Medicare Beneficiaries Face Critical One-Time Medigap Enrollment Window
Many Medicare beneficiaries are unaware of a crucial, one-time six-month window, known as the Medigap Open Enrollment Period, which significantly impacts their ability to secure supplemental health insurance. This period commences the first month an individual is aged 65 or older and has enrolled in Medicare Part B. During this specific timeframe, federal law mandates that Medigap insurers must sell any policy they offer without the ability to reject an applicant or charge higher premiums based on pre-existing health conditions. While coverage for pre-existing conditions might still be subject to a waiting period, the application itself cannot be denied on medical grounds. Crucially, this protected enrollment window does not recur annually, unlike Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period for Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans. A common pitfall occurs when individuals initially opt for a Medicare Advantage plan, assuming they can easily switch back to Original Medicare and add Medigap later. H... 
