Illinois Supplement Guaranteed Issue Rules

MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT – IL GUARANTEED ISSUE RULES

If you are under age 65 and on Medicare, you will also have a six-month Open Enrollment Period when you reach age 65, beginning on the first day of the month in which you turn 65. In any scenario, you must have Medicare Part B to be eligible for a Medicare Supplement Insurance policy. In the state of Illinois, it is only during the initial Open Enrollment Period that you will be able to enroll in a Medicare Supplement policy without answering medical questions. After the Open Enrollment Period has passed, you will be required to answer the medical questions and you can be rated up and/or declined based on the information collected during this process.

One other important piece of information concerning guaranteed issue periods is that when a person is coming off group coverage after their initial guaranteed issue period has ended, they are entitled to a guaranteed issue period, whether leaving the group benefit plan is voluntary or involuntary. Stated another way, an applicant can stay on their group plan and continue to work past 65 and when they are ready to move to Medicare, they’ll be given a special enrollment period that would allow them to purchase a Medicare Supplement policy without underwriting.

Guaranteed Issue Policies from a Guaranteed Issue Company - For people aged 65 or older and NOT in their Open Enrollment Period or any Special Enrollment Periods there is still an option to obtain a Medicare Supplement plan. In Illinois, there is one Medicare Supplement insurer that offers policies to anyone over the age of 65 in ANY health condition, throughout the year at the same premium rate as anyone in the same policy class. That company is Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois. NOTE: BC/BS also has some plans with underwriting.