Hi, I'm Lindsay Engle and I'm the Medicare expert for Elite Insurance Partners and MedicareFAQ.com. Thank you so much for joining us on our Medicare Community YouTube channel. Today's topic is the Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Period.

Medigap plans were created to help supplement your Original Medicare benefits. They cover out-of-pocket costs such as the 20% coinsurance that falls under Part B. The most important thing to remember about your Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Period is that for the majority of beneficiaries it only comes around once in a lifetime.

Many beneficiaries may confuse the Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Period with the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period that comes around every October. When in fact the Annual Enrollment Period is not for Medigap plans at all. The Annual Enrollment Period is for Medicare beneficiaries who are enrolled in Medicare Advantage or Part D plans. That is the time period that they can make changes. Now you can still enroll in a Medigap plan during the Annual Enrollment Period, you'll just have to go through medical underwriting and answer health questions.

Your Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Period is a six-month window that begins with your Part B effective date. During this time frame, you can enroll in any Medigap plan with any carrier without having to answer any health questions. You're guaranteed to be accepted into the plan. Medigap plans are also guaranteed renewable. A carrier cannot cancel your policy due to health conditions.

The only time your Medigap policy can be canceled is if you don't pay your premiums. Now for some people, your Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Period may happen more than once in your lifetime. There are two ways that your Medicare supplement open enrollment period can come around twice in your lifetime. One way is if you retire and go back to work. Then later on when you retire again, and you enroll in Part B, your Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Period six-month window will begin again. 

The other way your Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Period may come around twice in your lifetime is if you're under 65 and collecting Social Security Disability Income. After collecting Social Security Disability Income benefits after 24 months you'll be eligible for Medicare. At that time, if you choose to enroll in Medicare Part B, your Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Period six-month window will begin. 

Now many beneficiaries and many states may not be able to afford the premiums for Medigap plans for those who are under 65. Or you may live in a state that doesn't offer plans to people on disability under 65. So in this case when you do turn 65, you'll have another Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Period. At that time you can enroll in a Medigap plan with the premiums being the same as everyone else versus being more expensive because you're under 65. 

Now some states have their own guaranteed-issue rules such as California, Connecticut, Washington, Maine, New York, Oregon, and Missouri. For example, California has a birthday rule. This allows you to enroll in any Medicare Supplement Plan without having to answer health questions around the month of your birthday each year. Connecticut has a year-round Open Enrollment period. This means that residence in Connecticut can change or enroll in a Medigap plan without answering health questions at any time of the year.

If you missed your once-in-a-lifetime Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Period and don't live in one of the states that have their own guaranteed-issue rules. You can still enroll in a Medigap plan at any time of the year.