A: You can switch from one Medicare Supplement to another Medicare Supplement at any time during the six month period following your Part B effective date. Your ability to switch supplements after that time depends on your ability to pass medical underwriting.
The Affordable Care Act made it illegal for insurance companies to deny coverage or charge higher premiums based on current or previous health conditions. Unfortunately, the law does not apply to Medicare Supplements.
At Farm Bureau Health Plans, we would ask an individual applying for a supplement about the following medical conditions:
- Heart Attack or Congestive Heart Failure
- Cancer (other than skin cancer)
- Stroke or TIA
- Kidney Failure or Disease
- Diabetes
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Multiple Sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS)
- Muscular Dystrophy
Statistics are not working in our favor as we age. The longer you wait to purchase or to switch supplements, the higher your risk of not being able to pass medical underwriting. Be sure to apply during your first six months following your Part B effective date if you are interested in purchasing a Medicare Supplement plan.