CALIFORNIA BIRTHDAY RULE:

California provides a special open enrollment period for individuals currently enrolled in Medicare supplement plans.  

90-day enrollment period, beginning 30 days prior to applicant’s birthday ·    

Application must be signed (application signature date) within 90-day open enrollment period ·    

Effective date must fall on Birthday or up to 90 days after birthday ·    

Plan benefits must be of equal or lesser value to current plan

IDAHO BIRTHDAY RULE:

Idaho provides a special open enrollment period for individuals currently enrolled in Medicare Supplement plans.  

63-day enrollment period, beginning on applicant’s birthday ·    

Application must be signed (application signature date) within 63 days open enrollment period.

Effective date must fall on birthday or up to 90 days after birthday

Plan benefits must be of equal or lesser value to the current plan.  

ILLINOIS BIRTHDAY RULE:

Illinois provides a special period for individuals between 65 and 75 years old who are currently enrolled in Medicare supplement plans.     

45-day enrollment period, beginning on your applicant’s birthday · 

Application must be signed (application signature date) within 45-day open enrollment period ·    

Effective date must fall on birthday or up to 90 days after birthday    

The new plan must be from the same underwriting company as the existing plan.    

If the existing plan’s underwriting company is now closed, the birthday rule would not apply.

New applications would need to be underwritten.     

Plan benefits must be of equal or lesser value to current plan  

KENTUCKY BIRTHDAY RULE (Effective 1/1/24):

Must already have a Medicare Supplement plan.

Must switch to a like plan (example: Plan G to Plan G).  

Can apply as early as 30 days before your birthday but no later than 60 days after your birthday.  

LOUISIANA BIRTHDAY RULE:

If existing Medicare Supplement policy

45-day enrollment period, beginning on your applicant’s birthday   

may purchase any Medicare Supplement policy offered in this state    

If an individual is at least 65 years of age and does not have an existing Medicare supplement policy, but maintained health insurance coverage through the individual’s employer at the time the individual attained sixty-five years of age, the individual shall have an open enrollment period commencing with the termination date of the individual’s employer-based health insurance coverage and lasting for a period of 45 calendar days, during which the individual may purchase any Medicare supplement policy offered in this state.    

MARYLAND ANNIVERSARY RULE:

Policyholders in Maryland will be granted a once-yearly Open Enrollment Period during the 30-day period following the policyholder’s birthday ·   The Birthday Rule establishes a guaranteed issue period each year to allow a policyholder to change, without underwriting, to a Medicare Supplement policy of equal or lesser benefits.  

MISSOURI ANNIVERSARY RULE:  

60-day enrollment period, beginning 30 days prior to your applicant’s policy anniversary date.     

Your applicant must choose the same plan as their current plan  

NEVADA BIRTHDAY RULE:    

Nevada: Beneficiaries can change their Medigap plan during a period of at least 61 days.

This window opens on the first day of the beneficiary’s birth month. During this time, policyholders can change their Medigap carrier or plan if it is an equal or lesser benefit to their current plan.  

OKLAHOMA BIRTHDAY RULE:  

60-day enrollment period beginning on applicants birthday. ·    

Individual must be enrolled in a Medicare Supplement plan, with no gap in coverage greater than 90 days since initial enrollment. ·    

Plan benefits must be of equal or lesser value to the current plan.  

OREGON BIRTHDAY RULE:

30-day enrollment period, beginning on applicant’s birthdate and ends 30 days later.   

Application must be signed within the 30 day enrollment period. ·    

Effective date of new coverage typically begins on the first of the month following the application date. (It cannot start before their birthday.) ·     Insurers can adjust the effective date so consumers do not have two policies that are active at the same time. (In some cases, this means the policy start date is more than 30 days from the date of application.)  

Plan benefits must be of equal or lesser value to the current plan.  

ADDITIONAL STATE RULES:  

Connecticut Guaranteed issue year round  

Maine Guaranteed Issue year round   

Massachusetts 2-month window (Feb-Mar)

New York Guaranteed Issue year round 

Washington Guaranteed Issue year round

Frequently asked questions

Can you be denied a Medicare Supplement plan?

If you are in a Medigap enrollment period (6mos of Part B Effective Date) or have the protections of guaranteed issue, your application to enroll in a Medicare Supplement plan can't be denied.

However, outside of these situations, you will have to go through medical underwriting when applying for Medigap, and your application may be denied because of a preexisting health condition, your age or other risk factors.

What's the difference between open enrollment and guaranteed issue?

These two terms are often used interchangeably because guaranteed issue protection (when you can't be denied coverage) happens during open enrollment (the window when you can sign up for plans).

However, the protections of guaranteed issue can also occur outside of open enrollment, allowing you to enroll in a Medigap plan or switch your coverage if you meet the guaranteed issue criteria.

Open enrollment pays a commission while generally gurantee issue does not.

What are the states with the best Medigap guaranteed issue protections?

There are 12 states that provide guaranteed issue protections at least once per year to switch to Medigap or change Medigap plans: California, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington.

https://www.valuepenguin.com/switching-medicare-supplement-guaranteed-issue#:~:text=There%20are%2012%20states%20that,Oregon%2C%20Rhode%20Island%20and%20Washington.