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Plan F vs Plan G in Washington
By Vadim Marusin, licensed Medicare insurance agent in Washington (WAOIC #1365574). Insurer data checked against the state chart current as of October 8, 2026.
Plan F and Plan G differ by exactly one benefit: the Part B deductible. If you're eligible for both, the decision comes down to whether Plan F's extra premium costs more than that deductible.
The only difference
| Benefit | F | G |
|---|---|---|
| Part A hospital coinsurance, plus 365 extra hospital days after Medicare benefits end | 100% | 100% |
| Part A hospice care coinsurance or copay | 100% | 100% |
| Part B coinsurance or copay (the 20%) | 100% | 100% |
| Medicare preventive care Part B coinsurance | 100% | 100% |
| First 3 pints of blood | 100% | 100% |
| Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance | 100% | 100% |
| Part A deductible | 100% | 100% |
| Part B deductible | 100% | – |
| Part B excess charges | 100% | 100% |
| Foreign travel emergency (up to plan limits) | 80% | 80% |
| Yearly out-of-pocket limit | – | – |
Plan F pays the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026). Plan G doesn't. Every other benefit is the same, including Part B excess charges and 80% of foreign travel emergencies.
Who can buy Plan F
Federal law (the 2015 MACRA law) stopped Medigap plans from covering the Part B deductible for people newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020. So:
- If you turned 65 (or otherwise became eligible for Medicare) before January 1, 2020, you can buy Plan F, Plan C or high-deductible Plan F, even if you didn't enroll in Medicare until later.
- If you became eligible on or after January 1, 2020, you can't buy them, under Washington's switching rule or any other.
On the current Washington chart, 15 insurers sell Plan F.
The math
If you're eligible for both, compare a year of premiums:
- Plan F premium × 12
- Plan G premium × 12 + $283
If Plan F costs more than about $24 a month over Plan G, Plan G is cheaper in a normal year. In practice, Plan F's premium gap is often larger than that, because Plan F is closed to new enrollees and its pool keeps getting older and smaller. That pressure tends to push Plan F rate increases higher over time.
Switching from F to G in Washington
If you have Plan F, Washington's switching rule lets you move to Plan G from any insurer at any time, with no health questions. That makes the comparison low-risk:
- Get your current Plan F premium and a Plan G quote from the insurers in your county.
- If Plan G plus the deductible is cheaper, apply for Plan G.
- Keep Plan F until the Plan G policy is approved and in force, then cancel Plan F. You have a 30-day free look on the new policy.
Common questions
I turned 65 in 2018 but kept working and didn't take Medicare until 2023. Can I buy Plan F?
Yes. Eligibility decides it, not when you enrolled. You were first eligible for Medicare in 2018, before the cutoff. Someone who turned 65 in 2020 or later can't buy Plan F, even under Washington's switching rule.
Will Plan F be discontinued?
Insurers can keep selling it to eligible people and must keep renewing existing policies. It just can't be sold to anyone newly eligible since 2020.
Is Plan G as good as Plan F?
For covered services, yes, apart from the Part B deductible. Plan G is the most complete plan available to people new to Medicare.