Dear AMAC,
When I first started my Medicare I purchased the Cadillac plan at the time, which was Plan F. My problem is that the premium is so high that now I can’t afford it. I tried to see if I could apply for a different plan to save money, but I was told I don’t qualify. I didn’t have this problem before so I am wondering, can you be denied a Medicare supplement plan?
-John (Tulsa, OK)

Hello John,

There are a couple things to consider when shopping for a new Medicare Supplement plan, such as medical underwriting and enrollment periods. To answer your question “Can you be denied a Medicare Supplement plan?”, the answer is yes, but let’s explore why.

When you first began Medicare Part B, you had something called an Open Enrollment Period (OEP), which gave you a 6-month window to purchase any Medicare Supplement plan without going through medical underwriting. Medical underwriting is a series of medical questions asked by the insurer to determine if they are willing to accept your application for insurance.

This is probably the reason why you did not have any difficulties picking up the policy at first, because they did not require you to answer any health-related questions. However, once the Open Enrollment Period is over, carriers can ask medical questions. If you have any pre-existing chronic conditions, such as heart disorders, cancers, pulmonary issues, etc., then you can be denied a Medicare Supplement plan.

Unless you have a Guaranteed Issue Right (GI Right), you will have to go through medical underwriting with any carrier you apply for from here on out. Guaranteed Issue Rights are special protections that allow you to bypass medical underwriting if you qualify for them. Keep in mind that while you can be denied a Medicare Supplement plan, this will not affect your current plan. Your current supplement plan is guaranteed renewable if you continue to pay your premiums.

Thank you for taking the time to reach out to us John. Please give one of our licensed Medicare Advisors a call if you have any further questions about your eligibility. We would love to give you a complimentary Medicare review just to make sure you haven’t missed anything!