When can I buy Medigap in Ohio?

Your Medigap open enrollment period

Under OAC 3901-8-08(N), your Medigap open enrollment lasts 6 months and begins on the first day of the first month you are both 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. It happens once and can't be restarted. During it, a company:

• Must offer you every Medigap policy it sells in Ohio.
• Can't deny you or charge you more because of your health, claims, medical conditions or tobacco use.
• Can't exclude pre-existing conditions if you've had at least 6 months of continuous creditable coverage; with less, any wait of up to 6 months is shortened by the months you had.

Example: if you turn 65 in April 2027 and your Part B starts April 1, your window runs April 1 through September 30, 2027.

Guaranteed-issue situations

After open enrollment, Ohio's rule (paragraph (O)) gives a guaranteed right to buy certain Medigap plans, with no health questions, when:

• Your Medicare Advantage plan leaves Medicare, stops serving your area, or you move out of its service area.
• Employer, union or retiree coverage that supplements Medicare ends.
• You leave a Medicare Advantage plan within 12 months under a trial right.
• Your Medigap company goes bankrupt or ends your coverage through no fault of your own.

Apply within 63 days after your coverage ends, or as early as 60 days before if you are leaving voluntarily. If your plan is ending for 2027, see plans ending in 2027.

Any other time

You can apply to any company whenever you like. Outside the windows above, the company can review your health, charge more or turn you down. Ohio has no yearly birthday or anniversary switching right; a bill (HB 24) has been proposed, but it is not law.

How to buy

1. Get Part A and Part B. You need both to buy Medigap. See enrollment periods.
2. Pick a plan letter. Benefits for each letter are the same at every company.
3. Compare price and rating method. Ask whether the policy is community-, issue-age- or attained-age-rated.
4. Apply in your window. Use the 30-day free look to review the policy once it arrives.

To compare Medigap policies from the companies they work with, you can request a call from a licensed insurance agent. See Medigap in Ohio.

Related questions

Sources

• Ohio Administrative Code 3901-8-08, Medicare supplement, paragraphs (N) and (O)
• Medicare.gov — When can I buy a Medigap policy?
• Social Security Act § 1882, Medicare supplemental policies

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?
• Can I switch Medigap plans 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?

Part of the guide: Medigap (Medicare Supplement) in Ohio · All questions

Frequently asked questions

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