Medigap Open Enrollment Six Months
The Medigap Open Enrollment Period is the single most powerful window in the product: six months from your Part B effective date (at 65+), every carrier must sell you any plan it offers — no health questions, no pricing penalties.
| Rule | Medigap OEP |
|---|---|
| Trigger | 65+ AND enrolled in Part B |
| Duration | 6 months |
| Underwriting | None — guaranteed acceptance |
| Pre-existing waiting period | Waived if you had 6+ months prior creditable coverage |
| Missed it? | Underwriting applies (see GI rights) |
Why the window is one-way
Outside OEP, carriers medically underwrite (see what gets you declined) — a diagnosis between 65 and your application can cost thousands per year or the plan entirely. Use the window even if you feel healthy: it prices your future health, not your present.
Using the window strategically
Apply early inside the window — the coverage date can be scheduled to the day Part B starts. Shop the full carrier board with pricing-model awareness (attained vs issue-age), because the plan you bind at 65 anchors your next decade in no-switching states.
FAQ
Does the Medigap OEP happen every year?
No — it is a one-time, six-month window tied to Part B enrollment at 65+.
Can I delay Part B and still get the OEP?
The OEP starts when Part B starts; delaying Part B (if legally allowed) delays the window too.
Related reading: All windows · IEP file · GI rights