AI Medicare Advantage vs Medigap Explainer
Open enrollment closes December 7. Answer four short questions about your age, health, and budget, and get a plain-English comparison of Medicare Advantage vs Medigap Plan G with quiet-year, typical-year, and rough-year cost scenarios. Free, no signup.
Your Situation
Step 1: About you
Age bandMedigap rules and prices vary by state, so this matters for switching rights.
Your situationYour Comparison
Comparing your Medicare options with Gemini 3.1 Pro...
Your Saved Scenarios
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The One Question That Settles Advantage vs Medigap
Everyone asks which plan is cheaper, and the honest answer is that it depends on the year you are about to have. Medicare Advantage usually wins the quiet year: low or $0 premiums, a few copays, done. Medigap Plan G usually wins the rough year: you paid more every month, but a hospital bill that would have run to thousands under Advantage costs you the Part B deductible and nothing else. The question that settles it is not "which costs less" but "can I afford the worst year, and do I care about networks?"
That is why this tool shows three years side by side instead of one number. The quiet year is checkups and a couple of prescriptions. The typical year is regular specialist visits and ongoing meds. The rough year is the one nobody plans: surgery, an ER visit, a hospital stay. Advantage has an annual out-of-pocket cap, so the rough year is bounded, but that cap is often close to $10,000, and your drugs are not the only thing sitting outside it. Medigap's rough year looks almost identical to its quiet year, because that is what the monthly premium buys you: predictability.
The second thing people miss is that the two paths are not equally reversible. If you leave Medigap for an Advantage plan during open enrollment, coming back later is not guaranteed: outside your initial enrollment window, insurers in most states can deny you or charge more based on your health. Switching into Advantage is easy; switching back to Medigap is where people get stuck. Before December 7, know your state's Medigap switching rules, not just the premiums.
For the full walkthrough, read our guides: How to Choose Between Medicare Advantage and Medigap and Medicare Advantage vs Medigap Cost Scenarios.
How It Works
Step 1: About you. Your age band, state, and situation (turning 65, switching during open enrollment, or reviewing your plan). State matters because Medigap prices and switching rules differ by state.
Step 2: Health profile. Doctor visits, prescriptions, and your health outlook. This shapes the explanation, not the math.
Step 3: Budget and assumptions. Set your monthly premium ceiling, then check the editable national-average assumptions (Advantage premium, Advantage out-of-pocket max, Plan G premium, Part B premium and deductible). Replace them with real plan numbers before you enroll.
Step 4: Review and generate. The deterministic cost scenarios are computed instantly and shown before you generate. Then the AI writes a plain-English comparison keyed to your situation, with the questions to ask before December 7.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the difference between Medicare Advantage and Medigap?
Medicare Advantage (Part C) replaces Original Medicare with a private plan that bundles hospital, doctor, and usually drug coverage, often with low or $0 premiums but a provider network and an annual out-of-pocket cap. Medigap is supplemental insurance on top of Original Medicare; it pays most of what Original Medicare does not, for a higher monthly premium but almost no surprise costs.
How much does Medigap Plan G cost per month?
Nationally it averages around $150 per month at age 65, but it varies a lot by state and age, and it usually rises as you get older. This tool defaults to $150 so you can see the shape of the tradeoff; replace it with real quotes from your state.
When is Medicare open enrollment?
October 15 to December 7 each year. You can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage plan or change your Part D drug plan, with changes effective January 1. Medigap has different enrollment rules that vary by state.
Can I switch from Medicare Advantage back to Medigap?
You can return to Original Medicare during open enrollment, but your right to buy Medigap depends on your state. Outside your initial 6-month Medigap enrollment period, insurers in most states can charge more or deny you based on health. Some states allow year-round or birthday-rule Medigap switching.
Does Medicare Advantage include drug coverage?
Most Advantage plans include Part D drug coverage (MAPD). Medigap does not cover drugs at all, so Medigap users buy a separate Part D plan, roughly $20 to $70 per month extra. This tool compares medical costs only; add a Part D estimate to the Medigap side when you run your numbers.
Want the full walkthrough? Read our guides: How to Choose Between Medicare Advantage and Medigap and Medicare Advantage vs Medigap Cost Scenarios.