Medicare’s “Guaranteed Issue” Rule for Part B - Enid News & Eagle
Medicare can sure be a slippery slope! For those who enroll in Medicare Part B during their Initial Enrollment Period (your “IEP,” which starts 3 months before the month you turn 65 and ends 3 months after the month you turn 65), insurance companies which offer Medicare Supplement plans are obligated to provide their plan without requiring you to undergo “medical underwriting,” which essentially means they must accept you regardless of your health status. But if you enroll in Part B outside your IEP and later take a supplement plan to cover expenses Medicare doesn’t, the supplement plan provider can require you to undergo health screening before accepting your application, and that can spell trouble for those with chronic healthcare issues. Fortunately, the “Guaranteed Issue” clause also applies for those who delay enrolling in Part B because they have creditable employer coverage and, instead, enroll during their Medicare Special Enrollment Period (a period immediately following the end of your employer coverage), as explained in this Enid News & Eagle article by Toni King.