The Best Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Plans in Washington
- Washington Medicare Supplement (Medigap) insurance helps cover Medicare-related expenses such as copays and deductibles. Learn more about Medicare Supplement plans in Washington, including what they might cover and when the best times are to enroll.
If you have recently become eligible for Medicare or are nearing eligibility, you may have questions about Medicare Supplement Insurance.
Medigap, as it is also commonly referred to, provides supplementary coverage that pays for many costs that Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) do not. If you are currently enrolled in Medicare, Medigap plans can help you manage expenses associated with your medical care in the state of Washington.
More than 37% of Original Medicare beneficiaries in Washington are enrolled in a Medicare Supplement plan.
Have Medicare questions?
Talk to a licensed agent today to find a Medicare Supplement plan.
What Are the Best Washington Medicare Supplement Plans?
Washington residents may have access to 10 different types of standardized Medigap plans, two of which are available in standard and high-deductible versions.
Each plan is referred to by its letter and is standardized for all plans with that letter. This means that Medigap Plan A from one company offers exactly the same coverage as Plan A from another company. The only difference will be in the price charged for these plans.
There are some points of similarity between all Medigap plans. Each offers at least some coverage for coinsurance requirements of Medicare Part A and Part B, also known as Original Medicare. All Medigap plans also provide coverage for up to 365 days in the hospital over what Medicare already covers. Some plans may offer additional coverage for emergency care received when you are outside the country or for skilled nursing facility care.
| Medicare Supplement Benefits | A | B | C1 | D | F1 | G | K | L | M | N |
| Part A coinsurance and hospital costs | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Part B coinsurance or copayment | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 50% | 75% | ✓ | ✓ |
| First 3 pints of blood | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 50% | 75% | ✓ | ✓ |
| Part A hospice care co-insurance or co-payment | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 50% | 75% | ✓ | ✓ |
| Co-insurance for skilled nursing facility | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 50% | 75% | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Medicare Part A deductible | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 50% | 75% | 50% | ✓ | |
| Medicare Part B deductible | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||||
| Medicare Part B excess charges | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||||
| Foreign travel emergency | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | ||||
| 1. Plans C and F are not available to new beneficiaries who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. 2. Plans F and G also offer a high deductible plan which has an annual deductible of $2,870 in 2025. Once the annual deductible is met, the plan pays 100% of covered services for the rest of the year. The high deductible Plan F is not available to new beneficiaries who became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. 3. Plan K has an out-of-pocket yearly limit of $7,220 in 2025. Plan L has an out-of-pocket yearly limit of $3,610 in 2025. 4. Plan N pays 100% of the Part B coinsurance, except for a copayment of up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 for emergency room visits that don’t result in an inpatient admission. View an image version of this table. |
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If you became eligible for Medicare coverage prior to January 1, 2020, you will have access to all 10 plans available in the state of Washington. Those who first turned 65 on or after that date, however, cannot enroll in Plan C or Plan F. These plans were phased out by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 and are not available to those newly eligible for Medicare.
Have Medicare questions?
Talk to a licensed agent today to find a Medicare Supplement plan.
How Do I Enroll in a Washington Medigap Plan?
If you enroll in Medicare Parts A and B as soon as you turn 65, you will have a six-month window in which to apply for Medigap coverage on the most favorable terms possible. This is called your Medigap open enrollment period. The six months begins on the first day of the month in which you turn 65 and are enrolled in Medicare Part B.
During your Medigap open enrollment period, you will be able to purchase any Medigap plan offered in your area of Washington without any medical underwriting. This means insurance companies can't charge you higher rates or deny you coverage based on your health.
By purchasing a Medicare Supplement Insurance plan during your six-month Medigap open enrollment period, you can take pre-existing conditions out of the equation as a factor in the rates you pay for Medigap insurance.
If you wait to purchase Medigap insurance until after your initial six-month Medigap open enrollment period has concluded, insurers can charge you higher rates for Medigap plans as part of their underwriting process. They can even deny you this insurance if your pre-existing conditions are considered serious enough.
Under certain specific circumstances, you may qualify for guaranteed issue rights outside your initial six-month Medigap open enrollment period. Guaranteed issue rights are available for various reasons, such as if your current Medigap company goes bankrupt or ceases to offer plans in your area.
Helpadvisor.com is owned and operated by Tranzact, the parent company of TZ Insurance Solutions LLC, which is the owner/operator of MedicareSupplement.com and other websites mentioned on HelpAdvisor and which has a financial relationship with some of the carriers listed on HelpAdvisor.
