Yes, you can apply to change your Medigap (Medicare Supplement) plan at any time during the year, as there is no restricted annual enrollment period. However, unless you are within a "guaranteed issue" window, you will likely have to answer medical questions (underwriting) and could be denied or charged more.
You can't drop or switch Medigap policies right now.
You can change how you get your coverage during the Medicare Open Enrollment Period each year, or at other times if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
Medicare provides certain time periods when you can change Medicare plans. The main one is the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period, which runs from October 15 to December 7 each year. Anyone on Medicare can make coverage changes during this time that then go into effect the following year.
You generally won't face a penalty for switching Medicare Advantage (MA) or Part D plans during enrollment periods (like AEP: Oct 15-Dec 7 or MA OEP: Jan 1-Mar 31). However, potential issues arise if you drop Part D (prescription drug) coverage for 63+ days, triggering a late enrollment penalty, or if you switch from MA to Original Medicare and can't get Medigap due to health issues (underwriting). Penalties usually apply for late enrollment into Part B or D, not for switching plans at the right time.
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The Medicare open enrollment period for 2025 coverage concluded on December 7, and the Medicare Advantage open enrollment period ended on March 31.
The "Medigap 6-Month Rule" refers to your Medigap Open Enrollment Period, the best time (first 6 months after turning 65 and enrolling in Medicare Part B) to buy a Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy because insurance companies can't deny coverage or medically underwrite you, regardless of pre-existing conditions, allowing you to get any plan available in your state. Missing this window means insurers can deny you or charge more due to health issues, limiting your choices significantly, though some states offer additional protections.
Annual Enrollment Period is a yearly opportunity to make changes to your Medicare Advantage and/or Part D coverage from October 15 to December 7.
Yes, you can change your health insurance plan multiple times during the annual Open Enrollment Period (OEP) for Marketplace plans (usually Nov 1 - Jan 15), as long as you finalize your last change before the deadline for coverage to start on time. You can switch plans as often as you like during this window, even if you're already enrolled, but make sure to complete the final enrollment by the cutoff for your desired effective date (e.g., Dec 15 for Jan 1 coverage).
Regardless of which type of pricing your Medigap insurer employs, the price will most likely increase each year because of inflation and rising health care costs.
This benefit is not a permanent or long-term care solution; it's designed to provide short-term, medically necessary care following a qualifying hospital stay. The 100-day limit is per “benefit period,” not per calendar year, and can reset if certain conditions are met.
In CY 2025, the IRA eliminates the coverage gap phase and the related CGDP and, in its place, establishes the new Discount Program. The IRA also alters the defined standard benefit to exempt certain drugs (certain insulins and vaccines) from the deductible.
People leave Medicare Advantage (MA) plans due to difficulty accessing needed care (especially with worsening health), restrictive provider networks, complex prior authorization rules, and dissatisfaction with care quality, often feeling trapped as their health needs grow despite initial low costs and extra perks that become limiting. Issues with provider availability, network changes, and sometimes misleading marketing also drive disenrollment, pushing people back to Traditional Medicare for greater freedom, notes KFF.
In most cases, you won't have a right under federal law to switch Medigap policies, unless: You're within your 6-month Medigap open enrollment period, or. You're eligible under a specific situation or guaranteed issue right (when an insurance company can't deny you a Medigap policy).
During the Open Enrollment Period between October 15–December 7 each year. The change goes into effect January 1 of the following year. To disenroll from a Medicare drug plan during Open Enrollment, you can do one of these: Call us at 1-800-MEDICARE.
At any point during your first year in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch back to Original Medicare without penalty for the following reasons: If you left Medigap for Medicare Advantage, your trial right allows you to switch back to your Medigap policy.
The standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B enrollees will be $202.90 for 2026, an increase of $17.90 from $185.00 in 2025.
The best people to talk to about Medicare are your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) (for free, unbiased advice) or your specific Medicare plan's customer service (for plan-specific questions). For enrollment, contact the Social Security Administration (SSA), while independent brokers can compare plans, and organizations like the NCOA or AARP offer resources and tools.
In 2026, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is ending a program called the Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) model. This program helped health plans give extra non-medical benefits, like credits for healthy food and utilities.
✅Facts • The most recent national Medicare card update (with new Medicare numbers replacing Social Security Numbers) was completed in 2019. No new cards are being issued for 2025 or any upcoming year unless you personally request a replacement or are notified by Medicare.