Medigap Special Enrollment Period
This limited time opportunity allows Illinois beneficiaries with disabilities under age 65 to purchase a Medigap policy (also referred to as Medicare supplement) with guaranteed issue rights from October 15 through December 7. Guaranteed issue rights means that beneficiaries cannot be denied coverage or be made to wait for coverage to begin. Individuals purchasing a Medigap policy during this SEP may be charged significantly higher rates than the over 65 population. Note that in Illinois only one company, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, will sell beneficiaries under 65 a policy during this time.
Besides this Medigap SEP, in Illinois the only other time beneficiaries with disabilities under age 65 have guaranteed issue rights to buy a policy from any company is during their Medigap Open Enrollment (OEP) period. The Medigap OEP is a six-month period that begins once a beneficiary enrolls in Medicare Part B. Once the six-month Medigap OEP period ends, companies are no longer required to sell beneficiaries under 65 a policy and can deny coverage due to a beneficiary’s pre-existing health conditions. Once beneficiaries with disabilities turn 65, they receive a new six-month Medigap OEP to purchase a policy based on turning 65 and not due to a disability which may result in premium savings.
The Illinois Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) has created a useful guide called “Medicare Choices” that includes detailed information about how Medigap works for beneficiaries with disabilities under age 65, and for beneficiaries age 65+: https://ilaging.illinois.gov/ship.html.
To learn more about the Medigap Open Enrollment Period, please visit the National Council on Aging’s website at https://www.ncoa.org/article/medigap-open-enrollment-period and https://www.medicare.gov/health-drug-plans/medigap/ready-to-buy.
