That's where shoppers get burned. The cheapest quote today isn't always the cheapest policy over ten years. Increases differ by insurer, plan letter, state, pricing method and policy block. One analysis of 2026 submitted adjustments found roughly one in five came in at 20% or more.
This guide explains how Medigap pricing works, what rate history can and can't tell you, how to research a carrier, and what to do after a premium change.
Key Takeaways
- Benefits are standardized by plan letter, but premiums and rate histories vary by insurer and state.
- Community-rated, issue-age and attained-age policies can all see rate increases.
- Past increases help you compare carriers but don't predict future premiums.
- Never cancel your current policy until the replacement is approved and its effective date is confirmed.
How Medigap Pricing Works
Medigap is private supplemental insurance used with Original Medicare. You need Part A and Part B to buy it, and it is not a Medicare Advantage plan. Because same-letter plans offer the same basic benefits, price becomes the main point of comparison.
The three pricing methods
According to Medicare's guide, insurers price policies in one of three ways:
- Community-rated (no-age-rated): the premium isn't based on your age. It can still rise with inflation and other factors.
- Issue-age-rated: the premium is based on your age when you buy. It doesn't rise because you age, but it can rise for other reasons.
- Attained-age-rated: the premium is based on your current age, so it climbs as you get older, on top of broader increases. A cheap start can become expensive.
The Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) identifies nine states that require community or no-age rating for beneficiaries 65 and older: Arkansas, Connecticut, Idaho, Massachusetts, Maine, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington.
A hypothetical example
This is an illustration, not real pricing. Say two people buy Plan G at 65. Policy A is attained-age at $100 a month. Policy B is issue-age at $130.
In the early years, A looks like the bargain. But A's premium rises with each birthday plus any carrier increase, while B's moves only with carrier increases. By the late 70s, B may cost less.
What else affects your quote
- State and local rating rules
- Tobacco status
- Household or multi-policy discounts
- Application timing and underwriting
- The plan's rating class
A pricing method is not the same as a rate action. The method describes how the policy is priced. A rate action is a later change the insurer files and the state permits or approves.
Plan design rules vary by state as well. Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin use different standardization. Check Medicare.gov or your state insurance department for current rules.
Why Medigap Premiums Increase and How to Read Rate History
Premiums generally reflect the insurer's whole pool of policyholders, not your personal claims. Florida's insurance regulator says increases apply to an entire premium class, not to one person because of their health or number of claims. You can get an increase after using almost no care.
Common drivers in rate filings
- Medical cost inflation and service-price growth
- Utilization and claims severity
- Shifts in the age or health mix of a policy block
- Administrative expenses
- The size and maturity of the pool
Plan letters can move differently. Plan G covers Part B excess charges, while Plan N doesn't and allows copays of up to $20 for some office visits and $50 for certain emergency visits.
Different benefits attract different enrollees, so claims exposure differs. That still doesn't create a universal G-versus-N premium gap.
Real filing examples
Published filings show how uneven the picture is:
| Insurer / state | Period | Plan G | Plan N | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transamerica / Iowa block | Mar 1, 2024 | 9.5% | 9.5% | Published history |
| Same block | Jun 1, 2025 | 9.5% | 9.5% | Published history |
| Same block | Jul 1, 2026 | 19.0% | 19.0% | Published history |
| BCBS Rhode Island | Jul 2026 to Jun 2027 | 12.1% | 10.1% | Requested, not confirmed as approved |
The Iowa entries aren't labeled as enrollment-weighted averages or individual renewal increases. Rhode Island's are requests.
Why one carrier's history is hard to compare
"Rate increase history" means past premium adjustments for a specific carrier, plan, state, rating class or block. A national average rarely matches one policyholder's experience.
Closed blocks, discontinued sales, and newly opened blocks complicate things. Closed blocks can skew older as healthier members leave. Yet CSG's 2026 data showed open blocks averaging about 14% versus 11% for closed ones. Closed status doesn't guarantee faster increases.
The NAIC model regulation's 65% minimum loss ratio ties benefits to premiums. It is not a cap on increases.
How to Compare a Carrier's Rate Increase History
Start with an apples-to-apples comparison. Match these factors before you judge any carrier's history:
- Plan letter
- State and rating area
- Enrollment age or rating class
- Tobacco category
- Discount assumptions
- Effective period
Gather the history
Ask insurers or a licensed agent for several years of rate history. Medicare's guide suggests asking about increases over the last three years attributable to inflation or other factors. Record:
- Effective date
- Percentage or dollar change
- Plan and state affected
- Whether it applied to all policyholders or one block
Read the pattern, not one year
- Look for repeated increases, rising frequency and volatile swings.
- Separate a one-time corrective increase from a recurring pattern of large ones.
- Check whether an unusually low starting premium was erased by later increases.
- Note whether past increases hit a closed or shrinking block.
Weigh other value factors
History is one input. Also weigh the current premium, discounts, plan availability and what costs remain under the plan.
AM Best ratings offer an independent view of an insurer's financial strength. The NAIC Consumer Insurance Search shows state-confirmed complaint data. Keep the insurance category and time period in mind, since a broad category isn't automatically Medigap-specific.
These sources answer different questions. Premium finders, rate filings, financial ratings and complaint records don't substitute for each other.
History is evidence, not a promise. Claims and regulatory conditions change.
If you live in Virginia or West Virginia, Muneris Benefits' licensed agents can help compare Medicare supplement options, pricing methods and carrier rate histories. Virginia residents can also use the SCC's Medigap Premium Finder for current premium comparisons, though it doesn't show historical increases.
What to Do After a Medigap Rate Increase
Start with the notice. Confirm the new amount, effective date, plan letter, discount status, and whether it reflects a broad approved adjustment or something specific to your policy.
Then ask the carrier or your agent:
- Has the rating method changed?
- Are my discounts still active?
- Is there a lower-cost option with this carrier or another?
Switching considerations
Outside an open enrollment period or guaranteed-issue situation, insurers can use medical underwriting. A new insurer may charge more, exclude coverage where permitted, or decline you. A premium increase alone doesn't trigger guaranteed-issue rights.
Medigap policies issued since 1992 are generally guaranteed renewable. That protects your coverage, not your premium.
Don't cancel your existing policy until:
- The replacement is approved
- The effective date is confirmed
- You understand differences in premiums, underwriting, benefits, and out-of-pocket costs
Medicare's 30-day free-look period requires paying both premiums during the overlap.
State birthday and anniversary rules
Some states give existing policyholders a switching window without health underwriting, but the rules differ:
- Virginia: 60 days starting on your birthday, same benefits, any insurer (effective July 1, 2025).
- West Virginia: First day of your birth month through 60 days later (effective June 11, 2026). Requires 24 months continuous coverage, one election per year, and generally same insurer or affiliate with same or lesser benefits.
- California, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada and others: birthday windows with their own limits on benefits and insurers.
Confirm the current rule with your state insurance department before acting.
What to Know About 2026 Increases and Regulatory Changes
There is no single national 2026 increase. CSG's January to August 2026 study covered about 780 company-state-plan adjustments from more than 100 carriers.
Average submitted adjustments were around 15%, with a median near 14.5%. These are submitted adjustments, not confirmed approvals or a weighted national renewal figure.
Regulation: what's new, what isn't
- Rate review: Virginia and West Virginia require prior approval before Medigap rates are used or changed. Regulatory review doesn't create a universal cap.
- West Virginia: a new law requires an annual premium-trend report by December 1, organized by insurer and plan type. It is a reporting provision, not new rate-setting authority.
- Minnesota: rights effective August 1, 2026 apply to first-time applicants ages 65 to 70, not existing policyholders.
- Part B: the 2026 standard premium is $202.90 and the deductible is $283, according to CMS. Those aren't Medigap premiums.
- MACRA: plans covering the Part B deductible, such as C and F, can't be sold to people newly eligible on or after January 1, 2020. Existing policies don't terminate.
Keep Medigap and Medicare Advantage separate. CMS Medicare Advantage payment announcements concern federal plan payments. They aren't a Medigap rate limit or forecast.
Information current as of the sources' 2026 dates. Filings and protections can change during the year, so check with your state insurance department.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Medigap go up each year?
There's no universal annual increase. It depends on the insurer, plan letter, pricing method, state, policy block and approved rate actions. Look at a specific carrier's history instead of a national percentage.
Will Medigap premiums increase in 2026?
Possibly, but amount and timing depend on your carrier, plan, state, rating class and effective date. Check your insurer's notice and your state's filing information.
Do Medigap premiums go up as you get older?
Under attained-age pricing, yes. Issue-age and community-rated premiums don't rise because of aging, but any method can rise with medical costs or approved rate adjustments.
What impact have recent regulatory changes had on Medigap plans?
It depends on the rule. Changes may touch pricing, standardization, enrollment protections or rate review. Check current Medicare.gov and state insurance department sources.
Can Medigap premiums increase because I used my coverage?
Generally no. Premiums are based on the insurer's broader pool, not your claims. Underwriting and rating rules can still affect what a new applicant pays.
Can I switch Medigap plans after a rate increase?
Maybe. Outside open enrollment or guaranteed-issue rights, medical underwriting can apply. Confirm approval and effective dates before canceling current coverage.
