Medicare Supplement

Medigap in Garland, Texas: what each plan letter covers

GARLAND, Texas — If you're new to Medicare, or helping a parent sort through the mail piling up on the kitchen table, you've probably run into the word "Medigap." It sounds like jargon, but the idea behind it is simple: Original Medicare pays most of your hospital and doctor bills, and Medigap is optional private insurance designed to help cover what's left.

Medicare Supplement insurance, explained: what Medigap does and doesn't cover

Here's a plain-language look at what Medigap does, what it doesn't do, and how those standardized letter plans — A, B, D, G, K, L, M, N — actually work.

What Medigap is (and what it isn't)

Medigap is sold by private insurance companies to fill in some of the out-of-pocket costs that Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) leaves behind — things like coinsurance, copayments, and Part A hospital deductibles.

A few important boundaries to understand up front:

• Medigap only works with Original Medicare. You cannot use a Medigap policy if you're enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan.
• Medigap does not include prescription drug coverage. If you want help paying for medications, you'll need a separate Part D drug plan.
• Medigap generally doesn't cover long-term care, dental, vision, hearing aids, or private-duty nursing.

You pay a monthly premium for a Medigap policy on top of your Part B premium.

How the standardized letter plans work

This is where a lot of people get confused, so take a breath. In most states, including Texas, Medigap plans are standardized by the federal government. That means Plan G from one insurance company covers the same core benefits as Plan G from another company — the differences are price, customer service, and the company itself.

There are eight standardized plans available today: A, B, D, G, K, L, M, and N. Each letter offers a different mix of benefits. For example, some plans cover the Part A hospital deductible in full, while others cover only a percentage. Plans K and L have out-of-pocket limits built in. Plan N usually has small copays for office and emergency room visits.

A few things worth knowing:

• Plans C and F are no longer sold to people who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. If you were eligible before that date, you may still be able to buy them.
• High-deductible versions of Plan G and Plan F exist for people who want a lower monthly premium in exchange for paying more out of pocket before coverage kicks in.
• Medigap policies are guaranteed renewable — the company can't drop you as long as you pay your premium.

For the full benefit chart, Medicare.gov keeps an up-to-date side-by-side comparison.

Why timing matters more than almost anything

The single most important thing to know about Medigap is your Medigap Open Enrollment Period. It's a six-month window that starts the month you're 65 or older and enrolled in Part B.

During this window, insurance companies must sell you any Medigap policy they offer at their best available rate, regardless of your health history. Miss it, and in most cases insurers can use medical underwriting — meaning they can charge you more, or turn you down, based on pre-existing conditions.

There are a few limited situations (called "guaranteed issue rights") that can reopen the door later, but the six-month window at 65 is the cleanest shot most people get.

Garland-area context

Garland sits in Dallas County, where Medicare beneficiaries have a wide mix of options — both Original Medicare paired with a Medigap policy and Part D plan, and Medicare Advantage plans offered by private insurers. Medicare plan availability is set at the county level, so the choices you see depend on which county you live in, not the city.

If you're weighing Medigap versus Medicare Advantage, remember it's an either-or decision. You can't hold both at the same time.

How Medigap fits with Part D and 2026 drug costs

Because Medigap doesn't include drug coverage, most people who go the Medigap route also enroll in a stand-alone Part D plan. A few 2026 numbers worth keeping in mind:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026. Once your covered drug spending hits that amount, you pay $0 for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• The maximum Part D deductible is $615 in 2026.
• The old coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone as of 2025. Part D now has three phases instead of four.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your out-of-pocket drug costs across the calendar year in monthly installments, if that helps with cash flow.
• IRMAA — the higher-income surcharge on Part B and Part D premiums — begins above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

Key dates to circle

• October 15 – December 7: Medicare Annual Enrollment Period. This is when you can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.
• January 1 – March 31: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment. If you're already in an Advantage plan, you get one chance to switch to another Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare (and potentially pick up a Part D plan).
• Medigap Open Enrollment is personal — it's the six months starting when you're both 65 and enrolled in Part B.