Insurance Health Insurance Best Medicare Supplement Insurance Companies of 2023 AARP / UnitedHealthcare is the best Medigap plan provider By Elizabeth Rivelli Elizabeth Rivelli Elizabeth is a freelance writer who specializes in insurance topics. She has written hundreds of articles about insurance providers, policies and industry trends. learn about our editorial policies Updated on October 20, 2022 Reviewed by Eric Estevez Fact checked by Yasmin Ghahremani We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Medicare supplement plans, also called Medigap plans, cover some of the expenses that Original Medicare excludes, like copays and deductibles. You can only get a Medigap plan if you have Original Medicare Part A and Part B. There are 10 types of Medigap policies, with each type offering a standardized set of coverages. The plans are named by letters: A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N. Plans F and G also come in high-deductible versions. The best time to enroll in a Medigap plan is during your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, which starts the first month you have Medicare Part B and you’re 65 or older. It’s possible to buy a plan outside this window, but it may be more expensive and approval isn’t guaranteed. Medicare supplement insurance is sold through private insurance companies, so it’s a good idea to compare a few providers when you’re shopping for a plan. To help you get started, we reviewed some of the top Medicare supplement insurance companies and selected the best providers based on factors like National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) ratings, financial strength scores, and plan costs. Best Medicare Supplement Insurance Companies of 2023 Best Overall: AARP/UnitedHealthcare Most Medigap Plan Types: Blue Cross Blue Shield Best High-Deductible Plan G Provider: Mutual of Omaha Lowest-Cost High-Deductible Plan G Coverage: Humana Best for Financial Strength: State Farm The NCQA is a nonprofit organization that rates health plans annually based on nearly 50 assessments of patient outcomes, access to care, patient satisfaction, and plan improvement efforts. Best Medicare Supplement Insurance Companies of 2023 View All Best Medicare Supplement Insurance Companies of 2023 Our Top Picks AARP/UnitedHealthcare Blue Cross Blue Shield Mutual of Omaha Humana State Farm See More (2) Final Verdict FAQ Methodology Best Overall : AARP/UnitedHealthcare The Balance's Rating 4.7 AARP/UnitedHealthcare Get a Quote Pros & Cons Pros Highest quality rating of any provider we researched A+ (Superior) financial strength rating Affordable premiums Enrollment discount Cons No high-deductible plans Requires AARP membership Why We Chose It AARP Medigap plans, insured through UnitedHealthcare, earned the title of best overall Medicare supplement insurance company in our review. Plus, it’s our top pick for the best Medicare Part D plans, which is convenient if you also need prescription drug coverage and prefer to stick with one insurer. UnitedHealthcare has an A+ (Superior) financial strength rating from AM Best, which is one of the highest scores possible. Its plans have an average NCQA rating of 3.9 out of 5—the highest out of the Medigap providers that we evaluated. UnitedHealthcare offers a good selection of Medigap plans, including Plans A, B, C, F, G, K, L, and N. However, the company doesn’t offer any high-deductible plans, which have a lower monthly premium. In addition to its excellent ratings and wide selection of Medigap plans, UnitedHealthcare’s AARP Medigap plans stand out for their affordability. Compared to the other providers we reviewed, it has the lowest average cost for Medigap Plan G (costs vary by zip code). New members can also get an enrollment discount of up to 45% off. Learn more in our AARP Medicare supplement plan review. Most Medigap Plan Types : Blue Cross Blue Shield The Balance's Rating 4.6 Blue Cross Blue Shield Get a Quote Pros & Cons Pros Offers every plan type, including high-deductible Plans F and G Financially stable Optional dental, vision, and hearing coverage Cons Plan availability and features vary by location So-so quality rating Why We Chose It Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) has the biggest selection of Medigap plans of all the providers on our list. It offers 10 Medigap plans: A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N, as well as high-deductible Plan F and high-deductible Plan G. You also may be able to sign up for dental, vision, and hearing coverage for around $15 a month. BCBS sells its Medigap plans from 34 independent and local organizations, and some plans are not offered in all locations. You’ll need to find your local BCBS chapter’s website to learn more about the plans offered in your area and to get a quote. BCBS’ third-party ratings also depend on location. For example, some BCBS companies have an A+ (Superior) AM Best rating for financial strength, while others may have an A (Excellent) or A- (Excellent). And BCBS’ NCQA ratings are just so-so. The company received an average NCQA score of 3.5 out of 5 stars, which suggests there is some room for improvement. Average cost for BCBS Plan G policies is better than average, but not as good as AARP’s. Learn more in our Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance review. Best High-Deductible Plan G Provider : Mutual of Omaha The Balance's Rating 4.4 Mutual of Omaha Get a Quote Pros & Cons Pros Low-cost Plan G A+ financial strength rating Offers 10 Medigap plans Additional benefit rider with free member perks Cons High-deductible Plan G is not available in all states Why We Chose It If you’re looking for high-deductible Medigap Plan G, Mutual of Omaha is a great provider to consider. Among the insurers we evaluated who offer a high-deductible Plan G, we gave it the highest marks for its Plan G offerings. And premiums for standard Plan G came in lower than all other major providers. Plan G is one of the most popular and comprehensive Medigap plans, and the high-deductible version makes monthly premiums more affordable. In addition to high-deductible Plan G, Mutual of Omaha offers eight other Medigap plans: A, B, C, D, F (including high-deductible F), G, M, and N. All of Mutual of Omaha’s Medigap plans include access to discounts on healthy living items and fitness classes, though Blue Cross Blue Shield’s discount program is more extensive. AM Best gives Mutual of Omaha an A+ (Superior) financial strength grade, which means it has a “superior” ability to compensate policyholders for claims. The company isn’t rated by NCQA. Lowest-Cost High-Deductible Plan G Coverage : Humana The Balance's Rating 3.4 Humana Get a Quote Pros & Cons Pros Affordable premiums for high-deductible Plan G Discount for enrolling online in most states Offers most types of Medigap plans Live chat available Cons Worse-than-average standard Plan G premiums Why We Chose It Compared to the other Medicare supplement insurance companies we reviewed, Humana has the lowest average premiums for high-deductible Plan G policies. Since high-deductible plans already have a more affordable monthly premium than other types of plans, this may be one of the best prices you can get from a major insurer. Surprisingly though, Humana’s average premiums for its standard Plan G policies came in higher than any other provider on this list. But if you want to save money, Humana offers a 6% discount on your monthly premium if you purchase a plan online. We like that Humana offers 10 types of plans: A, B, C, F, high-deductible F, G, high-deductible G, K, L, and N. Humana has an A- (Excellent) financial strength rating from AM Best, which is the lowest score out of the five providers in our roundup. Humana’s average NCQA rating is 3.55 out of 5. Learn more in our Humana Medicare Supplemental Insurance review. Best for Financial Strength : State Farm The Balance's Rating 3.6 State Farm Get a Quote Pros & Cons Pros Highest possible financial strength rating from AM Best Large network of agents Cons No high-deductible Medigap plans Fewer plans offered than other insurers No online quotes Pricing is average Why We Chose It State Farm has the best financial strength rating of the Medicare supplement insurance companies we reviewed. AM Best gives State Farm an A++ (Superior) rating for financial stability, which is the highest rating possible. This indicates that the risk of State Farm defaulting on its obligations is slim and it has a superior ability to pay claims. State Farm also stands out for its wide network of 19,000 agents. When you request a Medigap plan quote online, a local agent will contact you to discuss pricing. While that’s nice if you want to speak to a human, it may not always be convenient. Unlike some other providers we reviewed, you can’t get an instant Medigap quote online from State Farm. If you’re looking for a broad selection of Medicare supplement plans, State Farm might not be the best provider. It only offers Medigap Plans A, C, D, F, G, and N, and doesn’t offer any high-deductible plans. For comparison, most other top providers offer at least eight Medigap plans. In addition, State Farm’s pricing is about average for the companies we reviewed, and it’s the worst of our top picks. Final Verdict AARP is a great all-around choice if you don’t mind joining AARP. Its prices are competitive, it has great third-party reviews, and it offers a lot of options. But if you want a high-deductible plan, take a look at Mutual of Omaha and Humana. Blue Cross Blue Shield stands out for its wide selection of plans as well as affordable dental, hearing, and vision coverage. And if you’re set on going with a financially strong company with lots of agents available, State Farm may be your best choice. Frequently Asked Questions What Is Medigap? Medigap is another name for Medicare supplement insurance. These plans are designed to fill gaps in Original Medicare. For instance, a Medigap plan can help pay for your Part A or Part B deductible, copayments, and even medical treatment outside of the U.S.Medigap plans are only compatible with Original Medicare Parts A and B. Medigap doesn’t provide any coverage for out-of-pocket expenses if you have Medicare Advantage, which is also called Medicare Part C. What Is Medicare Supplement Plan G? Medicare supplement Plan G is one of the most popular Medigap plans. It covers a variety of expenses that Original Medicare doesn’t cover, with the exception of the Medicare Part B deductible (you’re responsible for paying that out-of-pocket). Here are the expenses that Plan G covers:Part A coinsurance and hospital costsPart A hospice care coinsurance/copaymentPart A deductiblePart B coinsurance/copaymentPart B excess chargeFirst 3 pints of bloodSkilled nursing facility coinsuranceUp to 80% of foreign travel exchange costsThere are two types of Medigap Plan G—high-deductible and standard. High-deductible Plan G has a higher deductible than standard Plan G, which means high-deductible Plan G has lower monthly premiums. Starting in January 2023, the deductible for high-deductible Plan G will be $2,700. Can You Enroll In Medicare Supplement Plans at Any Time? You’re allowed to enroll in Medigap at any time. However, that doesn’t mean you will be approved. In general, it’s best to enroll during your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, which begins after you turn 65, and in the first month that you have Medicare Part B coverage. If you miss this window, it’s still possible to purchase a Medigap plan, but it can be more difficult and expensive. Outside of your Medigap Open Enrollment Period, insurance companies are allowed to use medical underwriting, which means you could be charged more or denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition. Methodology Literature Review We identified top companies by market share within the industry offering Medicare plans from various business and market insight databases including Statistia, Plunkett, and Gale. We also considered user-generated data from Google to determine public interest and trends in Medicare plans. Data Collection and Verification Our data was collected from third-party rating agencies, official government websites and databases, and directly from companies via websites, media contacts, and existing partnerships. Our sources include: AM Best, the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), J.D. Power, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Data was verified to ensure data integrity and accuracy by cross-referencing the records and citation corresponding to each data point with our primary sources. Ratings Methodology We calculated star ratings for the quality of each company’s different plan types. Factors considered for companies offering Medicare supplement plans include: Plan quality and customer satisfaction: NCQA ratings were considered to measure this criteria. The NCQA independently rates the quality of Medicare plans on a one-to-five scale based on HEDIS and CAHPS scores to help people compare plans during open enrollment. Cost: This is a measure of plan cost for different Medigap plan types for 65-year-old males and females living in regions with the highest Medicare enrollment.Types of plans available and benefits: We considered the number of Medigap plans available per company. There are 12 types of standardized Medicare supplement plans, including high-deductible G and F plans. Financial stability: We considered financial strength ratings to assess a company’s ability to honor its financial obligations, such as paying claims. Westend61 / Getty Images Article Sources Medicare.gov. “How To Compare Medigap Policies.” Medicare.gov. “When Can I Buy Medigap?” Medigap premiums were measured across two Florida and Texas ZIP codes, representing the areas of highest Medicare enrollment by state. Medicare.gov. “Choosing a Medigap Policy: A Guide to Health Insurance for People with Medicare.” Page 9. Medicare.gov. "How to Compare Medigap Policies." 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