Your Rights
It is illegal for anyone to sell you a Medigap policy if:
- You are in a Medicare Advantage or Medicare + Choice plan,
- You are also on Medicaid; or
- You already have a Medigap policy – unless you are canceling your old one.
Furthermore, Medigap policies purchased after 1990 are all guaranteed renewable. This means that as long as you keep paying the premium, you cannot be cancelled because you get sick or make a lot of claims.
The Medigap open enrollment period begins the day you enroll in Medicare Part B and lasts for 6 months. If you buy Medigap during open enrollment, you cannot be turned down based on your health status. There are other limited special circumstances where you are guaranteed the right to buy Medigap coverage, even if you do not do so during open enrollment. For details, see Medicare’s Guide to Choosing a Medigap Policy.
