Qualifications to Receive Medicare Supplemental Insurance in Arizona

For those with traditional Medicare, Medigap policies can help save a lot of money. They wrap around traditional Medicare by paying for things such as deductibles and coinsurance and they supply some additional benefits. However, not everyone has the right to purchase a Medigap. These Medigap purchasing rights are different from state to state. Medigap policies are available in Arizona, and buyers should be aware of the purchasing qualifications and regulations in the state.

65 Years or Age or Older

• The state of Arizona adapts the federal regulations on Medigap purchasing for those who have reached 65 years of age. Once beneficiaries become Medicare eligible at the age of 65 and join Part B (medical insurance), they have three months following their 65th birthday to sign up for a Medigap policy. This is called a Medigap open enrollment period. During this time, they are guaranteed the right to purchase a Medigap. The Medigap cannot deny them for any reason, and they cannot give them a waiting period for preexisting condition coverage.

Losing Qualified Health Insurance

• If an individual is 65 years of age or older and has already been Medicare eligible for some time but loses qualified health insurance, she may qualify for another period of time during which she is guaranteed the right to sign up for a Medigap. The beneficiary must sign up for Part B after losing employer insurance from a company with over 20 employees on the group health plan. The beneficiary then has an open enrollment period of 63 days to sign up for a Medigap plan that contains the same rights and protections as those provided to someone who had just turned 65.

Past Open Enrollment Periods

• Individuals who did not purchase a Medigap during their open enrollment period may still purchase a Medigap if an insurance company is willing to sell them one. They will, however, not obtain the same protections as they would have if they had purchased it during the open enrollment. They will most likely have to pay a higher price, and the insurance company can make them wait up to six months for coverage of any preexisting conditions.

Under 65 Years of Age

• Individuals who are Medicare eligible due to disability, end-stage renal disease or Lou Gehrig's disease and are under 65 are not guaranteed the right to purchase a Medigap under Arizona state law. However, this does not mean that a Medigap insurance provider will not sell one of these individuals a Medigap policy. However, a provider may do so at a higher price, and may also impose a preexisting condition waiting period of up to six months.