If you are under the age of 65, you may already have Medicare because you are disabled or have End Stage Renal Disease (ERD). In this case, you may be wondering if you are eligible to purchase a Medigap plan in Texas. You already know that Medigap insurance is only available to those who are 65 or older. However, because you are enrolled in Medicare early, you may be eligible to purchase Medigap insurance as well. Take the time to familiarize yourself about the eligibility requirements for Medigap insurance in Texas and make the most informed decisions regarding your health care coverage.
Medicare and Medigap Insurance
Medicare is federally funded health insurance available to most people 65 or older and those under 65 with certain disabilities or ERD. It is designed to help pay for a portion of health care costs and as a result, does not pay for it all. In many cases, people on Medicare purchase a Medigap policy to supplement original Medicare.
Medigap insurance, also called Medicare Supplement insurance, is sold by private insurance companies to fill the “gaps” in Original Medicare. Medigap insurance is useful for helping to pay out-of-pocket expenses that original Medicare doesn’t pay like deductibles, copayments and coinsurance. Generally, to be eligible to purchase a Medigap policy, you must be 65 and enrolled in both Parts A and B of Medicare. However, there are some exceptions.
If You are Under 65
Federal law does not require insurance companies to sell Medigap plans to people under the age of 65. In fact, even if you have a legitimate disability and are enrolled in Medicare, you might not be able to buy the Medigap policy you want until you turn 65. Some states do not offer Medigap plans at all to those under 65. In Texas however, insurance companies are required by law to offer at least one kind of Medigap policy for people with Medicare under 65.
While there are 10 Medigap plans to choose from, private insurers in Texas are required to offer Plan A only, meaning that they do not have to offer the other 9 plans.
Open Enrollment and Guaranteed Issue Rights
If you are under the age of 65 and receive Medicare as a result of a disability or ERD, you have a six month open enrollment period which begins the day you enroll in Medicare Part B. However, this open enrollment right only applies to Plan A. Additionally, you may be able to purchase a Medigap plan outside of your open enrollment period, through a Guaranteed Issue Right. If you lose certain types of health coverage, and can prove so with documentation, you will be able to purchase Plan A. Remember, your guaranteed Issue Right is only available for 63 days beginning on the date you received notice or from the actual last day of coverage. Fortunately, insurance companies cannot place restrictions on these policies like waiting periods for pre-existing conditions or exclusions.
Remember, simply because insurance companies in Texas are required to offer Plan A only does not mean that they won’t offer some or all of the remaining 9 plans available in Texas however we no of nothing other than A being offered. Make certain to check with your insurance provider and choose only reliable, dependable insurance companies when purchasing Medigap insurance in Texas. Stay with a provider that Texans just like you have come to know and trust like United of Omaha and rest assured that your health care coverage is in good hands.
If you are on early age Medicare due to a disability and think it might be wise to get a Under 65 Medigap plan in Texas visit our website offering Texas Medicare Supplement Insurance to check rates in your area.
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