Did you know that if you have Original Medicare (Part A & Part B) and you’ve lost or will be losing retiree insurance or any type of group/employer health insurance, after the age of 65, that you qualify to buy a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policy?  The best part is that you don’t have to go through health underwriting.  You may qualify under certain situations that are known as Medicare Guaranteed Issue Rights.

In most cases, you have a Medicare guaranteed issue right when you have certain types of other health care coverage that changes in some way.  In other cases, you have a “trial right” to try out a Medicare Advantage Plan.  If you change your mind, you can still buy a Medigap policy.

Important Items to Keep When Loss of Coverage

• A copy of any letters, notices, emails, and/or claim denials that have your name on them as proof of your coverage being terminated.
• The postmarked envelope these papers come in as proof of when it was marked.

Proving Your Medicare Guaranteed Issue Right

To prove you have a Medicare guaranteed issue right, you may need to send a copy of some or all of these items with your Medigap application.  For example, if you have a “trial right” and are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan (like an HMO or PPO) but you’re planning to return to Original Medicare, you can apply for a Medigap policy before your coverage ends!  Therefore, as long as you’re leaving the plan, the Medigap insurer can sell a policy to you.  Request that your policy takes effect whenever your Medicare Advantage enrollment ends.  That way you’ll have continuous coverage without a waiting period!  This is so you won’t have to endure a period without any coverage, leaving you vulnerable to potentially high out-of-pocket costs and stress.

Contact Options for Additional Medigap Rights

There may be other options for you.  If you need more information or have any questions about any additional Medigap rights in your state, you can either:

• Call your State Health Insurance Assistance Program to make sure that you qualify for these guaranteed issue rights.
• Call your State Insurance Department if you’re denied Medigap coverage in any of these situations.

You can also contact me for more information or with any questions concerning your Medicare guaranteed issue rights directly at 888-901-4870.

Important Information

The Medicare guaranteed issue rights are from federal law.  Furthermore, these rights are for both Medigap AND Medicare SELECT policies.  Many states also provide additional Medigap rights, so be sure to request the information to find out the best options!  Look in your Choosing a Medicare Supplement Guide_Medigap to find the specific situation that applies to see if you are eligible to purchase a policy (pages 22–23).  If there is more than one situation that applies to you, don’t worry!  Just choose the situation that gives you the best option to ensure better chances of purchasing a policy.

Questions or Inquiries Regarding Changing or Purchasing a Medigap Policy?

Don’t attempt to go through this alone!  An experienced, qualified agent that specializes in Medicare Supplement (also known as Medigap) protection can help you make critical decisions about your coverage, as well as help you pay less when getting 100% coverage on Medicare.  I can help answer any questions that you may have about your coverage or options to help you make the best choice.

If you want to change your current Medigap policy or simply get some quotes and see what your coverage and premium options are, please call me at 888-901-4870.  Or send us an email using this online contact form, and we’ll get in touch with you promptly.

And as always, we never charge for our services.  As an independent insurance agency, the insurance companies compensate us for our time.  We’re here for you!

We look forward to hearing from you!