Medicare Advantage vs Medigap Comparison Calculator

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Important: Medicare Advantage Costs Are Unpredictable Year to Year

This calculator uses your current assumptions held constant over time. In reality, Medicare Advantage plans can change every single year — premiums, deductibles, copays, network restrictions, dental benefits, vision allowances, hearing coverage, over-the-counter benefits, and Part B giveback amounts can all increase, decrease, or disappear entirely at the plan's discretion during Annual Enrollment.

Medicare Supplement plans work differently. A Plan G is a Plan G — the benefits are standardized by federal law and do not change. The only variables are the monthly premium and the annual Part B deductible, both of which are far more predictable over time.

Use this calculator as a starting point for comparison — not a prediction. The long-term cost of a Medicare Advantage plan is inherently uncertain in a way that Medicare Supplement plans are not.

Medicare Advantage Plan — Assumptions

MA Monthly Premium & Expected Out-of-Pocket

Set your MA plan's monthly premium and what you realistically expect to spend out-of-pocket each year. The MOOP is your worst-case ceiling.

MA monthly premium

$0/mo

MA expected annual out-of-pocket (your estimate)

$2,000/yr

MA max out-of-pocket / MOOP (2026 limit: $9,350)

$9,350

MA MOOP annual growth rate

3%/yr

Extra Benefits Annual Dollar Value

Enter the realistic annual dollar value of each extra benefit. This is applied as a credit that reduces MA's net annual cost.

Dental coverage annual value

$0/yr

Vision coverage annual value

$0/yr

Hearing coverage annual value

$0/yr

Over-the-counter (OTC) benefit annual value

$0/yr

Part B Giveback — monthly premium reduction

$0/mo

Part B Giveback: some MA plans reduce your Part B premium ($202.90/mo in 2026) by a set amount. The annual value (monthly × 12) is applied as a credit reducing MA's net cost.

Extra Benefits Annual Credit — reduces MA net cost

Dental

Vision

Hearing

OTC

Part B Giveback/yr

Total annual benefit credit: $0

Medigap Plans — Assumptions

Starting Monthly Premiums (Age 65) — Enter Your Local Rates

Plan G — starting monthly premium

$160/mo

Plan N — starting monthly premium

$120/mo

HD-G — starting monthly premium

$45/mo

Annual Premium Increase Rates

Plan G annual increase

10%

Plan N annual increase

HD-G annual increase

HD-G Out-of-Pocket & Part B Deductible

HD-G full deductible ($2,950) every N years

every 5 yrs

HD-G partial OOP (other years)

$750

HD-G deductible annual growth

Part B deductible annual growth ($283 start)

Plan N office visits per year

7 visits

Results — Cost Comparison

View

Total Cost Summary (10 Years)

MA Plan

—

incl. net benefits credit

Plan G

—

premiums + Part B ded.

Plan N

—

premiums + Part B + copays

HD-G

—

premiums + Part B + OOP

MA Utilization Scenarios — How OOP assumptions change the outcome

⚠️ Making an apples-to-apples comparison: If you expect moderate or high MA utilization, also increase the HD-G out-of-pocket assumptions in the Medigap section above — the same health profile that drives higher MA costs would also mean higher HD-G out-of-pocket costs. Adjust the HD-G partial OOP and full deductible frequency sliders to match.

Cumulative Cost Over Time

MA (your OOP estimate) Plan G Plan N HD-G

MA Scenarios vs Best Medigap Option

MA Low use MA Moderate use MA High use (MOOP) HD-G (best Medigap)

Year-by-Year Detail

Yr	Age	MA Prem	MA Net OOP	MA Annual	MA Cumul.	G Annual	G Cumul.	N Annual	N Cumul.	HDG Annual	HDG Cumul.

Important: MA costs depend heavily on how much healthcare you use. This calculator uses your estimated annual OOP for the main comparison. The utilization scenarios show how costs change under different health outcomes. MA premiums are held flat (plans reprice annually). Medigap premiums use the increase rates you set. Extra benefits credit is held flat and applied annually as a net reduction to MA costs. Part B deductible starts at $283 (2026). HD-G deductible starts at $2,950 (2026). This tool is for educational purposes only. Consult a licensed Medicare broker for personalized advice.

💰 What Could the Cheaper Plan's Savings Become?

Whichever plan costs less — MA or Medigap — here's what those monthly savings could grow to if invested over 20 years.

The cheaper plan is identified automatically from your inputs. Both directions are shown honestly — if MA is cheaper, it shows MA savings invested; if Medigap is cheaper, it shows Medigap savings invested.

Who's Cheaper & What the Savings Could Become

MA vs Plan G

—

20-yr invested value

MA vs Plan N

—

20-yr invested value

MA vs HD-G

—

20-yr invested value

Investment Method

Choose whether to invest the full growing savings gap each year, or a fixed monthly amount you choose.

Rate of Return

Annual rate of return on invested savings

6.0%

Investment Growth Chart

MA vs Plan G (cheaper plan's savings) MA vs Plan N (cheaper plan's savings) MA vs HD-G (cheaper plan's savings)

Summary at Fixed Return Rates

Comparison	Yr 1 Savings	20-yr Avg Savings	4% return	6% return	8% return

Note: In years where MA costs more than a Medigap plan (common in moderate/high utilization years), no investment contribution is made for that year. The model accurately reflects both directions. A negative 20-year invested value means Medigap was cheaper overall — the "savings" favored Medigap, not MA. This is a simplified illustration assuming consistent monthly contributions of the growing savings amount. It does not account for taxes, inflation, or investment fees. Past investment returns do not guarantee future results. The investment projections shown are for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute investment advice. Returns are not guaranteed. Please consult a qualified financial planner or tax advisor before making any investment decisions.

Want to compare real plans side by side for your situation? Chris Prang is a licensed Medicare broker serving Virginia and beyond.

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