gdoty
Expert
- 58
Last edited:
Question, if you want to change your supplement because of pricing you will have to answer all the health questions and if you are approved you can cancel other policy. Once you miss your open enrollment you will have to answer health questions unless its considered a special enrollment (coming off work insurance, etc) then you dont have to answer health questions. Or during Jan-march general enrollment (do U still have to answer health question during general)?? My Dad's plan F just went up and is paying $152 a month and this is his first year on Medicare. Turning 67 in July. For his example he would have to fill out health questions to be approved- correct. And if he waits until Jan would he still have to answer health questions. Just trying to wrap my brain around different situations other than just open enrollment period..
- 9,744
[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica]Are you sure?[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica]"January 1 - March 31 of each year (your General Enrollment Period). If you enroll in Part B during a General Enrollment Period, it will be effective July 1 of the year in which you apply."[/FONT]
I want to add Part B to my Medicare. When can I do that?
- 7,790
I thought he was referring to Jan 1 to march 31 open enrollment
holy cow now I am confused. Okay, lets see if I can explain this.
Open/initial enrollment: 3 months before 65 and 3 months after is your open enrollment and no health questions.
General Enrollment: if you did not sign up during your open (above) you can sign up during general enrollment which is Jan-March of each year.
Special Enrollment: If you were covered under a grp plan during open enrollment and which to enroll now you can do this during this during the special enrollment. This starts after your employment ends or coverage ends and you have 8 months to get signed up.
Okay, my questions was if you dont sign up during the open enroll do you always have to health qualify for supplements. I am not talking about advantage.
My example was my father will be on plan F a year in july. His rate just went up yesterday and will be paying $152 a month. If he wants to switch supps because of pricing is there any time that he would not have to health qualify??
Open/initial enrollment: 3 months before 65 and 3 months after is your open enrollment and no health questions.
General Enrollment: if you did not sign up during your open (above) you can sign up during general enrollment which is Jan-March of each year.
Special Enrollment: If you were covered under a grp plan during open enrollment and which to enroll now you can do this during this during the special enrollment. This starts after your employment ends or coverage ends and you have 8 months to get signed up.
Okay, my questions was if you dont sign up during the open enroll do you always have to health qualify for supplements. I am not talking about advantage.
My example was my father will be on plan F a year in july. His rate just went up yesterday and will be paying $152 a month. If he wants to switch supps because of pricing is there any time that he would not have to health qualify??
- 7,066
Open Enrollment is technically twelve months. A senior can sign up for a Med Supp up to six months before turning 65, however, very few of them will make a commitment that far in advance.
Their "Open Enrollment" period lasts for six months following the effective date of Medicare Part B.
In some states Medicare will not give GI to a senior who is beyond their Open Enrollment period and voluntarily drops their group plan, other states will grant that senior GI. Check the rules and regs in your state regarding that.
Your father is beyond the Open Enrollment period. Unless the company he has his Med Supp with goes out of business he will not have a GI period. He will have to answer health questions.
If you would like, feel free to give me a call and we can discuss it further. My number is below.
I'm not sure what you are referring to in the paragraph where you are talking about a "General Enrollment" period. There is an enrollment period for people who didn't take Medicare Part B when they first turned age 65. Is that what you are referring to. There is no "general enrollment" period once a year for someone to take a Med Supp unless you are in a GI state like Missouri and California.
If you are selling in a GI state the GI period is usually 30 days long. In Missouri it is on the anniversary date of the policy in California it is on their birthday.
1) When you first enroll in Medicare (your Initial Enrollment Period). Your Initial Enrollment Period starts 3 months before you turn age 65 and lasts for 7 months.
2) January 1 - March 31 of each year (your General Enrollment Period). If you enroll in Part B during a General Enrollment Period, it will be effective July 1 of the year in which you apply. Your Medicare Part B premium may go up 10 percent for each 12 month period that you could have had Medicare Part B, but did not take it.
3) If you didn't take Medicare Part B when you were first eligible because you or your spouse were working and had group health plan coverage through your or your spouse's employer or union, you can sign up for Medicare Part B during a Special Enrollment Period.
above from med gov site.
Okay, so concerning supplements the only time you can get one without answering health questions is the open enrollment before and after turning 65. Once that time has passed and you want to change because of rate you will have to fill out health questions and see if you can get it.. So, my customers that are over 65 and inquire about medicare supplements will have to fill out everything on application and wait and see.. Unless GI as Frank discussed because of something with company, etc...
Now let me really throw everyone off lol. If you wait until after 65 because of working and sign up under B during the special enrollment period (see above) would you then have the same benefit with open enrollment for a supplement meaning no health questions..
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Never mind found the answer.
if you have group health coverage through an employer or
union, because either you or your spouse is currently working, you may
want to wait to enroll in Part B. Th is is because employer plans oft en
provide coverage similar to Medigap, so you don't need a Medigap
policy. When your employer coverage ends, you'll get a chance to enroll
in Part B without a late enrollment penalty which means your Medigap
open enrollment period will start when you're ready to take advantage
of it.
2) January 1 - March 31 of each year (your General Enrollment Period). If you enroll in Part B during a General Enrollment Period, it will be effective July 1 of the year in which you apply. Your Medicare Part B premium may go up 10 percent for each 12 month period that you could have had Medicare Part B, but did not take it.
3) If you didn't take Medicare Part B when you were first eligible because you or your spouse were working and had group health plan coverage through your or your spouse's employer or union, you can sign up for Medicare Part B during a Special Enrollment Period.
above from med gov site.
Okay, so concerning supplements the only time you can get one without answering health questions is the open enrollment before and after turning 65. Once that time has passed and you want to change because of rate you will have to fill out health questions and see if you can get it.. So, my customers that are over 65 and inquire about medicare supplements will have to fill out everything on application and wait and see.. Unless GI as Frank discussed because of something with company, etc...
Now let me really throw everyone off lol. If you wait until after 65 because of working and sign up under B during the special enrollment period (see above) would you then have the same benefit with open enrollment for a supplement meaning no health questions..
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Never mind found the answer.
if you have group health coverage through an employer or
union, because either you or your spouse is currently working, you may
want to wait to enroll in Part B. Th is is because employer plans oft en
provide coverage similar to Medigap, so you don't need a Medigap
policy. When your employer coverage ends, you'll get a chance to enroll
in Part B without a late enrollment penalty which means your Medigap
open enrollment period will start when you're ready to take advantage
of it.
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- 7,066
1) When you first enroll in Medicare (your Initial Enrollment Period). Your Initial Enrollment Period starts 3 months before you turn age 65 and lasts for 7 months.
2) January 1 - March 31 of each year (your General Enrollment Period). If you enroll in Part B during a General Enrollment Period, it will be effective July 1 of the year in which you apply. Your Medicare Part B premium may go up 10 percent for each 12 month period that you could have had Medicare Part B, but did not take it.
3) If you didn't take Medicare Part B when you were first eligible because you or your spouse were working and had group health plan coverage through your or your spouse's employer or union, you can sign up for Medicare Part B during a Special Enrollment Period.
above from med gov site.
Okay, so concerning supplements the only time you can get one without answering health questions is the open enrollment before and after turning 65. Once that time has passed and you want to change because of rate you will have to fill out health questions and see if you can get it.. So, my customers that are over 65 and inquire about medicare supplements will have to fill out everything on application and wait and see.. Unless GI as Frank discussed because of something with company, etc...
Now let me really throw everyone off lol. If you wait until after 65 because of working and sign up under B during the special enrollment period (see above) would you then have the same benefit with open enrollment for a supplement meaning no health questions..
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Never mind found the answer.
if you have group health coverage through an employer or
union, because either you or your spouse is currently working, you may
want to wait to enroll in Part B. Th is is because employer plans oft en
provide coverage similar to Medigap, so you don't need a Medigap
policy. When your employer coverage ends, you'll get a chance to enroll
in Part B without a late enrollment penalty which means your Medigap
open enrollment period will start when you're ready to take advantage
of it.
I think you will find that in most cases it is going to be advantageous for a person to have a Med Supp as opposed to staying on a group health plan especially if the group plan is through a spouse.
I have found that group health plans can be more expensive in some instances plus there are typically co-pays and deductibles as well as a network of doctors and hospitals.
It is definitely worth doing some fact finding as opposed to just making the assumption that they are going to be better off staying with a group plan. Do you know that the group plan will be primary coverage and the Med Supp will be secondary coverage?
If Medicare is secondary, Medicare very seldom pays anything toward the claim. The senior can still experience substantial out of pocket expenses.
