Technically speaking, you can change your Medigap plan at any time. The problem is that there could be a big price to pay if you do not have guaranteed issue rights when you do.

Guaranteed Issue Rights

Guaranteed issue rights means you have a right to a Medigap plan without medical underwriting. Simply put, insurance companies cannot increase your premium rates or deny you coverage based on your age or underlying medical conditions.

The federal government has established a set of guaranteed issue rights but they are limited. If you are 65 and on Medicare, you have guaranteed issue rights when you first sign up for Part B. Those rights last six months. After that, you have guaranteed issue rights only when you meet one of seven very specific situations.

Any other time you want to change Medigap plans (unless your state offers its own guaranteed issue rights), you could face medical underwriting. That could mean a pricier plan or not being able to get the plan you really want.

The State Medigap Calendar

Thankfully, many states offer their own guaranteed issue rights that let you change your Medigap plan without medical underwriting. Some are more generous than others, but some choice is better than none.

Below is a brief overview of your state options, including when guaranteed issue rights occur (i.e., once a year, on the anniversary of your first enrollment, around your birthday, or anytime throughout the year), and how long those rights last. For details about how these guaranteed issue rights work in each state, please refer to the links to the state pages below. In many cases, you can only change to a plan with equal or lesser benefits than the one you currently have.

State	Annual	Anniversary	Birthday	Year-Round
California			60 days
Connecticut				YES
Idaho			63 days
Illinois			45 days*
Massachusetts	Feb 1 – Mar 31
Maine	One month*
Missouri		60 days
Nevada			60 days
New York				YES
Oregon			30 days
Washington				YES*

If a state is not listed here, you are limited to the guaranteed issue rights set by the federal government.

 

California: SB-407 Medicare supplement benefit coverage

Connecticut: Medicare Supplement & Medicare Info

Idaho: Recent Changes to Medicare Supplement Law and Rules

Illinois: Bill Status of SB0147

Maine: Buy/Switch Outside Open Enrollment

Massachusetts: Medicare Supplement Plans Offered in Massachusetts 2022

Missouri: Missouri Medigap Shopping Guide

Nevada: AB 250: Medicare Supplement “Birthday Rule”

New York: Medigap (Medicare Supplemental) Policies and Rates in New York State – with Rate Tables for the Current Year

Oregon: When can you switch Medigap plans: Birthday rule fact sheet.

Washington State: When can I sign up or switch Medigap plans?