Your Medigap open enrollment period
Your Medigap open enrollment period lasts six months and starts the first day of the month you're both 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. During it, a Medigap company:
- Must sell you any Medigap policy it offers in Arizona,
- Can't charge you more because of your health, and
- Can't make you wait for coverage of a pre-existing condition if you had prior creditable coverage, though it may delay that coverage up to six months if you didn't.
This window happens once and can't be repeated or moved. If you have job-based coverage at 65, it starts when you sign up for Part B, so time your Part B carefully. See do I need Part B if I'm still working.
Federal guaranteed-issue rights
After open enrollment, companies in Arizona can usually ask health questions. Federal law gives you guaranteed-issue rights in these situations:
- Your Medicare Advantage plan leaves Medicare or stops serving your area, or you move out of its service area. This applies to Arizona counties losing plans in 2027; see plans ending in 2027.
- Trial right: you joined Medicare Advantage when first eligible at 65, or dropped Medigap to try Medicare Advantage for the first time, and you leave within 12 months.
- Your Medigap company goes bankrupt or your coverage ends through no fault of yours, or the company broke the rules or misled you.
- Employer or union coverage that pays after Medicare ends.
The timing matters. Generally you can apply as early as 60 days before your other coverage ends and no later than 63 days after it ends. Depending on the situation, you can buy Plan A, B, C, D, F, G, K or L (Plans C and F only if you were eligible for Medicare before 2020). Keep the letters you receive, since they prove your right.
What Arizona law adds
Arizona's Medigap statute, A.R.S. 20-1133, directs the state to follow the federal Medigap standards, and the Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions (DIFI) regulates the policies sold here. Two Arizona points to know:
- No extra switching rights. Arizona has no birthday rule or yearly open enrollment for Medigap. Your rights are the federal ones above.
- Early enrollment discounts. State law lets companies offer a discount that shrinks over time for people who buy during a company's early enrollment period. Companies that use it must explain how the discount decreases.
Under 65? Arizona doesn't require Medigap companies to sell to people under 65 who have Medicare because of a disability or ESRD. Bills to require it for some groups have been introduced, including HB 2433 in 2026, but as of November 2026 none has become law. Medicare Advantage plans can't turn you down for health conditions, so they are an option until your Medigap open enrollment period at 65.
Get help
Medigap prices for the same plan letter differ by company. A licensed insurance agent with Benefits Life can compare Medigap policies from the companies they work with, at (602) SENIORS (602-736-4677), TTY 711. See also Medigap in Arizona.
Related questions
When can I change my Medicare plan?
Yearly windows and Special Enrollment Periods.
Do I need Part B if I'm still working?
How Part B timing sets your Medigap window.
Does Medicare work in Mexico?
Medigap's foreign travel emergency coverage.
Sources
- Medicare.gov — When can I buy Medigap?
- Medicare.gov — Choosing a Medigap Policy (guaranteed-issue rights and trial rights)
- Arizona Revised Statutes — A.R.S. 20-1133, Medicare supplement insurance; early enrollment discounts
- Arizona House of Representatives — HB 2433 (2026) summary
- Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy Medigap in Arizona if I'm under 65 and on Medicare because of a disability?
Federal law doesn't require Medigap companies to sell to people under 65, and Arizona law doesn't either. A company may choose to, often with health questions. When you turn 65, you get your own six-month Medigap open enrollment period.
Does Arizona have a Medigap birthday rule?
No. Arizona's Medigap statute (A.R.S. 20-1133) follows the federal standards and doesn't give a yearly or birthday right to switch policies. If you want to change policies outside a guaranteed-issue situation, the new company can ask about your health.
What if I'm still working when I turn 65?
Your Medigap open enrollment period starts when you sign up for Part B, so if you have job-based coverage, you can wait to take Part B and start your Medigap window later. Starting Part B early, even while still covered at work, uses up the window.
Can I switch back to Medigap after trying Medicare Advantage?
If you joined Medicare Advantage when you first got Medicare at 65, or dropped a Medigap policy to join one for the first time, federal trial rights let you leave within the first 12 months and buy Medigap without health questions. After that, the company can usually ask about your health.
