see how it stacks up against Plan N and standard Plan G below.
These are hypothetical Florida scenarios, not real individuals, based on the sample premiums above. Figures represent estimated beneficiary cost-sharing, not the total amount billed by providers or paid by Medicare.
| Cost-Sharing Level | HDG Total | Plan N Total | Standard Plan G Total |
|---|
| $600 (light use) | $1,416 | $1,863 | $2,443 |
| $1,600 (moderate use) | $2,416 | $1,863 | $2,443 |
| $2,950 (deductible reached) | $3,766 | ~$2,085 | $2,443 |
At light use, HDG wins by a wide margin. As cost-sharing rises, Plan N and then standard Plan G take the lead — by the time HDG's deductible is fully used, it's the most expensive of the three. Plan N's totals assume the provider accepts Medicare assignment; uncovered excess charges could push its totals higher.
Long-Term Costs and Rate Considerations
Comparing plans on premium alone misses part of the picture — what matters over years is premiums plus the out-of-pocket costs you actually incur.
| Plan | 10-Year Premium Total |
|---|
| Standard Plan G | $21,600 |
| Plan N | $15,600 |
| High-Deductible Plan G | $8,160 |
Premium-only totals assuming flat 2026 sample rates over 10 years — actual premiums will change over time and this doesn't include out-of-pocket costs.
For a healthy person with light usage, the premium gap alone can represent a meaningful long-term difference. But that comparison leaves out actual healthcare spending, which is highly individual and can't be projected reliably over a decade.
All Medigap premiums are subject to rate increases over time, and insurers set those increases based on their own claims experience, risk pool, and business decisions — we don't have reliable Florida-specific data on how HDG, Plan N, and standard Plan G rate increases compare to each other, so we won't cite specific percentages here. Past rate increases can provide useful context, but they don't guarantee how any of these plans will be priced in future years.
Budgeting for the $2,950 Deductible
Planning for the full $2,950 deductible before choosing HDG can make an unexpectedly expensive healthcare year easier to absorb.
- Build a dedicated medical emergency fund — saving roughly $246/month covers the full deductible in a year, or $492/month in six months
- Redirect some or all of the premium savings versus standard Plan G into that fund instead of spending it
- If you have an HSA or retirement account, know that qualified medical expenses — including this deductible — can generally be paid from an HSA tax-free
Switching From HDG to Standard Plan G Later
Florida doesn't offer a birthday rule or annual switch window, so moving from HDG to standard Plan G later usually means medical underwriting.
Your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period provides broad protection to buy Medigap without medical underwriting — that window begins when you're 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. Certain guaranteed-issue rights can also apply in specific situations outside that period. Otherwise, switching Medigap policies in Florida may require medical underwriting, and an insurer can decline your application based on the answers.
Source: Medicare.gov, Medigap coverage overview.
A few states (not Florida) offer an annual switch window without underwriting. In Florida, plan to stay on whatever Medigap plan you choose for the long run, and treat switching later as something that may or may not be possible depending on your health at the time.
Who High-Deductible Plan G Fits
It tends to fit people who:
- Have savings set aside that could cover the $2,950 deductible in a heavy-use year
- Want lower premiums while maintaining a backstop against larger Medicare cost-sharing in a high-use year
- Are comfortable with the premium being the only truly predictable number, while total costs vary by how much care they use
Standard Plan G or Plan N may fit better if you'd rather have predictable costs regardless of how much care you use, or if you don't have funds readily available to absorb the deductible in a heavy-use year.
Bottom Line
High-Deductible Plan G can meaningfully lower your premium in exchange for taking responsibility for up to the first $2,950 in Medicare cost-sharing that counts toward the HDG deductible. It tends to work out best in years with light care needs, and worst in years with heavy care needs — that tradeoff, not a guarantee of savings, is the actual decision.
Compare your own expected usage against the premium difference, make sure you're financially prepared for the deductible in a heavy-use year, and get quotes from a few carriers before deciding.
