When a Medicare Supplement policy is purchased during the open enrollment period:

The Medigap open enrollment period is a federally protected six-month window that begins when an individual is 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B. The primary protection afforded during this period is the "guaranteed issue" right. This right legally requires insurance companies to sell the applicant any Medigap policy they offer, without using medical underwriting. Consequently, the insurer cannot deny coverage, charge a higher premium, or impose a waiting period for pre-existing conditions based on the applicant's health status.

A. Insurers cannot charge higher premiums based on health status during the open enrollment period; rates are standardized for all applicants in a given category.

B. Medigap plans are standardized by federal law (e.g., Plan G, Plan N). The benefits for a specific plan are fixed and do not change.

C. Exclusions are part of the standardized plan design and cannot be arbitrarily increased for applicants who are in their open enrollment period.

1. Official Vendor Documentation: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). (2023). Choosing a Medigap Policy: A Guide to Health Insurance for People with Medicare. CMS Product No. 02110.

Page 10, Section "When to buy a Medigap policy": "The best time to buy a Medigap policy is during your 6-month Medigap open enrollment period... During that time, you can buy any Medigap policy sold in your state, even if you have health problems. This period automatically starts the first month you have Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) and you’re 65 or older. It can’t be changed or repeated."

2. Official Vendor Documentation: Virginia State Corporation Commission, Bureau of Insurance. (2023). Virginia Medicare Supplement Insurance Premium Comparison Guide.

Page 4, Section "Open Enrollment": "For six months from the date you are first enrolled in Medicare Part B and are age 65 or older, you have a right to buy the Medicare supplement policy of your choice from any company that sells policies in Virginia. During this 'open enrollment' period, a company cannot refuse to sell you a policy or charge you a higher premium because of your health."

3. Academic Publication: The Kaiser Family Foundation. (June 15, 2023). Medigap Enrollment and Consumer Protections Vary Across States.

Section "Federal law provides a one-time six-month open enrollment period for Medigap": "Federal law provides all Medicare beneficiaries a one-time, six-month Medigap open enrollment period which begins on the first day of the month in which they are both 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B. During this period, insurers must sell a Medigap policy to any applicant and cannot deny coverage or charge a higher premium based on an individual’s health status or pre-existing conditions (a practice known as medical underwriting)."