By Paul Barrett, CMIP | The Modern Medicare Agency | Melville, NY 18+ years Medicare-exclusive experience | Licensed in 34 states | 40+ carriers Last updated: June 2026
If you live in Freeport and you’re looking at Medicare Supplement plans for 2026, here is what I want you to know before we look at a single rate:
The Anthem/Mount Sinai South Nassau dispute that unfolded this year — where an insurance company and your anchor South Shore hospital couldn’t agree on a contract, leaving Medicare Advantage members without in-network access — cannot happen to you if you have a Medigap plan.
That’s not a sales pitch. That’s just how the coverage works.
Medigap pays alongside Original Medicare. Any doctor or hospital that accepts Medicare accepts your plan — period. No carrier-hospital contract to expire. No network to fall out of. No letter in January telling you your specialist is suddenly out-of-network. Mount Sinai South Nassau accepts Original Medicare. So does every other hospital in Nassau County. With a Medigap plan, they all stay open to you regardless of what any insurance company does.
The trade-off is real: Medigap on Long Island is expensive, the market is less competitive than most states, and 2026 brought rate increases that hit some plans hard. This guide tells you the full story — the good, the expensive, and the options most agents won’t bring up.
What Is Medicare Supplement (Medigap) and Why Does It Matter for Freeport Residents?
Original Medicare — Parts A and B — covers a great deal. But it leaves meaningful gaps that can cost you thousands in a bad year. There’s no cap on what you owe. You pay 20% of every Part B service with no ceiling. There’s a $1,736 hospital deductible per benefit period in 2026. A hospitalization at Mount Sinai South Nassau or NYU Langone Hospital Long Island without supplement coverage can produce a bill that takes years to recover from.
A Medicare Supplement plan — Medigap — fills those gaps. It’s private insurance that sits alongside Original Medicare and picks up most or all of what Medicare doesn’t pay. You keep your Medicare card. You see any provider in the country who accepts Medicare — no networks, no referrals, no prior authorizations. The supplement pays the gap.
For Freeport and Nassau County’s South Shore, this matters particularly in 2026. The Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Medicare Advantage contract dispute with Mount Sinai South Nassau left thousands of South Shore residents without in-network access to their hospital this year. Network volatility — carriers and hospitals unable to agree on reimbursements — is not a fringe risk anymore. It’s a documented 2026 reality in our own backyard.
A Medigap plan is structurally immune to all of it.
New York's Medigap Rules: What Makes This State Different
New York operates under Medigap rules that are more consumer-friendly than virtually any other state — but those same rules create market conditions that drive premiums significantly higher than the national average. You need to understand both sides.
Community Rating In New York, every Medigap carrier must charge the same premium for a given plan regardless of your age, gender, or health status. A 65-year-old in Freeport pays the same Plan G premium as an 82-year-old in Oceanside from the same carrier. This is rare nationally — most states use attained-age pricing where your premium rises automatically every year as you get older.
Year-Round Guaranteed Issue New York law requires every Medigap carrier to accept any Medicare enrollee’s application at any time throughout the year — with no health questions, no medical underwriting, and no ability to deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions or health history. This is not a limited window. This applies 365 days a year.
This is enormously valuable — especially given what happened with Anthem and Mount Sinai South Nassau this year. If you’re currently on a Medicare Advantage plan that no longer covers your hospital or your doctors, you can switch to Medigap today. Right now. No health exam required.
No Waiting Periods Coverage begins immediately. There is no exclusion period for pre-existing conditions.
The trade-off: Because carriers must accept everyone regardless of health, sicker people who use their coverage heavily are more likely to hold Medigap plans. This creates an adverse selection dynamic that drives average claims — and therefore premiums — up. New York is the most expensive Medigap market in the country. That’s not a coincidence. It’s the direct cost of having the strongest consumer protections.
The Carrier Reality: Who Is Actually Available in Freeport in 2026
This is where most guides fail Freeport residents. They show you a list of eight carriers from the NY DFS rate table and make it look like a competitive market. It isn’t — and the gap between what’s listed and what’s actually accessible to a Freeport resident working with an independent broker is significant.
Here is the honest picture:
UnitedHealthcare (AARP Program) The dominant carrier by a significant margin — holding approximately 70%+ of the Medigap market in New York. Despite a significant rate increase for 2026, UHC remains the lowest-priced carrier for Plan G and Plan N on Long Island. That tells you everything about the competition.
One important nuance about UHC’s pricing: they build a meaningful enrollment discount into their starting premium. That discount erodes over time. When comparing UHC to alternatives, always ask what the rate looks like at age 70, 75, and 80 — not just your enrollment rate today.
Aetna Life Insurance Listed on the NY DFS rate table with a Long Island Plan G rate of $406.26/month. However, Aetna is currently not accepting individual Medigap enrollments in New York. The rate appears in the published table, but you cannot enroll. This is not disclosed on the DFS table and catches consumers off guard regularly.
Transamerica Financial Competitive pricing on Long Island at $444.83/month for Plan G. However, Transamerica no longer accepts individual Medicare Supplement applications in New York. As of May 2026, Transamerica only enrolls through specific affiliated associations or groups. If you are not a member of a qualifying association, this plan is not available to you. (Source: Post-Journal Senior News, June 2026)
EmblemHealth Plan, Inc. A carrier with deep New York roots — GHI and HIP merged to form EmblemHealth, and many South Shore residents remember these names. However, EmblemHealth’s current Medicare Supplement operation is a shadow of that former presence. They do not have an external sales team and do not allow licensed agents to offer their Medigap plans. The only enrollment path is directly through EmblemHealth by downloading a paper application and mailing it in with a check. Additionally, EmblemHealth carries an AM Best financial strength rating of C — the lowest among any carrier in this analysis, and a meaningful concern for a policy you may hold for 20 years.
Mutual of Omaha A nationally respected carrier with an A+ Superior AM Best rating and a strong claims-handling reputation. Their Long Island Plan G rate of $511.36/month is considerably above UHC — the premium differential is real and substantial. In markets where UHC doesn’t dominate, Mutual of Omaha is often the right answer. In New York’s concentrated market, the gap is simply too wide for most Freeport clients.
Humana At $647.27/month for Plan G on Long Island, Humana is not competitively positioned for Medigap here. This pricing reflects that they are not actively seeking new Medigap enrollments in this market right now.
Bankers Conseco $840.28/month for Plan G on Long Island. More than double UHC’s rate for identical coverage. This is enrollment suppression in the form of a published price. No agent is selling this plan.
Globe Life Offers Plan G on Long Island at $461.00/month. Limited market presence but technically available.
The real picture: When you remove carriers that aren’t accepting individual enrollments (Aetna), those that require association membership (Transamerica), the one with a C financial strength rating and no agent access (EmblemHealth for most clients), and those priced beyond the competitive range (Humana, Bankers Conseco) — Freeport residents are essentially choosing between UnitedHealthcare and a very short list of secondary options. That is the honest state of the Long Island Medigap market.
2026 Long Island Rate Tables: What Plans Actually Cost
These are official rates from the New York Department of Financial Services (DFS), effective April 1, 2026, for the Long Island rating region (ZIP codes beginning with 110 and 115–119). Freeport’s ZIP code 11520 falls within this region.
These are community-rated premiums — every carrier charges one flat rate across all of Long Island. A 65-year-old in Freeport pays the same as an 82-year-old in Merrick for the same plan from the same carrier. There are no zip code variations within the Long Island rating region.
Plan G — Long Island Monthly Premiums (NY DFS, April 1, 2026)
Carrier | Long Island Monthly Premium | Actually Enrolling? |
UnitedHealthcare (AARP Program) | $372.50 | ✅ Yes — requires AARP membership |
Aetna Life Insurance | $406.26 | ⛔ Not currently accepting NY enrollments |
EmblemHealth Plan, Inc. | $393.72 | ⚠️ Paper/mail only — no agent access — AM Best C rating |
Transamerica Financial | $444.83 | ⚠️ Group/association enrollment only |
Globe Life Insurance | $461.00 | ✅ Limited availability |
Mutual of Omaha | $511.36 | ✅ Yes — priced above competitive range for LI |
Humana | $647.27 | ✅ Yes — not competitively priced on Long Island |
Bankers Conseco | $840.28 | ✅ Yes — effectively priced out of market |
Source: NY Department of Financial Services, Community Rated Medicare Supplement Premium Comparison Tables, April 1, 2026. Note: The DFS updated its tables June 1, 2026 — verify current rates at dfs.ny.gov or call me for the most current figures before enrolling. Long Island rates are consistent across ZIP codes 110 and 115–119 — there are no ZIP code variations within the region.
The spread that matters: UHC at $372.50 vs. Bankers Conseco at $840.28 — that’s $467.78/month or $5,613/year for literally identical federal coverage. Same benefits. Same legal protections. Different price tags.
Plan N — Long Island Monthly Premiums (NY DFS, April 1, 2026)
Carrier | Long Island Monthly Premium | Actually Enrolling? |
UnitedHealthcare (AARP Program) | $299.00 | ✅ Yes — requires AARP membership |
EmblemHealth Plan, Inc. | $314.77 | ⚠️ Paper/mail only — no agent access — AM Best C rating |
Transamerica Financial | $417.31 | ⚠️ Group/association enrollment only |
Globe Life Insurance | $450.00 | ✅ Limited availability |
Humana | $458.83 | ✅ Yes — not competitively priced |
Bankers Conseco | $523.54 | ✅ Yes — effectively priced out of market |
Source: NY Department of Financial Services, Community Rated Medicare Supplement Premium Comparison Tables, April 1, 2026. Aetna and Mutual of Omaha do not appear in the Long Island Plan N table in the current DFS filing. Verify current rates at dfs.ny.gov before enrolling.
Key Plan N observation: UHC at $299.00 is the lowest Plan N rate accessible through an independent broker on Long Island. EmblemHealth at $314.77 is actually $15.77 more per month than UHC — and with no agent access, paper-only enrollment, and a C AM Best rating, there is no practical reason for most Freeport residents to choose EmblemHealth for Plan N.
The Rate Increase Story: What Happened to Medigap in 2026
This is the part of the Medigap conversation that doesn’t get said loudly enough.
UnitedHealthcare received approval from the NY DFS to raise Medigap rates by 17.8% for 2026 — the largest single-year approved increase in recent New York memory. Members received notices of increases that took effect in 2026. For some clients, that meant a jump of $50–$60/month on a plan they’d held for years.
This is not isolated to UHC. Across the country, Medigap carriers are filing double-digit increases as rising medical costs, post-pandemic claims utilization, and years of underpriced premiums catch up with the market. In New York, the problem compounds:
The adverse selection cycle: Because NY requires year-round guaranteed issue with no underwriting, healthier people often gravitate toward $0 Medicare Advantage plans to save money. People who are sick — who know they’ll use their coverage heavily — are more motivated to hold Medigap. This skews the New York Medigap pool toward higher average claims, which pushes premiums up for everyone, which pushes more healthy people away, which skews the pool further. It’s a cycle.
The concentration problem: With UHC holding 70%+ of the NY Medigap market and being the lowest-priced option available, there’s nowhere to go when their rates rise. You can switch carriers — but in most cases you’re switching to a higher premium for the same coverage. This is the real trap. When UHC raised rates 17.8%, Freeport residents couldn’t escape it by shopping competitors.
What this means for you right now: If you’re currently on a Medigap plan and received a rate increase letter, your switching options in New York are genuinely limited. What you can do is evaluate whether you’re on the right plan type — because sometimes the right move is to shift from Plan G to Plan N, or from standard Plan G to High Deductible Plan G, rather than switching carriers.
The Three Plans Worth Understanding: G, N, and High Deductible G
Plan G — The Maximum Protection Option
Plan G covers virtually everything Original Medicare doesn’t, with one exception: the annual Part B deductible of $283 in 2026. You pay that once a year. After that, Plan G covers:
- 100% of the Part A hospital deductible ($1,736 per benefit period in 2026)
- 100% of hospital coinsurance for days 61–90 and all lifetime reserve days
- 100% of skilled nursing facility coinsurance (days 21–100, at $217.00/day in 2026)
- 100% of Part B coinsurance — the 20% Medicare doesn’t pay
- 80% of emergency care outside the U.S. (up to $50,000 lifetime)
What Plan G does NOT cover: prescription drugs (separate Part D needed), dental, vision, or hearing.
The full annual cost for a Freeport Plan G enrollee in 2026:
Cost Component | Annual Amount |
Plan G premium — UHC (lowest on Long Island) | $372.50 × 12 = $4,470 |
Part B deductible | $283 |
Part D plan (lowest available in NY, estimated) | ~$200–$400+ |
Minimum annual commitment | ~$4,953–$5,153+ |
Out-of-pocket for covered medical services | $0 after deductible |
Plan G is the right choice when the zero out-of-pocket exposure on covered services matters more than the monthly premium — when you’re managing a chronic condition, receiving ongoing treatment at Mount Sinai South Nassau, seeing multiple specialists, or simply want to know exactly what you’ll spend regardless of what happens medically.
Plan N — The Lower-Premium Middle Ground
Plan N provides the same core hospital and skilled nursing coverage as Plan G, with two differences: you pay up to $20 for office visits and up to $50 for emergency room visits that don’t result in an inpatient admission. In exchange, Plan N premiums run roughly $73.50/month less than Plan G through UHC on Long Island — a difference of $882/year.
The New York-specific advantage of Plan N: New York State prohibits Medicare excess charges — doctors in this state cannot legally bill above the Medicare-approved amount. In most other states, Plan N’s lack of excess charge coverage is a real financial vulnerability. In New York, it is completely irrelevant. Freeport residents on Plan N are not exposed to excess charges at Mount Sinai South Nassau, NYU Langone, or any other New York provider.
The break-even math: UHC Plan N at $299.00/month vs. Plan G at $372.50/month — you save $882/year. At $20 per office visit, you’d need 44 office visits per year to spend that difference in copays. For most healthy retirees who see their primary care physician and a handful of specialists — let’s say 10–15 visits per year — the maximum copay exposure would be $300. Plan N saves you $582 even in a moderately active year.
Plan N makes the most sense for generally healthy Freeport residents who see doctors regularly but don’t have ongoing complex care needs. It makes less sense if you’re receiving active cancer treatment, managing a condition requiring frequent specialist visits, or simply want the certainty of zero copays.
High Deductible Plan G — The Underutilized Option
High Deductible Plan G provides identical ultimate coverage to standard Plan G — but you pay all Medicare-covered costs out of pocket until you reach the annual deductible of $2,950 in 2026. Once you hit that threshold, the plan covers everything standard Plan G covers for the rest of the year.
In exchange for accepting that higher deductible, your monthly premium drops dramatically compared to standard Plan G.
Why this matters for Freeport residents especially in 2026:
Given what happened with the Anthem/Mount Sinai South Nassau dispute, Freeport residents are understandably thinking about network protection. But here’s the thing — if provider freedom is your primary concern and you’re generally healthy, High Deductible Plan G gives you the same complete provider freedom as standard Plan G at a fraction of the monthly cost.
The break-even question: how often will you actually spend $2,950 in Medicare-covered costs in a year? For a healthy 65-year-old with routine care needs, the honest answer is: probably not most years. The annual premium savings can be $1,500–$2,500 or more over standard Plan G. Those savings compound in years when you don’t hit the deductible.
HD Plan G is not right for everyone. If you’re managing a serious chronic condition, expect hospitalizations, or are receiving active treatment — standard Plan G’s zero out-of-pocket exposure after the $283 deductible is worth every dollar of the higher premium. But for a healthy Freeport resident entering Medicare at 65 who wants provider freedom without the full Plan G premium, this is the most underutilized option in the market.
Why Medigap Makes Particular Sense for Freeport Residents Right Now
The Anthem/Mount Sinai South Nassau situation crystallized something important for South Shore Nassau County residents in 2026: Medicare Advantage network access is not guaranteed, even at the hospital that anchors your community’s healthcare.
Wellcare and HealthSpring also lost their Northwell Health contracts this year — Wellcare effective July 1, 2026, HealthSpring effective December 31, 2025. While Northwell is less central to Freeport’s South Shore geography than to North Shore Nassau communities, some Freeport residents do use Northwell specialists — particularly at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New Hyde Park for cardiac, cancer, and specialized care.
The accumulation of network exits in Nassau County in 2026 makes a compelling structural argument for Medigap that didn’t exist in the same way in prior years. It’s not just theory anymore. It happened to real people in Freeport this year.
Plan Comparison at a Glance
Plan G | Plan N | HD Plan G | |
Part B deductible (2026) | You pay $283 | You pay $283 | You pay $283 |
Office visit copays | $0 | Up to $20 | $0 (after deductible) |
ER copays | $0 | Up to $50 (waived if admitted) | After deductible |
Excess charges | Covered (irrelevant in NY) | Not covered (irrelevant in NY) | Covered after deductible |
Hospital coinsurance | 100% covered | 100% covered | 100% after deductible |
Annual plan deductible | None | None | $2,950 |
Lowest Long Island premium (2026) | $372.50/mo (UHC) | $299.00/mo (UHC) | Call for current quotes |
Annual minimum commitment | ~$4,953+ | ~$3,871+ | Significantly lower |
Provider freedom | Complete | Complete | Complete |
Best for | Complex conditions, maximum peace of mind | Moderate health, comfortable with modest copays | Healthy, cost-conscious, rarely hits deductible |
Paul's Honest Take: What I Tell Freeport Clients
After 18 years of doing this, here’s what I actually say in my consultations with South Shore Nassau County residents.
If you’re turning 65 and you’re generally healthy, the first conversation we have is about HD Plan G vs. Plan N vs. standard Plan G. Most healthy 65-year-olds are either well-served by Plan N (lower monthly cost, minimal copay exposure given NY’s excess charge prohibition) or HD Plan G (maximum premium savings, complete provider freedom, sensible for healthy people who want Medigap’s structural benefits without the full Plan G premium). Standard Plan G is the right answer when ongoing health conditions make zero out-of-pocket exposure worth the cost.
If you’re currently on Medicare Advantage and affected by the Anthem/Mount Sinai situation — or concerned about what happens next year — the year-round guaranteed issue right in New York means you can switch to Medigap right now. This is not a future option. It’s available today.
If you’re already on Medigap and received a rate increase letter from UHC in 2026, your options for meaningful savings through carrier switching are limited because UHC is already the lowest-priced carrier. The most productive conversation is usually about plan type rather than carrier switching — whether moving to Plan N or HD Plan G changes your annual commitment enough to matter.
If you’re on EmblemHealth Medigap: I’d want to have a conversation about the AM Best C rating. That’s a financial strength concern for a policy you may hold for 20+ years. The paper-only enrollment also means if you need to make changes, add coverage, or resolve a claim issue, you’re navigating that without agent support.
The one thing I won’t do is tell you there’s a magic solution that gives you comprehensive coverage, complete provider freedom, and a low monthly premium. In New York’s Medigap market in 2026, that doesn’t exist. But I can help you find the right balance for your specific situation — and I’ll always show you all the options, not just the ones that pay me the most to sell.
Frequently Asked Questions: Medigap in Freeport, NY
No. New York law requires every Medigap carrier to accept any Medicare enrollee’s application at any time of year, with no health questions and no ability to deny based on health status or pre-existing conditions. This applies 365 days per year — not just during a special window.
Yes, at any time of year, without underwriting. New York’s guaranteed issue rules apply to switching as well as initial enrollment. If you’re currently on an Anthem Medicare Advantage plan and concerned about Mount Sinai South Nassau access, you can switch to Medigap today. Call me at 631-358-5793.
New York’s guaranteed issue rules create an adverse selection dynamic where sicker people disproportionately hold Medigap plans, driving average claims and premiums up. The market has limited carrier competition, which reduces price pressure. New York consistently has the most expensive Medigap market in the country — a direct consequence of having the strongest consumer protections.
UHC received NY DFS approval for a 17.8% rate increase for 2026 — the largest single-year approved increase in recent New York memory. Despite this increase, UHC remains the lowest-priced Plan G and Plan N carrier on Long Island. That reflects how expensive the alternatives are, not how reasonable the increase was.
Yes — completely. Medigap works alongside Original Medicare. Any provider who accepts Medicare accepts your Medigap coverage. Mount Sinai South Nassau accepts Original Medicare. No carrier contract can change that. The Anthem/Mount Sinai dispute that affected Medicare Advantage members this year has zero impact on Medigap members.
No. Plan G does not include prescription drug coverage. You need a separate Medicare Part D plan. When calculating your total annual cost under Plan G, always include your Part D premium and expected drug costs alongside the Plan G premium and Part B deductible.
Plan G costs $372.50/month (UHC) and has zero out-of-pocket on covered services after the $283 Part B deductible. Plan N costs $299.00/month (UHC) and includes office visit copays up to $20 and ER copays up to $50 (waived if admitted). In New York, Plan N’s lack of excess charge coverage is not a concern because the state prohibits excess charges. The annual premium difference is $882. For most generally healthy Freeport residents who see their doctors a normal number of times per year, Plan N’s copay exposure is significantly less than the annual savings.
Yes. High Deductible Plan G is available in New York. The 2026 deductible is $2,950 — you pay all Medicare-covered costs until you reach that amount, then the plan covers 100% for the rest of the year. Monthly premiums are significantly lower than standard Plan G. For healthy Freeport residents who rarely incur significant medical costs, it can be the most financially efficient Medigap option available. Call me for current carrier quotes.
The NY DFS publishes official rate comparison tables at dfs.ny.gov and a rate lookup tool at myportal.dfs.ny.gov/web/guest-applications/medicare-monthly-premiums. Or call me — I pull current rates across every carrier available in your zip code at no charge, explain the enrollment availability reality behind each rate, and help you understand what you’d actually be getting. That’s a very different picture from what the DFS table alone shows you.
Ready to Find the Right Plan?
The Medigap market in New York in 2026 is expensive, concentrated, and experiencing real rate pressure. Getting the full picture — not just the rate table but the enrollment reality behind it — requires someone who knows this market and doesn’t have a quota with any single carrier.
I represent 40+ carriers as a fully independent broker. I’ll show you every option genuinely available to you in Freeport, explain what each one actually costs over time, and give you my honest take on which plan makes the most sense for your situation. My consultation is always free.
Paul Barrett, CMIP The Modern Medicare Agency 📞 631-358-5793 ✉️ medicare@paulbinsurance.com 🌐 paulbinsurance.com 📍 445 Broad Hollow Rd, Melville, NY 11747
Licensed in 34 states | 40+ carriers | 18+ years Medicare-exclusive experience | 5,000+ clients served
Related reading:
- Medicare Advantage Plans in Freeport, NY: Your Honest 2026 Local Guide
- Mount Sinai South Nassau and Medicare in Freeport: Which Plans Cover Your South Shore Doctors in 2026
- Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage in Freeport, NY: Your 2026 Comparison Guide
- Medicare Supplement Plan G: Complete 2026 Guide
- Medicare Plan G vs. Plan N in 2026: Which Is Worth It?
- Medicare Supplement Rate Increases 2026: Who Raised Rates the Most?
- Medicare Supplement Plans in Farmingdale, NY: 2026 Rates and What NY’s Rules Mean for You
External sources:
- NY DFS Medicare Supplement Premium Comparison Tables
- NY DFS Medicare Supplement Rate Lookup Tool
- Medicare.gov: Medigap Plan Benefits
- Transamerica NY Enrollment Restriction — Post-Journal Senior News, June 2026
- Mount Sinai South Nassau — Insurance Plans
- Northwell Health — Wellcare Network Update
Disclaimer: The Modern Medicare Agency is not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program. Premium data reflects NY DFS published rate tables effective April 1, 2026, and is subject to change. Actual premiums vary by carrier within the Long Island rating region. Verify current rates directly with carriers or through a licensed independent broker before making any coverage decisions. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Carrier enrollment availability reflects conditions as of June 2026 and is subject to change.
