Sign up for a Medicare Supplement, or Medigap, plan during the six-month window that begins when you are 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. During that one-time period, insurers cannot reject you or charge you more because of your health. In most states, Medicare’s fall open enrollment does not give you another chance, so it is best not to delay.
After that six-month window closes, insurers may review your health and can deny coverage or set a higher price unless you qualify for a guaranteed-issue right. A KFF review found that major insurers’ applications may even cite high blood pressure as a reason for denial. Only Connecticut and New York give all people 65 and older another year-round opportunity. Massachusetts offers one each February and March, while Maine provides one annual chance for Plan A.
Two different enrollment periods are often confused. Your six months are known as the Medigap Open Enrollment Period. Medicare’s fall open enrollment, which runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, is for joining, switching, or dropping Medicare Advantage and drug plans. Only Rhode Island and Minnesota link limited Medigap windows to that period. State birthday rules also do not help first-time buyers, because they only allow people who already have Medigap to switch plans.
If you keep working after 65, your Medigap window starts when Part B begins, even if you still have employer coverage, and it can close before you actually need the policy. If your job-based plan pays first, as happens at employers with 20 or more workers, you may delay Part B without a late penalty and preserve your Medigap window until that coverage ends. If you are helping a parent, their Medicare card shows the Part B start date under MEDICAL.
Losing a Medicare Advantage plan creates a separate right, which is covered in our guide to Medigap after an Advantage plan ends.
Mutual of Omaha is a strong option to consider. Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company has an A+ (Superior) financial strength rating from AM Best. Its online tool can price Plan G using only your ZIP code, date of birth, and sex, without requiring contact information, and you can apply online. Where available, couples may also save through the company’s household discount, although the amount and eligibility rules vary by state.
Our Mutual of Omaha review includes sample quotes from three cities. Because Plan G benefits are the same across insurers, compare that quote with Medicare.gov’s Plan G prices for your ZIP code, then apply while your enrollment window is still open.
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