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During open enrollment, companies must sell you one of the required Madigan policies at the best price for your age, without a screening. However, companies may impose a waiting period for pre-existing conditions.

If you are 65 or over and suitable for Medicare, you have a 6-month period during which you can influence any Medigap policy at the lowest price for your age, even if you have or recently had health difficulties.

Your 6-month open enrollment period starts the date your Medicare Part B coverage gets effective. To obviate a gap in coverage, you can apply for a Medigap policy before the effective date of your Part B coverage and petition that the policy begin on the aforesaid date as your Medicare goods.

If you became eligible for Medicare when you existed younger than age 65, you are also eligible to a 6-month open enrollment period on your 65th birthday, heedless of any health condition you have, considering ESRD. If you already have a Medigap policy, you can keep it and request a lower payment because you are age 65, or you can switch to different Medigap policy that is better suited to your needs.

In California, if you were wringed by an employer unit health plan and you delayed enrollment in Medicare Part B because you or your married person were actively employed, you also have a 6-month open enrollment period. This begins on the effective date of your Part B coverage.

Note: If you also delayed enrollment in Medicare Part D, you have only 63 days from the date your employer group benefits end to enroll in an ethical drug plan.

If you are younger than 65 and have Medicare because of a disability, you have open enrollment rights for 6 months after the effective date of your Part B coverage. If you are notified retrospectively of your eligibility for Medicare, your open enrollment period begins from the date of the notice you receive from Social Security.

During the open enrollment period, you have the right to purchase Medigap plans:

To avoid a gap in coverage, you may request that the Medigap policy becomes effective on the same date as your Medicare benefits.

Note: Companies have no limitations on premiums for people younger than age 65, so they can charge you a higher premium than somebody who is age 65 or over.

Your choice of Medigap plans depends on your age. If you are age 65 or over, you can choose from all the Medigap plans acquirable in your area. If you are younger than 65 (and you do not have End-Stage Renal Disease), you can only choose plans A, B, C or F. You may also be able to choose plans K or L, if they are available.

You have the right to purchase a Medigap policy for 6 months if your, your spouse’s or a household member’s current employment or retirement plan coverage terminates, or you lose your eligibility due to disassociate or death of a spouse or family member. The 6-month period to apply for a Medigap policy starts on the date you receive notice that your health benefits will end. If you do not receive progress notice, the 6-month period starts the date the benefits end or the date of your first contradicted claim. This protection of California law applies whether your group health benefits were primary or alternate to Medicare.

You are also entitled to this protection when you have used all the COBRA benefits to which you are entitled. It does not apply if you stop paying COBRA premiums before you use all your benefits. For more messages on COBRA, see Medicare & Other Health Insurance.

You have the right to purchase a Medigap policy for 6 months if you move out of the area served by your Medigap plan. This information may help you compare Medigap plans that are the most appropriate for you given your location, age, and circumstances. For example, if you bought a plan while living in another state that will not cover you in your current state, you have 6 months to replace that plan. If you don’t, you may be required to experience a health screening.