Plan G pays everything Original Medicare leaves behind except the Part B deductible. Plan N does the same but adds a copay of up to $20 for office visits and up to $50 for emergency room visits, and it does not cover excess charges. In exchange, Plan N's premium runs noticeably lower. If you rarely see a doctor, N usually wins. If you see specialists often, G usually wins.
What both plans cover
Both pay the Part A hospital deductible and the 20 percent coinsurance on Part B. Both also cover hospice and skilled nursing coinsurance. Blood and emergency care while traveling abroad are covered too. With either plan, a hospital stay costs you nothing beyond your premium. Both let you see any doctor in the country who accepts Medicare.
Where they differ
The Part B deductible, $283 in 2026, is yours with both plans.
Office visits: Plan G pays the full 20 percent. Plan N leaves you a copay of up to $20 per visit.
Emergency room: Plan N leaves a $50 copay, waived if you are admitted.
Excess charges: a doctor who does not accept Medicare's rate can bill up to 15 percent more. Plan G pays it. Plan N does not. Most doctors accept Medicare's rate, and some states ban excess charges entirely, so this matters less than it sounds. Ask me about your state.
Doing the math
Take the difference in monthly premiums between G and N in your ZIP code and multiply by twelve. Then estimate your office visits for the year and multiply by $20. If the premium savings beat the copays, N is the better buy. For a healthy person with four or five visits a year, N often saves several hundred dollars. For someone managing a condition with monthly specialist visits, G comes out ahead and the predictability is worth more.
Plan F and the high-deductible versions
If you became eligible for Medicare before 2020 you may still see Plan F, which also covers the Part B deductible. It is closed to new enrollees. High-deductible Plan G is a third option with a low premium and a deductible you pay first, $2,870 in 2026, which suits people who want protection against a catastrophic year only.
Premiums for the same plan letter vary widely between companies for identical coverage. That is the part I check. Request a plan check and I pull the rates for your ZIP code.