Switching from one Medigap plan to another??

[JaneEO]

I called Medicare to ask them about the ease of switching from one medigap plan to another at open enrollment time.  I wasn't able to find real concrete info in the official "Medicare and You 2019" booklet on this topic. The gentleman I talked with assured me this was no problem, I can easily switch at the end of the year and the premium would be exactly the same as anyone else's premium.  It would not be increased because of my age.  He told me by law everyone pays the same premium amount regardless of age, health, switching and that I can easily switch from one plan to another, no plan is excluded.  Great! I was glad to hear this.

Now I am reading "Medicare for Dummies" and it is telling me the exact opposite, I can be turned down if I want to switch plans, charge more on the basis of illness, exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions for a period of time.  

So who's right?  And what happens if my insurance carried no longer covers medicare?

[somarco]

@JaneEO  I can easily switch at the end of the year and the premium would be exactly the same as anyone else's premium.  It would not be increased because of my age.  He told me by law everyone pays the same premium amount regardless of age, health, switching and that I can easily switch from one plan to another, no plan is excluded.

Medicare supplement (Medigap) does not have an end of the year open enrollment. Some states allow you to make a change on your birthday, others on the plan anniversary.

Ask your agent if any of these exceptions occur in your state.

If you do not qualify under state SEP rules, and you don't have a policy where the carrier does not require underwriting to change plans, then you will have to submit to underwriting before you can change.

Depending on how plans are rated in your state there could be a premium increase for plan/carrier changes.

Ask your agent to explain.

Carriers often stop writing business in a particular state, or they cease writing new plans altogether. Unless the carrier goes bankrupt you keep your plan as long as you pay the premiums.

The other exception is, if you lose your current coverage through no fault of your own, you can change to another carrier without underwriting.

Acceptance by the new carrier is pass/fail. Either they take you or they don't. There are no "rate up's" because you have an ongoing condition.

And again, your agent is your best resource.

If your agent is no longer in business you should seek answers from your carrier.

[GailL1]

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@JaneEO wrote:

I called Medicare to ask them about the ease of switching from one medigap plan to another at open enrollment time.  I wasn't able to find real concrete info in the official "Medicare and You 2019" booklet on this topic. The gentleman I talked with assured me this was no problem, I can easily switch at the end of the year and the premium would be exactly the same as anyone else's premium.  It would not be increased because of my age.  He told me by law everyone pays the same premium amount regardless of age, health, switching and that I can easily switch from one plan to another, no plan is excluded.  Great! I was glad to hear this.

Now I am reading "Medicare for Dummies" and it is telling me the exact opposite, I can be turned down if I want to switch plans, charge more on the basis of illness, exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions for a period of time.  

So who's right?  And what happens if my insurance carried no longer covers medicare?

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On the Medicare.gov website there is a complete explanation of Medicare Supplemental Insurance (Medigap).  Medicare.gov - What's Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap)

Follow all the Medigap subjects on the left hand side of the page.

Since Medigap Insurance is only "gap" or supplemental coverage and is not full insurance, states can make many of their own rules on these plans - they (the state) can determine if there is an annual open enrollment period in their state, when it might happen, they approve how a specific insurance company can rate their policy - issue age rated, community rated or attained age rated  .  So the state where you live or have coverage is the one that can answer your specific questions about switching plans WITHOUT underwriting.

Medicare.gov - Contact Info for State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs)

Now to your last comment where you said :

And what happens if my insurance carried no longer covers medicare?

If your Medigap insurance company stops their coverage for some reason, that triggers a special enrollment period for you to pick another plan since there are guaranteed issue rights involved.  See this Medicare page for more details -

Medicare.gov - Your rights to Buy a Medigap Policy -Guaranteed Issue Rights

Situation #6 seems to fit your question.

If you have further problems come back and post more details about your situation.