Medicare Supplement insurance, often called Medigap, is private health insurance designed to work with Original Medicare.

It can help pay some of the deductibles, copayments and coinsurance that Original Medicare doesn’t pay.

Minnesota is different from most states because Medicare Supplement policies are standardized under Minnesota-specific rules.

If you live in Minnesota, don’t assume that national information about plans such as Plan G accurately describes the Medicare Supplement choices available to you.

Learn First. Decide With Confidence.

What Is Medicare Supplement Insurance?

Medicare Supplement insurance is private insurance that supplements Original Medicare.

You must have:

Medicare Part A
Medicare Part B

to purchase a Minnesota Medicare Supplement policy.

Original Medicare generally pays first for Medicare-covered services. Your Medicare Supplement policy then pays according to the benefits included in your policy.

Depending on the policy, Medicare Supplement coverage can help pay some Original Medicare:

Deductibles
Copayments
Coinsurance
Other specified Medicare-related costs

Some Minnesota policies also provide certain benefits beyond Original Medicare according to Minnesota law and the terms of the policy.

Is Medicare Supplement the Same as Medicare Advantage?

No.

This is one of the most important Medicare distinctions.

Medicare Supplement

Medicare Supplement works with Original Medicare.

You remain covered directly under Medicare Part A and Part B, and the Supplement policy helps pay certain costs that Original Medicare leaves to you.

Medicare Advantage

Medicare Advantage is an alternative way to receive your Medicare Part A and Part B benefits through a private Medicare-approved plan.

You don’t use a Medicare Supplement policy to pay Medicare Advantage deductibles, copayments or coinsurance.

Medicare Supplement and Medicare Advantage are fundamentally different coverage arrangements.

Minnesota Medicare Supplement Plans Are Different

Most states use standardized Medicare Supplement plans identified by letters such as A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M and N.

Minnesota standardizes Medicare Supplement coverage differently.

Minnesota insurers that sell Medicare Supplement policies are required to offer:

Basic
Basic with Optional Rider(s)
Extended Basic

Some insurers may also offer:

$20 and $50 Copayment for Part B policies
High Deductible policies
50% Part A Deductible policies
50% Coverage policies
75% Coverage policies
Medicare SELECT policies

Not every insurer offers every available policy type.

Does Minnesota Have Medicare Supplement Plan G?

Minnesota doesn’t use the national standardized Plan G structure in the same way most states do.

For most Minnesota consumers, comparing Medigap coverage should begin with Minnesota’s own standardized options such as:

Basic
Basic with optional riders
Extended Basic
Other Minnesota-approved policy designs

Medicare.gov maintains a separate Minnesota Medigap comparison because Minnesota standardizes its policies differently.

Using a national “Plan G comparison” without accounting for Minnesota law can therefore lead to incorrect conclusions.

What Does the Minnesota Basic Medicare Supplement Policy Cover?

Minnesota’s Basic Medicare Supplement policy provides standardized benefits required under Minnesota law.

Basic coverage includes benefits addressing specified Original Medicare cost sharing, including areas such as:

Inpatient hospital cost sharing
Medicare Part B cost sharing
Blood
Hospice cost sharing
Certain home health cost sharing

The exact benefit requirements are established by Minnesota law.

A Basic policy doesn’t automatically cover every Original Medicare deductible or expense.

What Riders Can Be Added to a Minnesota Basic Policy?

Minnesota allows additional coverage to be added to a Basic policy through optional riders.

Available rider coverage can include items such as:

Medicare Part A inpatient hospital deductible
Certain other Minnesota-authorized supplemental benefits

Historically, Minnesota Basic policies could also include a rider covering the Medicare Part B deductible.

However:

The Part B deductible rider isn’t available to people who became newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020.

This restriction reflects federal MACRA requirements and Minnesota law.

Always compare the actual rider package offered by the insurer.

What Is Minnesota Extended Basic?

Extended Basic is another standardized Minnesota Medicare Supplement option.

It includes Minnesota’s required Basic benefits plus additional benefits established by Minnesota law.

Depending on the particular benefit, Extended Basic can provide broader coverage than Basic alone.

However, don’t assume that Extended Basic means every Medicare cost is covered.

Review the policy’s actual benefit schedule, premiums and limitations.

What Is Medicare SELECT?

Some Minnesota insurers may offer Medicare Supplement coverage as a Medicare SELECT policy.

Medicare SELECT is a form of Medicare Supplement insurance that may require you to use specific hospitals, clinics or providers to receive full policy benefits, except in circumstances covered by applicable rules.

This differs from traditional Minnesota Medigap coverage.

With a standard Minnesota Medicare Supplement policy, you can generally use providers that accept Medicare.

If a SELECT policy is being considered, its network requirements should be reviewed carefully.

Can You Use Any Doctor With Minnesota Medicare Supplement Coverage?

With a traditional Medicare Supplement policy, you can generally receive Medicare-covered care from any provider that accepts Medicare.

The Supplement policy works with Original Medicare rather than creating its own Medicare Advantage-style provider network.

Exception: Medicare SELECT policies can have provider-network requirements for full benefits.

This broad provider access is one of the important structural differences between traditional Medigap and many Medicare Advantage plans.

What Does Medicare Supplement Generally Not Cover?

Medicare Supplement insurance doesn’t cover every health care expense.

Minnesota Commerce identifies several common exclusions, including:

Outpatient prescription drug coverage
Routine dental care, unless Medicare covers the underlying service
Routine eye exams for glasses or contact lenses
Hearing aids

Medicare.gov also notes that Medigap generally doesn’t cover:

Long-term custodial care
Private-duty nursing
Routine vision care
Most dental care
Hearing aids
Eyeglasses

Benefits can vary by Minnesota policy, so review the actual contract rather than assuming every Supplement policy covers the same services.

Does Medicare Supplement Include Part D Prescription Drug Coverage?

New Medicare Supplement policies do not include Medicare Part D outpatient prescription drug coverage.

If you have Original Medicare and want Medicare prescription drug coverage, you generally evaluate a standalone Medicare Part D plan separately.

Some older Medicare Supplement policies issued before Medicare Part D began contained prescription drug benefits, but Medicare Supplement policies with outpatient drug coverage haven’t been newly issued since the federal Part D program began.

Don’t assume that your Minnesota Medicare Supplement premium includes prescription drug coverage.

When Is Your Initial Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Period?

The federal Medigap Open Enrollment Period is a one-time six-month period.

It begins on the first day of the month in which you:

Are enrolled in Medicare Part B, and
Meet the applicable Medicare eligibility requirements.

Minnesota law provides strong protections during this period.

When you apply during the applicable six-month period, a Minnesota insurer generally cannot deny or condition issuance because of your health status, claims experience, medical condition or age.

This initial enrollment opportunity is particularly important because rules outside it can be different.

Is Minnesota’s Initial Medigap Open Enrollment Only for People Age 65?

No.

Minnesota provides Medicare Supplement protections beyond the federal minimum requirements.

Minnesota’s statute states that its initial six-month protections apply to Medicare-related coverage regardless of whether the person has reached age 65.

Minnesota also provides another six-month enrollment period for someone who previously had Medicare Part B because of disability when that person later reaches age 65 and maintains or reenrolls in Part B.

There are also protections when someone drops Part B because of employer-based coverage and later reenrolls.

These are Minnesota-specific rights and shouldn’t be replaced with generic national Medigap guidance.

Minnesota’s New 2026 Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Rule

Minnesota law changed effective August 1, 2026.

The change created an additional Medicare Supplement open-enrollment and guaranteed-issue opportunity tied to Medicare enrollment periods specified in federal Medicare Advantage regulations.

However, this new right has specific statutory eligibility requirements.

For an individual applying under the new Minnesota provision, the statute addresses factors including:

Age
Whether the person is applying for Medicare Supplement coverage during the qualifying open-enrollment period
Whether the individual meets the statutory eligibility requirements
Whether the application represents the person’s first enrollment under the specified provision

For individuals age 65 through 70 who first enroll under this new provision, Minnesota law also permits specified premium increases.

For the 2026 open-enrollment period, the statute specifies a 15% premium increase for an individual to whom that provision applies.

The percentage increases for later years under current law.

Because eligibility depends on the individual’s circumstances, don’t assume that every Minnesota Medicare beneficiary automatically has exactly the same annual guaranteed-issue rights.

The specific statute and current carrier application rules should be checked before changing coverage.

Can You Switch Medicare Supplement Companies?

You may apply to change Medicare Supplement insurers.

Whether an insurer can medically underwrite the application depends on your circumstances and whether you have:

Initial open-enrollment protection
A Minnesota statutory open-enrollment right
A guaranteed-issue right
Another applicable protection

Outside an applicable protected enrollment period, underwriting may apply.

Don’t cancel an existing Medicare Supplement policy until the replacement coverage has been approved and you understand its effective date.

What Is a Guaranteed-Issue Right?

A guaranteed-issue right is a situation in which an insurer must offer qualifying Medicare Supplement coverage without using health status to deny the application or impose prohibited restrictions.

Minnesota law contains several guaranteed-issue situations.

Examples include certain circumstances involving:

Loss of qualifying employer supplemental coverage
Termination of a Medicare Advantage plan
Moving out of a Medicare Advantage service area
Certain plan or insurer failures
Loss of Medicare Supplement coverage through insolvency or involuntary termination
Certain Medicare Advantage trial-right situations

The exact policy choices and deadlines depend on which guaranteed-issue provision applies.

What Is the Medicare Advantage Trial Right?

Federal law and Minnesota law provide special protections in certain situations when someone tries Medicare Advantage.

One common situation involves someone who:

Had Medicare Supplement coverage,
Dropped it to join Medicare Advantage for the first time, and
Leaves the Medicare Advantage plan within the applicable first 12 months.

Another trial-right situation can apply when a person first enrolls in Medicare Part B and chooses Medicare Advantage, then disenrolls within the first 12 months.

These rights are subject to specific requirements and deadlines.

Minnesota law generally provides a guaranteed-issue period beginning as early as 60 days before applicable Medicare Advantage coverage ends and extending up to 63 days after it ends in specified voluntary-disenrollment situations.

Verify your exact rights before dropping either policy.

Can You Be Denied Medicare Supplement Coverage Because of Health?

It depends on when and why you’re applying.

During a Protected Enrollment Period

When a Minnesota guaranteed-issue or applicable open-enrollment protection applies, an insurer can’t deny coverage because of health status in the circumstances covered by the law.

Outside a Protected Enrollment Period

Medical underwriting may apply.

An insurer may ask health questions, and the application may be denied if no guaranteed-issue or other protected enrollment right applies.

This is why timing matters.

Can a Minnesota Medicare Supplement Policy Be Cancelled Because You Get Sick?

Generally, no.

Minnesota Medicare Supplement policies are guaranteed renewable.

Under Minnesota law, an insurer generally can’t cancel or nonrenew the policy because your health deteriorates.

Policies may generally be terminated for reasons such as:

Nonpayment of premium
Material misrepresentation

Your premium can still change according to applicable law and approved rating practices.

Guaranteed renewable does not mean the premium is guaranteed never to increase.

How Are Minnesota Medicare Supplement Premiums Set?

Minnesota uses a community-rating framework for Medicare-related supplemental coverage.

Under Minnesota law, allowable rating factors can include:

Differences in benefit design or provider networks
Approved geographic differences
Certain approved healthy-lifestyle reductions
Specific premium adjustments permitted under Minnesota’s enrollment law

Premiums therefore can vary among insurers and policies even where benefits are standardized.

The Minnesota Department of Commerce reviews Medicare Supplement rates for compliance but does not simply set one statewide premium.

Can Your Medicare Supplement Premium Increase?

Yes.

A guaranteed-renewable policy isn’t the same as a guaranteed-price policy.

Premiums can change according to Minnesota law and approved insurer rates.

Minnesota law also requires benefits designed to cover Medicare cost sharing to adjust when the corresponding Medicare deductible or cost-sharing amount changes.

Insurers must provide applicable notice regarding those changes.

When comparing Medicare Supplement policies, consider both:

The current premium
The insurer’s pricing and rate history

Does Minnesota Medigap Cover the Part A Deductible?

It depends on the policy.

The Minnesota Basic policy doesn’t automatically mean every Original Medicare deductible is paid.

A Part A deductible rider can be added to a Basic policy when offered.

Extended Basic and other Minnesota-approved policy designs have their own benefit structures.

Check the specific policy rather than assuming that all Minnesota Medicare Supplements pay the Part A deductible.

Does Minnesota Medigap Cover the Part B Deductible?

For people considered newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020, Medicare Supplement coverage can’t pay the Medicare Part B deductible.

Minnesota Commerce specifically states that its Part B deductible rider isn’t available to people who turned 65 or otherwise became Medicare-eligible on or after January 1, 2020.

People who were Medicare-eligible before January 1, 2020 may have different options depending on the policy and eligibility rules.

Does Medicare Supplement Have a Provider Network?

Traditional Medicare Supplement coverage generally does not operate like a Medicare Advantage HMO or PPO network.

If a provider accepts Medicare, a traditional Minnesota Medicare Supplement policy can generally coordinate with Original Medicare for covered benefits.

Medicare SELECT is different.

A SELECT policy may require use of designated providers for full policy benefits.

Does Medicare Supplement Cover You While Traveling?

Original Medicare generally allows you to use any provider in the United States that accepts Medicare.

Some Minnesota Medicare Supplement policies can provide additional benefits for medically necessary care received outside the United States.

The extent of foreign-travel coverage depends on the particular Minnesota policy.

Don’t assume all Minnesota Supplement policies provide identical foreign-travel benefits.

Medicare Supplement vs. Medicare Advantage

These coverage arrangements work differently.

Medicare Supplement + Original Medicare

You generally:

Keep Original Medicare Part A and Part B
Can generally use any U.S. provider that accepts Medicare
May purchase a standalone Part D plan
Pay a separate Medicare Supplement premium
Have certain Original Medicare cost sharing paid according to your Supplement policy
Usually don’t face Medicare Advantage-style provider-network restrictions

Medicare Advantage

You generally:

Receive your Part A and Part B benefits through a private Medicare-approved plan
Continue paying your Part B premium
Often receive Part D through the same plan
May use a provider network
May face prior authorization requirements
Have plan-specific copayments and coinsurance
Have an annual medical maximum out-of-pocket limit

Neither option is automatically best for everyone.

Medicare Supplement vs. Medicare Cost Plans in Minnesota

Minnesota is one of the states where Medicare Cost Plans may still be available in some areas.

A Cost Plan isn’t the same as:

Original Medicare alone
Medicare Supplement insurance
Medicare Advantage

Availability depends on where you live.

If a Cost Plan is available in your Minnesota service area, compare its rules separately rather than treating it as a Medicare Supplement policy.

What Should You Compare When Choosing Minnesota Medicare Supplement Coverage?

Start with the coverage itself.

Policy Type

Are you comparing Basic, Basic with riders, Extended Basic, SELECT or another Minnesota-approved policy?

Benefits

Which Original Medicare deductibles, copayments and coinsurance does it cover?

Premium

What is the monthly cost?

Future Premium Changes

How has the insurer’s pricing changed over time?

Riders

Which optional riders are included or available?

Provider Rules

Is it traditional Medigap or Medicare SELECT?

Travel

Does the policy offer foreign-travel benefits important to you?

Eligibility

Are you applying during a guaranteed-issue or other protected enrollment period?

Prescription Drugs

Remember that modern Medicare Supplement policies don’t replace Medicare Part D.

Minnesota Medicare Supplement: Key Points

Remember:

Medicare Supplement works with Original Medicare.
Minnesota standardizes Medigap differently from most states.
Required Minnesota offerings include Basic, Basic with Optional Riders and Extended Basic.
Other approved Minnesota policies may also be available.
You need Medicare Parts A and B to buy a Medigap policy.
Modern Medicare Supplement policies don’t include Medicare Part D drug coverage.
Traditional Medigap generally allows broad access to providers that accept Medicare.
Medicare SELECT can involve provider-network requirements.
Minnesota provides its own enrollment and guaranteed-issue protections in addition to federal protections.
A significant new Minnesota enrollment provision took effect August 1, 2026, but eligibility conditions matter.
Don’t cancel existing Medicare Supplement coverage until replacement rights and effective dates are understood.

How YourMedicareMN Can Help

YourMedicareMN is an independent Minnesota insurance agency specializing in Medicare.

We can help you:

Understand Minnesota Medicare Supplement coverage
Compare Basic, Extended Basic and other available policy structures
Review optional riders
Compare Medicare Supplement with Medicare Advantage
Understand whether Part D should be considered separately
Review applicable enrollment and guaranteed-issue rights
Compare Medicare Supplement policies offered by the insurance companies we represent
Understand how Medicare Supplement coverage works with Original Medicare

Because Minnesota’s Medicare Supplement rules differ substantially from most states, we use Minnesota-specific information rather than applying national Medigap assumptions.

Learn First. Decide With Confidence.

[Schedule a Medicare Consultation]

Frequently Asked Questions About Medicare Supplement in Minnesota

What is Medigap?

Medigap is private Medicare Supplement insurance that works with Original Medicare to help pay certain deductibles, copayments, coinsurance and other specified costs.

Does Minnesota have Plan G?

Minnesota standardizes Medicare Supplement insurance differently from most states.

Minnesota residents should compare Minnesota’s Basic, Basic with optional riders, Extended Basic and other Minnesota-approved options rather than assuming a national Plan G description applies.

What Medicare Supplement plans must Minnesota insurers offer?

Insurers selling Medicare Supplement policies in Minnesota are required to offer:

Basic
Basic with Optional Rider(s)
Extended Basic

Some insurers may also offer other Minnesota-approved policies.

Do I need Medicare Parts A and B to buy Medigap?

Yes.

Minnesota Commerce states that you must have both Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B to buy a Medicare Supplement policy.

Can Medigap work with Medicare Advantage?

No.

Medicare Supplement is designed to work with Original Medicare, not to pay Medicare Advantage plan deductibles, copayments or coinsurance.

Does Minnesota Medigap cover prescription drugs?

Modern Medicare Supplement policies don’t provide Medicare Part D outpatient prescription drug coverage.

If you use Original Medicare and want Medicare prescription drug coverage, you generally evaluate Part D separately.

Can I use any doctor?

With traditional Medicare Supplement coverage, you can generally receive covered care from providers that accept Medicare.

Medicare SELECT policies may require use of network providers to receive full benefits.

When is my initial Minnesota Medigap Open Enrollment Period?

Minnesota’s initial Medicare Supplement enrollment protection generally lasts six months beginning with the first day of the month in which you first enroll in Medicare Part B.

Can I buy a Medicare Supplement policy outside my initial six-month period?

Possibly.

Minnesota has guaranteed-issue protections for certain circumstances and added new open-enrollment provisions effective August 1, 2026.

The exact right depends on your age, existing coverage, enrollment history and circumstances.

Outside a protected period, underwriting may apply.

Can the insurer cancel my policy if I get sick?

Generally, no.

Minnesota Medicare Supplement policies are guaranteed renewable as long as applicable requirements such as premium payment are met.

Next Steps in Minnesota

Compare Medigap plans (A–N) and premiums in your county
Review your medical needs and expected care costs
Pair Medigap with Part D for prescription drug coverage

YourMedicareMN can help you select the right Medigap plan for your situation, explain Minnesota-specific rules, and guide you through enrollment.

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📍 Serving all of Minnesota
💻 Phone and virtual appointments available

Visit Contact Us to schedule a personalized Medicare review and get answers tailored to your situation.

For official Medicare information, visit the Medicare.gov website.