Medicare Plan F pricing varies by state, age, and insurer; the high-deductible version uses a $2,870 annual deductible in 2025.
Shopping this coverage isn’t about chasing a single “right” number. Premiums swing with where you live, how the insurer rates policies, your age when you enroll, and even tobacco status. This guide lays out what drives the bill, how to read quotes, and smart ways to keep costs in check if you qualify to buy Plan F.
Medicare Plan F Price Breakdown: What You’ll Pay
Three buckets make up the cost picture: your monthly premium, your fixed Medicare Part B premium (paid to the government), and any out-of-pocket costs tied to the version you choose. Standard F is “first-dollar” coverage that picks up Part A and Part B cost sharing, including the Part B deductible for people eligible to buy it. High-deductible F flips the order: you pay Medicare-covered costs up to an annual threshold before the supplement starts paying. For 2025, that threshold is $2,870, set each year by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
What Drives The Premium
Insurers set Medigap prices using one of three rating methods. The method matters because it changes how your premium moves over time. Geography, discounts, and underwriting rules also nudge the price.
| Factor | How It Affects The Bill | What To Check Before You Buy |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Method | Community-rated: same rate for everyone in an area; increases can come from inflation. Issue-age-rated: based on your age when you enroll; won’t rise due to aging. Attained-age-rated: starts lower and climbs with each birthday. |
Ask the agent which method applies and view a 5–10 year rate history. Medicare’s Medigap guide lists these three models. |
| Age & Eligibility Window | Buying at 65 often locks lower rates with issue-age plans; attained-age plans step up as you age. | Time your purchase within your six-month Medigap open-enrollment window after Part B starts to avoid underwriting in many states. |
| Location | Rates vary by state and even ZIP code because claims experience and state rules differ. | Run quotes for your exact ZIP. Compare several insurers that offer the same lettered plan. |
| Tobacco & Discounts | Smoke surcharges and savings for EFT, annual pay, or household pairs change the monthly line. | Ask for all available discounts and the rules to keep them. |
| Policy Version | Standard F usually carries a higher premium with little or no cost at point of care. High-deductible F lowers the premium but adds an annual spend up to the set deductible. | Confirm the current deductible amount and how costs apply before the policy pays. |
| Underwriting Rules | Outside protected periods, companies may review health history and quote higher rates or decline. | Know your guaranteed-issue rights and any state-level protections that waive underwriting in certain situations. |
Medicare’s official materials explain that insurers pick the rating model, which can affect what you pay now and later. The Medigap guide lays out the three pricing methods above, and the costs page notes wide variation across companies and locations.
Who Can Still Buy Plan F
Only people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020 can buy or keep this lettered plan, including its high-deductible version. That rule traces to MACRA, the federal law that barred new buyers from policies that pay the Part B deductible. If you meet that eligibility date, carriers may continue to offer you F or high-deductible F.
Standard F Versus High-Deductible F
Both versions cover the same benefits; the difference is how you reach those benefits. With the high-deductible option, you pay Medicare-approved cost sharing until you meet the set deductible, then the policy pays its full benefits for the rest of the year. CMS set that amount at $2,870 for 2025.
What The Coverage Includes
The plan covers Part A hospital coinsurance, extra hospital days, Part B coinsurance, blood (first 3 pints), skilled nursing facility coinsurance, Part A deductible, Part B deductible, and Part B excess charges, plus 80% of foreign travel emergency up to plan limits. Medicare’s benefit chart confirms these items for this lettered plan.
Side-By-Side Cost Mechanics
| Feature | Standard F | High-Deductible F |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Premium | Higher | Lower |
| Annual Deductible Applied To You | No plan-specific deductible; policy covers Medicare cost sharing from the start | $2,870 in 2025 before the supplement pays (excludes premiums) |
| Risk Of Big Bills Mid-Year | Low for covered services | Up to the deductible, then low |
CMS publishes the yearly number for the high-deductible option and updates it based on CPI-U inflation every fall, which is why that threshold changes across years.
How Insurers Rate Policies (And Why It Matters)
Two people with the same lettered plan can pay different premiums for the same ZIP because companies use different rating models. Here’s the quick read:
- Community-rated: everyone in the area pays the same premium; rates can change with inflation and claims experience, not with your age.
- Issue-age-rated: premium is tied to your age when you buy; it won’t climb just because you get older.
- Attained-age-rated: starts lower and increases as birthdays stack up.
These definitions come straight from Medicare’s consumer guide and independent health policy sources that track Medigap pricing.
Why Quotes Vary Across States
Medigap is a federal-standardized product sold under state rules. States decide extra protections, switching windows, and whether certain rating models are common. That’s a big reason someone in one state sees a different premium than a pal in another, even when both look at the same lettered plan. KFF’s national review points to wide variation and limited federal limits on underwriting once you’re past your initial enrollment window.
Where To See Official Numbers While You Shop
You can verify the current deductible for the high-deductible version on the CMS page that posts the 2025 high-deductible amount. You can also compare lettered benefits on Medicare’s chart and check the costs page that explains how companies set prices and why quotes vary. Those two pages are the fastest way to confirm benefits and pricing methods while you compare offers.
How To Read A Plan F Quote Like A Pro
Start With Rating Method
Make sure the quote plainly lists the pricing model. If it’s attained-age, ask for a rate history by age band so you’re not surprised later. If it’s issue-age, ask whether moving ZIP codes changes the base rate.
Scan The Fine Print On Discounts
Many carriers list household or EFT savings, but some require both spouses to buy from the same company. Confirm what happens if a spouse drops coverage, and whether the discount vanishes mid-year.
Check Tobacco Rules
Some companies allow a future switch to non-tobacco rates after a smoke-free period. Others don’t. That single policy detail can change your lifetime cost by thousands.
Confirm Eligibility Date
If you first became eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020, you may buy or keep this lettered plan. If you became eligible later, you can’t buy it, and the closest analog on the market is Plan G (which doesn’t pay the Part B deductible). The 2020 rule comes from federal law and appears in state regulator summaries as well.
What “Open Enrollment” And “Guaranteed Issue” Mean For Price
Many buyers get the best shot at the lowest premium in the six-month window that starts once Part B begins, since companies generally can’t use medical underwriting during that period in most states. Outside protected times, insurers often review health history. Certain life events create short “guaranteed-issue” windows where underwriting is off the table; that can make a big difference in what you’re quoted.
When The High-Deductible Version Can Make Sense
This option swaps a lower monthly bill for an annual threshold. It can be a fit if you rarely see doctors and prefer to cap your risk at a set number, or if local premiums for standard F feel steep. Since the deductible resets each January, run the math using your own care pattern and the current CMS amount before you switch.
Simple Steps To Keep Costs Down
Compare At Least Three Carriers
Benefits match by letter, so price and service difference are what matter. Medicare’s plan finder helps you see local options side by side and routes you to company sites for exact quotes.
Ask For Rate Guarantees And History
Some companies hold the first-year rate for 12 months. Many publish past increases by plan and state. That transparency helps you weigh a slightly lower first-year price against a pattern of steeper hikes later.
Use Household And EFT Discounts Wisely
Stack eligible savings, but read the trigger rules so you don’t lose the break by changing payment method or moving.
Recheck Quotes Each Renewal
Where state rules allow, you can apply to switch companies. In many places you’ll face underwriting outside protected windows, so plan ahead and start early.
Answers To Common Cost Questions
Does Plan F Pay The Part B Deductible?
Yes, this lettered plan includes the Part B deductible for people who are eligible to buy it. Florida’s 2025 regulator FAQ lists that deductible at $257 for 2025 and confirms that Plans C, F, and High-Deductible F include it.
Why Do Quotes From The Same Company Differ By ZIP?
Companies file rates by area. Claims history and local market rules influence those filings, so a short move can change the price even with the same carrier.
Is There A National “Average” Price?
Averages exist, but they hide wide swings driven by rating method, state rules, and personal risk factors. It’s smarter to rely on local quotes and the official Medicare tools and benefit chart than a single nationwide figure.
Quick Verification Links While You Compare
Bookmark these two pages as you shop:
- Medicare’s plan benefit chart for what this letter includes.
- CMS high-deductible announcements for the current annual deductible.
Method Notes
Figures and rules in this guide come from Medicare.gov consumer materials, CMS announcements for 2025 deductible amounts, and national health policy reviews on Medigap enrollment and premiums. Links above go straight to those sources.