How Does Medicare Supplement Plan N Work?
Plan N works alongside Original Medicare Part A and Part B rather than replacing them. When you receive a Medicare-approved service, Original Medicare pays its share first, and your Plan N policy then helps cover many of the remaining deductibles and coinsurance costs. You can visit any doctor or hospital in the United States that accepts Medicare — Plan N does not use a separate provider network or require referrals for specialists.
You remain responsible for the annual Medicare Part B deductible. After meeting it, you may also pay up to $20 for certain office visits and up to $50 for an emergency room visit that does not result in an inpatient admission, and Plan N does not cover Part B excess charges.
You will continue paying your Medicare Part B premium in addition to your Plan N premium, and you will generally need separate Part D coverage for outpatient prescription drugs.
Medicare rule. Source: Medicare.gov, 2026 Medicare Costs.
What Plan N Covers
Plan N provides standardized benefits that help pay many of the costs left by Original Medicare.
| Medicare Cost | What Plan N Pays |
|---|
| Part A hospital deductible | 100% |
| Part A hospital coinsurance | 100%, plus up to 365 additional hospital days after Medicare benefits end |
| Skilled nursing facility coinsurance | 100% |
| Part A hospice coinsurance or copays | 100% |
| Part B coinsurance | 100% after applicable Plan N copays |
| First three pints of blood | 100% |
| Foreign travel emergencies | 80% after the required deductible, up to the plan's lifetime limit |
Standardized by federal law. Benefit structure: Medicare.gov, Medigap coverage overview. Dollar figures: Medicare.gov, 2026 Medicare Costs.
Plan N's core medical benefits are the same across insurance companies. The primary differences between carriers are their premiums, discounts, financial strength, customer service, and history of rate increases.
What Does Medicare Supplement Plan N Not Cover?
Plan N leaves you responsible for several costs.
| Cost or Service | What You May Pay |
|---|
| Medicare Part B deductible | The full $283 deductible in 2026 |
| Office visits | Up to $20 for certain visits |
| Emergency room visits | Up to $50 if the visit does not result in an inpatient admission |
| Part B excess charges | Any amount charged above the Medicare-approved rate, up to the legal limit |
| Outpatient prescription drugs | Not covered; separate Part D coverage is generally needed |
| Routine dental, vision, and hearing care | Not covered |
| Long-term custodial care | Not covered |
Benefit structure: Medicare.gov, Medigap coverage overview. Dollar figures: Medicare.gov, 2026 Medicare Costs.
Part B excess charges can occur when a provider accepts Medicare patients but does not accept Medicare assignment, and Plan N does not pay them.
You can generally avoid this cost by confirming that a provider accepts Medicare assignment before receiving care.
Is Medicare Supplement Plan N Right for You?
Plan N may be worth considering if you want broad Medigap coverage but are comfortable taking on a small amount of cost-sharing in exchange for a potentially lower monthly premium.
It may be a good fit if you:
- Want lower premiums than Plan G
- Are comfortable with occasional office and emergency room copays
- Use providers who accept Medicare assignment
- Want nationwide access to Medicare-participating providers
- Prefer predictable hospital coverage while accepting some out-of-pocket exposure on outpatient visits
Plan G may be worth comparing if you want fewer medical bills to manage or do not want to worry about Part B excess charges. Frequent doctor visits alone do not automatically make Plan G the better value — the annual premium difference should still be compared with your expected copays.
The most useful comparison is not premium alone.
Compare the annual premium difference between Plan N and Plan G with the copays and other costs you reasonably expect during the year. See our full Plan G vs. Plan N comparison for a side-by-side breakdown.
How Much Does Medicare Supplement Plan N Cost in Florida?
Medicare Supplement Plan N premiums vary throughout Florida. Your rate can depend on your ZIP code, age, sex, tobacco use, household discounts, and the insurance company you select.
To provide a consistent comparison, we reviewed up to 16 Plan N premiums displayed by Medicare.gov's Medigap policy search tool for one sampled ZIP code in each of Florida's 67 counties — some counties may have had fewer options available.
How We Collected These Rates (Methodology)
- Rates collected: August 19, 2026
- Applicant profile: 65-year-old female, non-tobacco
- Discounts: Conditional discounts (such as household or multi-policy discounts) are not included in these rates
- Source of rates: Medicare.gov's Medigap policy search tool — these are the premiums Medicare.gov displays for the sampled ZIP, not personalized insurer quotes
- Statistic shown: The center figure for each county is the arithmetic mean (average) of up to 16 sampled Plan N premiums for that county's representative ZIP — not a median
- Rounding: Displayed premiums are shown to the nearest dollar
- Female applicants were used for consistency across carriers; results for male applicants may differ slightly by carrier
- An actual applicant's quote can differ from these displayed figures based on underwriting, discounts, and the specific carrier chosen
These premiums are separate from your Medicare Part B premium.
Numbers are sourced from Medicare.gov. Costs are estimates and may change.
| Florida County | Sample ZIP | Average Monthly Premium | Sample Premium Range |
|---|
| Alachua | 32601 | $205 | $167–$283 |
| Baker | 32063 | $204 | $167–$253 |
| Bay | 32401 | $207 | $167–$283 |
| Bradford | 32091 | $204 | $167–$253 |
| Brevard | 32901 | $208 | $167–$253 |
| Broward | 33301 | $307 | $265–$399 |
| Calhoun | 32424 | $205 | $167–$283 |
| Charlotte | 33950 | $208 | $167–$283 |
| Citrus | 34450 | $202 | $167–$253 |
| Clay | 32043 | $202 | $167–$253 |
| Collier | 34102 | $204 | $167–$253 |
| Columbia | 32024 | $204 | $167–$253 |
| DeSoto | 34266 | $204 | $167–$253 |
| Dixie | 32628 | $205 | $167–$283 |
| Duval | 32202 | $216 | $185–$253 |
| Escambia | 32501 | $202 | $167–$246 |
| Flagler | 32110 | $203 | $167–$253 |
| Franklin | 32329 | $205 | $167–$283 |
| Gadsden | 32351 | $205 | $167–$283 |
| Gilchrist | 32693 | $205 | $167–$283 |
| Glades | 33471 | $247 | $192–$341 |
| Gulf | 32456 | $247 | $192–$341 |
| Hamilton | 32052 | $203 | $167–$253 |
| Hardee | 33873 | $208 | $167–$283 |
| Hendry | 33935 | $208 | $167–$283 |
| Hernando | 34601 | $203 | $167–$253 |
| Highlands | 33870 | $208 | $167–$283 |
| Hillsborough | 33602 | $210 | $181–$253 |
| Holmes | 32425 | $210 | $181–$253 |
| Indian River | 32960 | $208 | $167–$253 |
| Jackson | 32446 | $205 | $167–$283 |
| Jefferson | 32344 | $205 | $167–$283 |
| Lafayette | 32066 | $203 | $167–$253 |
| Lake | 32778 | $203 | $167–$253 |
| Lee | 33901 | $206 | $167–$283 |
| Leon | 32301 | $205 | $167–$283 |
| Levy | 32621 | $205 | $167–$283 |
| Liberty | 32321 | $205 | $167–$283 |
| Madison | 32340 | $205 | $167–$283 |
| Manatee | 34205 | $204 | $167–$253 |
| Marion | 34471 | $202 | $167–$253 |
| Martin | 34994 | $202 | $167–$253 |
| Miami-Dade | 33128 | $307 | $265–$399 |
| Monroe | 33040 | $289 | $192–$399 |
| Nassau | 32034 | $205 | $167–$253 |
| Okaloosa | 32536 | $202 | $167–$246 |
| Okeechobee | 34972 | $202 | $167–$246 |
| Orange | 32801 | $209 | $171–$253 |
| Osceola | 34741 | $205 | $167–$253 |
| Palm Beach | 33401 | $269 | $204–$341 |
| Pasco | 34654 | $210 | $181–$253 |
| Pinellas | 33701 | $209 | $171–$253 |
| Polk | 33830 | $207 | $167–$283 |
| Putnam | 32177 | $205 | $167–$253 |
| Santa Rosa | 32570 | $202 | $167–$246 |
| Sarasota | 34236 | $204 | $167–$253 |
| Seminole | 32771 | $205 | $167–$253 |
| St. Johns | 32084 | $205 | $167–$253 |
| St. Lucie | 34950 | $216 | $185–$253 |
| Sumter | 33513 | $207 | $171–$253 |
| Suwannee | 32064 | $203 | $167–$253 |
| Taylor | 32347 | $203 | $167–$253 |
| Union | 32054 | $203 | $167–$253 |
| Volusia | 32168 | $204 | $167–$253 |
| Wakulla | 32327 | $205 | $167–$283 |
| Walton | 32435 | $206 | $167–$283 |
| Washington | 32428 | $205 | $167–$283 |
No match found. Try a county name or one of the sampled ZIP codes.
Sample premiums for a 65-year-old female non-tobacco applicant. Each county is represented by one ZIP code, and conditional discounts are not included.
Actual premiums and eligibility can vary.
What the Sample Rates Show
Across our 67 sampled county ZIP codes, the average of the county-level Plan N averages was about $212 per month. This is not an enrollment-weighted statewide premium — it's the average of our 67 individual county samples, and higher-cost counties pull that figure up. Most counties actually cluster much closer to $202 to $210 per month.
Broward and Miami-Dade are the clear outliers on the high end, averaging around $307 per month. Monroe follows at $289, with Palm Beach, Glades, and Gulf also running noticeably above the statewide norm.
The difference between insurance companies is also important.
In several counties, available premiums range from approximately $167 to more than $250 per month for the same coverage. In Broward and Miami-Dade, the sampled range extends up to $399.
Because Plan N's medical benefits are standardized, paying a higher premium does not provide more core Plan N coverage — the differences come down to the company factors described above.
Our rate analysis found that even within Plan N, Florida beneficiaries can face substantial differences between insurers for the same coverage — in some sampled counties, that gap runs from roughly $167 to above $250.
From the Field
In our work with Florida Medicare clients, we've noticed people often focus heavily on the $20 office copay rather than the annual premium difference between Plan N and Plan G — the premium gap over a full year is usually the bigger number.
A cheap carrier today also isn't automatically easy to leave later. If you want to switch companies down the road, medical underwriting can apply outside your protected enrollment window, so the lowest first-year premium isn't the only thing worth weighing.
What Affects Your Plan N Premium?
- Location — insurance companies may use different rates across Florida ZIP codes and rating areas
- Sex — some insurers charge different premiums for male and female applicants
- Tobacco use — applicants who use tobacco may pay more
- Household discounts — some companies offer discounts when more than one person in the household enrolls or meets the insurer's requirements
- Enrollment timing — applying outside a protected enrollment period may require medical underwriting
- Insurance company — each company sets its own premium for the same coverage
Past rate increases can provide useful context, but they don't guarantee how a carrier will price the policy in future years.
How Popular Is Medicare Supplement Plan N in Florida?
Plan N accounted for approximately 11% of Florida's Medicare Supplement enrollment in 2024, according to AHIP's Medicare Supplement Insurance in Florida, CY2024 report.
Plan G still has a larger share of Florida enrollment, but Plan N remains an important option for beneficiaries who are comfortable trading some cost-sharing for potential premium savings.
How to Enroll in Medicare Supplement Plan N in Florida
To purchase Plan N, you must be enrolled in both Medicare Part A and Part B. Your best opportunity to apply is during your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period.
For most people, this period begins when they are 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B. During these six months, an insurance company generally cannot deny your application or charge you more because of your health history.
Florida also provides a six-month open enrollment period to Medicare beneficiaries under 65 who qualify because of disability or end-stage renal disease. When they later turn 65, they receive a new six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period based on age and Part B enrollment, giving them another opportunity to purchase coverage without medical underwriting.
For the full rules governing this Florida-specific protection, see Florida Statute §627.6741 or contact the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.
You may apply for Plan N outside a protected enrollment period, but the insurance company can generally use medical underwriting unless you qualify for a guaranteed-issue right.
This matters beyond your first purchase: if you want to switch to a different Plan N carrier later — for example, because your current company raised rates — you'll typically face the same medical underwriting unless a guaranteed-issue right applies. Choosing the cheapest company today doesn't guarantee an easy, health-question-free switch next year.
Before enrolling, compare the same Plan N coverage across several companies — the factors that actually differ can affect your long-term costs. See our Best Medicare Supplement Companies in Florida guide for our full carrier analysis.
Bottom Line
Plan N can be a strong middle-ground option for Florida beneficiaries who want broad coverage without paying the higher premiums often associated with Plan G, as long as the annual Part B deductible, certain office and emergency room copays, and Part B excess charges are manageable in exchange for the premium savings.
Our Florida research shows most counties cluster in the low $200s per month, with a handful of South Florida counties — Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach among them — running noticeably higher.
Before enrolling, compare Plan N rates from several insurance companies in your own county and look beyond the initial premium. The right choice is the plan that provides a comfortable balance between what you pay each month and what you may pay when you receive care.
