If any part of your Medicare Advantage Plan had a price increase above a certain amount for 2024, you will have a guaranteed issue right to switch to a Medigap Plan without any health screening.
I am unhappy with my Medicare Advantage Plan! Can I use original Medicare as my primary insurance and purchase a Medigap policy plus a Prescription Plan?
The following plans have changed at least one of their prices which, under California law, entitles you to purchase a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy without any health screening. Purchasing a stand-alone prescription plan is also available to you.
Plans which allow you to leave and purchase Medigap from any insurer:
| Kaiser (only Basic) | Imperial (all plans) |
| Brand New Day | Central Health |
| AARP/UHC Secure Horizons Plan 1* | Wellcare (all plans)* |
You must disenroll from your plan by December 7th for an effective date of
January 1st 2024.
Join a Prescription Drug Plan by December 7th to both disenroll from your Medicare Advantage Plan and ensure that you have continuous prescription drug coverage. You may then enroll in any Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan offered by any company before March 3rd, 2024. Coverage by the Medicare Supplement will start the first of the month following your enrollment or January 1, 2024, if enrolling before that date.
*Because these plans (AARP/UHC and Wellcare) are leaving Contra Costa County you have extra time to purchase a Medigap without health screening. You have until May 2nd, 2024. It is illegal for those with full Medi-Cal and Medicare to purchase a Medigap plan.
Plans which allow you to leave and purchase Medigap from their parent company:
| AARP/United Health Care Canopy and Assure | Anthem PPO |
| Humana (all plans) |
You must disenroll from your plan by February 28th. Join a stand-alone Prescription Drug Plan by February 28, 2024, to both disenroll from your Medicare Advantage Plan and ensure that you have continuous prescription drug coverage. You then may enroll in any Medicare Supplement (Medigap) offered by the parent company (not any company as noted above). You must do this by March 3rd 2024. Coverage by the Medicare Supplement will start the first of the month following your enrollment, or January 1, 2024, if enrolling before that date.
In California, at your birthday and for the next 59 days you can switch to a plan from another company with no health screening.
Contact us for help in obtaining a Medigap plan
To exercise your right to buy a Medigap plan without health screening due to a change with your MA plan, you must provide the Medigap company with documentation showing the price change that allows this right. Find the “proof” for your plan, below. OR Contact us for help.
Proof of your right to switch to a Medigap.
When you contact an insurance company to sign up for a Medigap, using your guaranteed issue right, you may be asked for proof. Download the document for your plan. It provides the specific change that triggers your right.
Anthem Plans
Humana Plans
United Healthcare Plans
Central Health Plans
Imperial Plans
Kaiser Permanente Plans
Brand New Day Plans