Medigap Open Enrollment: Your One Guaranteed Chance

Medigap, also called Medicare Supplement insurance, is private insurance that fills the gaps in Original Medicare: the deductibles, coinsurance, and copays that Medicare leaves for you to pay. It is one of the most effective tools for controlling Medicare costs, particularly for people who use healthcare frequently or want protection against catastrophic expenses.

Your Medigap Open Enrollment Period begins on the first day of the month in which you are both age 65 and enrolled in Medicare Part B. The six-month window runs from that date.

For most people, this means the window opens at age 65 when they first enroll in Medicare. If you turn 65 in June and enroll in Part B effective June 1, your Open Enrollment Period runs from June 1 through November 30.

If you delay enrolling in Part B because you have qualifying employer coverage, your Open Enrollment Period does not start until you actually enroll in Part B. This is an important distinction: the window is tied to your Part B enrollment date, not your 65th birthday. People who work past 65 and delay Part B still get their full six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period when they eventually enroll.

During your Medigap Open Enrollment Period, you have what is called guaranteed issue rights. This means that any insurance company selling Medigap plans in Florida must sell you any plan they offer, at the standard premium for your age, without asking about your health history.

In practical terms, this means that even if you have diabetes, heart disease, cancer, COPD, or any other pre-existing condition, an insurer cannot deny you a Medigap plan during your Open Enrollment Period. They also cannot charge you more than they charge a healthy person of the same age for the same plan.

Outside of your Open Enrollment Period, Florida allows insurers to use medical underwriting. They can ask detailed health questions and can decline to sell you a plan or charge you a higher premium based on your answers. Some conditions, such as end-stage renal disease, can result in an outright denial in most states.

Florida offers standardized Medigap plans labeled A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N. Each plan with the same letter offers identical benefits regardless of which insurer sells it. The differences between insurers are price, financial stability, and customer service.

Plan G is the most comprehensive plan available to new Medicare enrollees. Plan G covers the Part A deductible, Part A coinsurance, Part B coinsurance (20 percent), skilled nursing facility coinsurance, and foreign travel emergency care. The only cost it does not cover is the Part B deductible ($257 in 2026), which you pay once per year.

Plan N is a lower-premium alternative to Plan G. It covers most of the same costs but requires copays of up to $20 for office visits and up to $50 for emergency room visits that do not result in inpatient admission. High-deductible Plan G is available for people who want lower premiums and are willing to pay a higher deductible ($2,870 in 2026) before the plan begins paying.

When comparing plans, also consider whether you want Original Medicare with a Medigap plan versus Medicare Advantage. Both approaches have tradeoffs, and your Medigap Open Enrollment Period is the ideal time to make this decision with full access to all options.

Even after your Medigap Open Enrollment Period closes, certain qualifying events give you guaranteed issue rights for specific Medigap plans. These are not as broad as the Open Enrollment Period rights, but they can provide a path to Medigap coverage if you missed your window.

Qualifying events that trigger guaranteed issue rights include: your Medicare Advantage plan leaves your service area or stops participating in Medicare, you move out of your Medicare Advantage plan's service area, you lose employer or union group health coverage, your Medigap insurer goes bankrupt, and you leave a Medicare Advantage plan within the first year of joining it (trial right).

In these situations, you have a guaranteed right to buy certain Medigap plans from any insurer selling those plans in Florida, without underwriting. The window for these rights is generally 63 days from the triggering event.

Florida also has a birthday rule that allows Medigap policyholders to switch to a plan with equal or lesser benefits from any insurer during the 30 days following their birthday each year, without underwriting. This provides some flexibility to shop for lower premiums after your initial enrollment.

If you miss your Medigap Open Enrollment Period and do not have a qualifying event that triggers guaranteed issue rights, you can still apply for a Medigap plan in Florida, but the insurer can use medical underwriting. This means they will ask about your health history and can decline to sell you coverage or charge you a higher premium.

The practical impact depends on your health. People in good health may still be able to get Medigap coverage at standard rates. People with significant health conditions may be declined or quoted substantially higher premiums.

This is why timing matters so much. Enrolling in Medigap during your Open Enrollment Period, even if you are currently healthy, locks in your coverage at standard rates and protects you from future underwriting if your health changes. If you are approaching 65 and unsure whether to choose Medigap or Medicare Advantage, speaking with a licensed Medicare advisor before your Open Enrollment Period closes is strongly recommended.