Regardless of the State you live in, a Medicare Supplement plan can be purchased if you have Medicare Parts A and B.  From the moment you enroll in Part B, your Medicare Supplement open enrollment period begins and can not be changed.  Part B is usually purchased when you become age 65 and or when eligible for Medicare.  Examples are; when you turn 65 and have Medicare A and B, or if under age 65 and are disabled with Medicare.  Another example is if you are still employed after age 65 and are coming off of your employer health insurance plan.  All of the above reasons are eligible for a guaranteed issue Medicare Supplement policy.

California also has a guaranteed issue event which is called the “birthday rule.”  Please call for more information.

The “open Enrollment” period lasts for six months and begins on the first day of the month in which you have reached age 65 or older and are enrolled in Medicare Part B.  During this time insurance companies are not allowed to use medical underwriting as an enrollment acceptance tool.  This is great news for anyone desiring to enroll in a Medicare Supplement plan.  In these cases, insurance companies are required by law to sell you a Medigap policy, despite any pre-existing conditions, and they cannot charge ou more because of those conditions.  If you are interested in purchasing a Medigap policy, this is the best time to enroll.

You have guaranteed-issue rights to buy a Medicare Supplement in all States:

People who join a Medicare private health plan like an HMO or PPO plan, may also have guaranteed-issue rights if their plan terminates, if they leave the plan service area or if they want to return to a Medigap plan within 12 months of first having a Medicare Advantage plan.

There are additional circumstances that may qualify you for guaranteed-issue rights to a Medicare Supplement plan, and some states have stronger protections, including for people with Medicare who are under 65.

If you are turning 65 or coming off of an employer health insurance plan you can usually apply for an open enrollment guaranteed-issue Medicare Supplement policy as early as 60 days before your current benefits end to avoid a gap in coverage.  Please remember, open enrollment has a six month window to apply for coverage.  If you are coming off of an employer plan, in most cases, you must apply for a plan no later than 63 days after your coverage ends.  When you submit your application, you are typically required to provide evidence of the date your employer coverage ends or ended.

Please feel free to call anytime with your questions.

John Conner
john@johnconner.com
800-700-1246 - office
800-995-9913 - fax
916-240-6422 - cell