Florida Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans, explained

Medigap is one of the two main ways to cover the gaps in Original Medicare (the other is a Medicare Advantage plan — I explain the difference on the Medicare plans page, and how Advantage works here specifically on the Florida Medicare Advantage page). A Medigap policy works alongside Original Medicare and helps pay some of the out-of-pocket costs Medicare leaves behind, like coinsurance and deductibles.

Medigap plans are standardized — the coverage is set by law

Here's the part that surprises people: Medigap plans are standardized. A plan with a given letter has the same core benefits no matter which insurance company sells it. A Plan G from one carrier covers the same categories as a Plan G from another. What changes between companies is mostly the premium and the service, not the benefits.

Florida offers the same lettered plans available across the country. Two of the most commonly chosen are Plan G and Plan N. If you became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020, Plans C and F are no longer available to you, because those plans covered the Part B deductible and newer enrollees can't buy them. That's a federal rule, not a Florida one.

Because the benefits are fixed, comparing Medigap is really about comparing price and the company behind the policy for the same lettered plan. That's a big part of what I do for clients — line up what the carriers I represent charge for the same plan so you can see it side by side. I don't represent every company, so it's always worth also checking Medicare.gov's plan finder or Florida SHINE for the full market.

Florida does not have a Medigap "birthday rule"

This is the single most important Florida difference, and it's the opposite of the rule in a few other states. Some states — California and Oregon, for example — let you switch Medigap plans once a year around your birthday without answering health questions. Florida has no birthday rule.

What that means in practice: outside of a protected window, if you want to switch Medigap plans in Florida, the new insurance company can ask health questions and can decline you or charge more based on your health. This is called medical underwriting. It doesn't mean you can never switch — many people do — but approval isn't guaranteed, so timing your first enrollment well matters more here than in birthday-rule states.

(If you're moving to Florida from a birthday-rule state like California, don't assume the rule follows you. It doesn't. I walk through relocation timing on the moving to Florida on Medicare page.)

Your strongest window is Medigap Open Enrollment

There's one window where health questions don't apply at all. Your Medigap Open Enrollment Period is the six months that begin when you're 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B. During those six months you have a guaranteed-issue right: any Medigap plan sold in Florida must accept you, and can't charge you more because of your health.

This window is one-time and it doesn't reset. Once it passes, you're generally back to underwriting for future changes. That's why, in Florida especially, it's worth getting the first decision right rather than planning to "fix it later." If you're approaching 65, the turning 65 in Florida guide walks through how this window lines up with your other enrollment deadlines.

Some other situations also give you guaranteed-issue rights

Medigap Open Enrollment isn't the only time underwriting can be waived. Federal rules create some guaranteed-issue situations that also apply in Florida, usually with a limited window — for example, losing employer or retiree coverage, being in your first 12 months of a Medicare Advantage plan and choosing to switch back (a "trial right"), or having your plan leave your area. Florida also requires a 30-day "free look" period on a new Medigap policy, so you have time to review it.

These situations have specific timing rules and paperwork, and the details decide whether you qualify. Rather than guess, confirm your exact rights with Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or Florida SHINE — and I'm glad to help you read your own situation on a free call.

Why Florida Medigap premiums tend to run high

Floridians often ask why the same lettered plan costs more here. A big reason is simply that Florida has a large, older population, so carriers pay out more in claims and price premiums accordingly. Florida is consistently one of the more expensive states for Medigap.

Another factor is how the premium is calculated over time. Many Florida Medigap policies use attained-age rating, which means the premium is based on your current age and rises as you get older. Other pricing methods (issue-age or community rating) behave differently. Two policies with identical benefits can age very differently in price depending on how they're rated — which is exactly the kind of thing worth understanding before you enroll, not after.

How I can help

Comparing Medigap in Florida comes down to a few honest questions: which lettered plan fits how you use care, which carrier prices that plan competitively for you, and whether you're in a window where health questions apply. As an independent broker I'm paid by the insurance company if you enroll, and your premium is the same whether you use a broker or not — there's no separate charge for the help. I explain exactly how that works on the how it works page.

If you'd like a second set of eyes on your options, book a free 15-minute call or call Matt directly. No pressure, and no obligation.

Frequently asked questions

Sources & official references

• Medicare.gov — official Medigap basics, the standardized plan letters, and the policies sold in your area. Or call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048).
• CMS.gov — the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which standardizes the lettered Medigap plans and defines the guaranteed-issue situations described above.
• SSA.gov — the Social Security Administration, which handles Part B enrollment — the date your Part B starts is what opens your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period. Or call 1-800-772-1213.
• Florida SHINE — free, impartial Medicare counseling from Florida's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), at 1-800-963-5337.

Last reviewed: August 2026

For 65 Insurance is an independent insurance brokerage and is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government, the federal Medicare program, or the State of Florida. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information here is educational and not a substitute for the official rules — to review all of your options, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), or Florida SHINE, your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (1-800-963-5337).