How switching works in Ohio
Ohio's Medigap rule, OAC 3901-8-08, gives you two kinds of windows in which a company must accept you regardless of your health: your one-time 6-month open enrollment at 65 with Part B, and specific guaranteed-issue events. There is no yearly window. Any other time, switching is up to the new company, which can use medical underwriting.
A bill, House Bill 24, would add a yearly birthday switching window. It has been proposed; it is not law.
When you can switch with no health questions
- During your Medigap open enrollment. If you bought a policy and change your mind within your first 6 months, you can switch to any policy a company sells.
- Your Medigap company ends your coverage through no fault of your own, goes bankrupt, breaks the rules or misled you. You have 63 days after the coverage ends.
- You have a Medicare SELECT policy and move out of its area. Medicare.gov says you can buy certain Medigap plans in your state, or a SELECT policy in your new area.
Switching with underwriting
If none of those apply, you can still shop. The new company may ask about your health, prescriptions and recent treatment. If you're healthy, switching can lower your premium, especially if your current policy's rate has risen. If not, staying put may be safer: a Medigap policy is guaranteed renewable, and in Ohio a company can't cancel it because of your health, only for nonpayment or material misrepresentation.
How to switch safely
- Compare the same plan letter. Benefits for a letter are identical at every company, so compare price, rating method and rate history.
- Answer health questions honestly. Misstatements can be grounds to cancel the policy later.
- Wait for approval. Don't cancel your current policy until the new one is in force.
- Use the 30-day free look. Ohio's rule lets you return a new policy within 30 days of delivery for a refund (OAC 3901-8-08(T)(1)(e)).
- Cancel the old policy in writing. Keep a copy.
To compare Medigap policies from the companies they work with, you can request a call from a licensed insurance agent. Complaints about a company or agent go to ODI Consumer Services at 1-800-686-1526. See Medigap in Ohio.
Related questions
Does Ohio have a Medigap birthday rule?
No, and what HB 24 would change.
Are Medigap rates based on age in Ohio?
The three pricing methods.
Medigap Plan G vs. Plan N
The two most-compared letters.
Sources
- Ohio Administrative Code 3901-8-08, Medicare supplement
- Medicare.gov — Can I change my Medigap policy?
- CMS — Choosing a Medigap Policy
- Ohio Legislature — House Bill 24 (136th General Assembly), status
More questions in this guide
- Are Medigap rates in Ohio based on age?
- Can I get Medigap under 65 in Ohio?
- Can I get Medigap with pre-existing conditions in Ohio?
- Does Ohio have a Medigap birthday rule?
- Is Medigap Plan F still available in Ohio?
- What is the difference between Medigap Plan G and Plan N?
- What happens to my Medigap if I move out of Ohio?
- When can I buy Medigap in Ohio?
Part of the guide: Medigap (Medicare Supplement) in Ohio · All questions
Frequently asked questions
Will I have to wait for coverage of a pre-existing condition after switching?
If you've had your current policy for less than 6 months, the new policy may make you wait up to 6 months to cover a pre-existing condition, minus the months you've had your current policy or other creditable coverage, according to Medicare's Medigap guide.
Should I cancel my old policy first?
No. Keep it until the new company approves you and the new policy starts. You'll pay both premiums for the month you have both, and you have 30 days to return the new policy.
Can I switch during Medicare's fall Open Enrollment?
Fall Open Enrollment (October 15 to December 7) covers Medicare Advantage and Part D, not Medigap. You can apply for a new Medigap policy then, but the usual underwriting rules apply.
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