Medicare Supplement

Does Cortland know about this 6-month Medigap rule?

# Turning 65 in Cortland? Your one guaranteed Medigap…

If you live in Cortland and you're approaching 65, there's one Medicare deadline that quietly matters more than most people realize. It's not the fall Annual Enrollment Period. It's the six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, and it's the only stretch of your life when a Medigap insurer must sell you a policy at its best available rate — no health questions, no denials.

Miss it, and the rules change in ways that can be hard to undo.

What the Medigap Open Enrollment Period actually is

Medigap — also called Medicare Supplement Insurance — is a private policy that helps pay some of the out-of-pocket costs Original Medicare leaves behind, like coinsurance and deductibles.

The federal rule is simple: your Medigap Open Enrollment Period is a one-time, six-month window that starts the month you are 65 or older AND enrolled in Medicare Part B. It runs automatically. You don't sign up for it — it just begins.

During those six months, you have what's called a "guaranteed issue right" for any Medigap policy sold in your state. That means:

• An insurer must sell you any Medigap plan it offers.
• It cannot charge you more because of past or current health problems.
• It cannot make you wait for coverage of a pre-existing condition if you had at least six months of prior creditable coverage.

This is the only time federal law guarantees all of that at once.

Why this window matters so much in Cortland

Cortland is in Cortland County, where many residents approaching 65 are weighing Original Medicare with a Medigap policy against a Medicare Advantage plan. Both paths are legitimate, and the right choice depends on your doctors, your health, and your budget.

But there's an asymmetry worth understanding: Medicare Advantage has yearly windows where you can change plans. Medigap does not. If you pick Medicare Advantage now and want to switch to Original Medicare with a Medigap policy years later, you may face medical underwriting to get that Medigap policy — unless a special guaranteed-issue situation applies.

That's why the six-month window at 65 is often described as your one clean shot.

What changes after the six months end

Once your Medigap Open Enrollment Period closes, federal protections shrink. In most states, insurers can:

• Ask detailed health questions.
• Charge higher premiums based on your health history.
• Refuse to sell you a policy at all.

New York is one of a small number of states with stronger year-round Medigap protections, which is genuinely helpful — but rules and pricing still vary by insurer and plan. Anyone counting on being able to add Medigap "later" should confirm the current rules for their situation before making a decision at 65.

There are a few limited "guaranteed issue" situations after the window closes — for example, if certain employer coverage ends or a Medicare Advantage plan leaves your area. These are narrow, time-sensitive rights, not a replacement for the initial window.

How to prepare before your window opens

A few practical steps make the six months easier to use well:

• Confirm your Part B start date. Your Medigap window is tied to it.
• Understand the difference between Original Medicare + Medigap + a Part D drug plan, and Medicare Advantage (which usually bundles drug coverage).
• Compare Medigap plan letters (like Plan G or Plan N). The letter defines the benefits; the price varies by insurer.
• Ask insurers how they price policies — community-rated, issue-age-rated, or attained-age-rated — because that affects how premiums change over time.

Also remember the 2026 program-level figures that shape the rest of your Medicare picture: Part D now has a $2,100 annual out-of-pocket cap, the Part D deductible is capped at $615, and the old coverage gap has been eliminated. Higher earners — generally above $109,000 in income for a single filer — pay IRMAA surcharges on Part B and Part D.

Where to get unbiased help

You don't have to figure this out alone, and you shouldn't rely only on a sales call.

• Medicare.gov has the official Medigap rules and a plan finder.
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) is available 24/7.
• HIICAP (Health Insurance Information, Counseling and Assistance Program) is New York's SHIP. Counselors provide free, one-on-one help and do not sell insurance.