Medigap Plan K: Coverage, Costs, and When to Choose It
Medigap Plan K (also called Medicare Supplement Plan K) is one of the cheapest plans that you add on top of Original Medicare.
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When is Medigap Plan K a good choice?
Medicare Plan K is good if you want:
Medicare Plan K is not good if you want:
- Few or no your medical costs
- The best deal on expensive medical care
- Perks and extras included with most of a Medicare Advantage plans
How does Medigap Plan K work?
Medigap Plan K pays for about half your medical costs left after your coverage from Original Medicare (Parts A and B).
Plan K is one of the cheapest of Medicare Supplement plans. It has lower monthly costs and pays only half of your costs for most medical bills. The best Medicare Supplement plans cover much more of your medical bills.
It's important to remember that any of the 10 Medigap plans are combined with Original Medicare, including Part A for hospital care and Part B for doctor visits and outpatient care. Medigap can't be combined with a Medicare Advantage plan.
Example Medigap Plan K coverage for a $500 doctor bill
- Let's say you have a $500 doctor bill and you've already met the deductible.
- Original Medicare pays about 80% or $400.
- The other $100 that's left would be your Part B coinsurance.
- Plan K will pay half of this Part B coinsurance. So the $100 would be split with you paying $50 and Plan K paying $50.
- If you didn't have Plan K, you would pay $100 of the $500 doctor bill, paying the full Part B coinsurance yourself.
What's the best insurance company for Medigap Plan K?
AARP/UnitedHealthcare is the best company for Medigap Plan K because it has cheap rates and few customer complaints.
Medigap Plan K gives you the same coverage no matter what insurance company you choose.
Plan K rates at age 65
Plan K rates at age 75
Company |
Customer satisfaction
|
Cost
| |
|---|---|---|---|
| AARP/UHC | $63 | |
| Bankers Fidelity | $73 | |
| Transamerica | $77 | |
| National average | $83 | ||
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $99 | |
Plan K rates at age 65
Company |
Customer satisfaction
|
Cost
| |
|---|---|---|---|
|
| AARP/UHC | $63 | |
|
| Bankers Fidelity | $73 | |
|
| Transamerica | $77 | |
| National average | $83 | ||
|
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $99 | |
Plan K rates at age 75
Company |
Customer satisfaction
|
Plan K cost at 75
| |
|---|---|---|---|
|
| AARP/UHC | $85 | |
|
| Bankers Fidelity | $92 | |
|
| Transamerica | $110 | |
| National average | $111 | ||
|
| Blue Cross Blue Shield | $128 | |
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AARP/UnitedHealthcare has the best Medigap Plan K, and it's also one of the best Medigap companies overall.
- AARP/UHC has cheap rates for Plan K, and they stay low as you age.
- It gets few customer complaints. That means it's a reliable company for paying medical bills.
- UnitedHealthcare is also one of the largest health insurance companies which can help your rates be more stable over time.
Fewer companies offer Medigap Plan K than more popular options like Plan G. To compare rates in your area, search Medicare.gov to find out what companies are selling Plan K and their estimated rates. You can also enter different ages into the website to get sample estimates for what you could expect to pay as you get older.
What does Plan K cover?
Plan K typically covers half of many medical costs.
What doesn't Plan K cover?
How does Plan K's coverage compare to other Medigap plans
Plan K provides less coverage than most other Medigap plans, and it also costs much less.
For example, Plan K pays for half of what you owe after a doctor visit, but Plan G will pay the entire bill after you've met your deductible.
Plan feature | Plan K | Plan L | Plan G |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $83 | $126 | $159 |
| Part A coinsurance | |||
| Part B coinsurance | 50% | 75% | |
| Blood transfer (3 pints) | 50% | 75% | |
| Part A hospice care | 50% | 75% | |
| Skilled nursing home | 50% | 75% | |
| Part A deductible | 50% | 75% | |
| Part B excess charges | |||
| Foreign travel emergency | 80% | ||
| Part B deductible |
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Plan K's out-of-pocket limit on your expenses
Medicare Supplement Plan K has an out-of-pocket limit of $7,220 in 2025. That's the most you'll pay for covered medical care in a year. After your spending reaches this cap, Plan K will pay the full cost for covered medical care.
Most other Medigap plans don't need to specify a cap because the plans pay the full cost, rather than a percentage, for different kinds of coverage. But because Plan K pays a percentage of your medical bills, it needs this out-of-pocket maximum to protect you from limitless medical costs.
Plan K's out-of-pocket limit of $7,220 per year is high compared to the coverage with other Medigap plans or Medicare Advantage plans.
In contrast, with Plan G most people pay a maximum of $257 per year for medical care in 2025. That's the cost of the Part B deductible.
How much does Medicare Plan K cost?
Medicare Plan K costs an average of $83 per month for a 65-year-old woman.
Plan K is the cheapest Medigap plan you can get without choosing a high-deductible plan. Its low monthly rate means that Plan K can be a good option if you're on a budget and have the savings to cover large medical bills if you get very sick.
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Plan K's low price comes with a tradeoff. Plan K's coverage is not as extensive as most other Medigap plans. That's why comparing Medigap costs and coverage can help you find the right balance between monthly premiums and medical expenses.
Monthly rates for Plan K vs. other Medigap plans
Plan | Monthly rate |
|---|---|
| High-deductible G | $49 |
| High-deductible F | $54 |
| Plan K | $83 |
| Plan N | $121 |
| Plan L | $126 |
Rates are averages for a 65-year-old woman who does not smoke.
When and where to buy Medigap Plan K
The best time to buy Plan K, or any Medigap plan, is when you first become eligible.
You'll usually get the cheapest rates on Medigap during your initial enrollment period at age 65. During this time, insurance companies can't charge more because of your medical history, and they can't refuse to sell you a policy.
This six-month period when you can get the best rates, called guaranteed issue, starts the first day of the month you're at least 65 years old and have Medicare Part B.
If you don't sign up when you are first able to, you might still be able to buy a plan. However, you may have fewer options and your rates might be higher.
Frequently asked questions
Is Medicare Plan K good?
Plan K can be a good choice if you're healthy but still want extra coverage for major illnesses or injuries. Even though Plan K only pays for half your share of medical costs in many scenarios, your medical costs are capped at $7,220 in 2025.
What is the Medigap Plan K out-of-pocket limit?
In 2025, the out-of-pocket maximum for Plan K is $7,220. Once you have paid $7,220 of your medical care, Plan K starts to pay for all of the bills left over from any Medicare-approved care that you get.
Does Plan K cover the Medicare deductible?
Plan K covers half of your $1,676 Part A deductible, which you pay each time you are hospitalized. Plan K does not cover your Part B deductible, which is $257 in 2025.
Are Medicare Plan K premiums tax-deductible?
Yes, Medigap Plan K premiums are eligible to be tax-deductible on a federal tax return because they're considered health expenses. However, you can only deduct health expenses if they total more than 7.5% of your adjusted gross income and you itemize your deductions.
Methodology
Insurance companies that offer Plan K at least 10 states are included in the company comparison.
Medicare Supplement rates are averaged using actuarial data from October 2024.
- Average rates are for a 65-year-old nonsmoking woman.
- Rates are for the cost of a plan when an enrollee first becomes eligible, and they don't have to answer medical questions
- Rates do not include a household discount or other discounts.
- Select plans and plans from states that have their own Medigap systems are excluded from average costs.
The customer satisfaction rating is a one-to-five score based on the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) complaint index for each company's Medicare Supplement product. Higher scores mean better customer service and fewer complaints.
Satisfaction score | Customer complaints adjusted for company size |
|---|---|
| 5.0 (top rating) | Over 75% fewer complaints than typical |
| 4.5 | 50% to 75% fewer complaints than typical |
| 4.0 | 25% to 50% fewer complaints than typical |
| 3.5 | 0% to 25% fewer complaints than typical |
| 3.0 | An average rate of complaints |
| 2.5 | 0% to 50% more complaints than typical |
| 2.0 | 50% to 100% more complaints than typical |
| 1.5 | 100% to 250% more complaints than typical |
| 1.0 | Over 250% more complaints than typical |
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Medicare Advantage and Part D plans and benefits are offered by these carriers: Aetna Medicare, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Anthem Blue Cross, Aspire Health Plan, Cigna Healthcare, Dean Health Plan, Devoted Health, Florida Blue Medicare, GlobalHealth, Health Care Service Corporation, Healthy Blue, Humana, Molina Healthcare, Mutual of Omaha, Premera Blue Cross, Medica Central Health Plan, SCAN Health Plan, Baylor Scott & White Health Plan, Simply, UnitedHealthcare, Wellcare and WellPoint.
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