Medicare Supplement Plans in Seguin: What Fall Open Enrollment Does and Does Not Change

Every October, the airwaves and mailboxes in Seguin fill up with Medicare ads. It’s a loud, confusing season, and many people come away thinking the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) is their only chance to change their coverage. If you’re looking at Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans, the rules are different.

What the Annual Enrollment Period Covers

From October 15 to December 7, people with Medicare can make changes to their Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug coverage. If you’re in a Medicare Advantage plan, this is when you can switch to a different Advantage plan or go back to Original Medicare.

What It Doesn’t Change

Medicare Supplement plans don’t follow the October 15 to December 7 calendar. Medigap has its own one-time open enrollment period. It starts the first month you’re both 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B, and it lasts six months. During that window, an insurance company can’t turn you down or charge you more because of your health.

Miss that window and the rules tighten. Outside it, and outside a few specific protected situations, a company can ask health questions and may decline you or charge more for a pre-existing condition. That includes someone who leaves Medicare Advantage for Original Medicare in the fall: switching back during the AEP does not, by itself, guarantee you can buy a Medigap plan. It’s why knowing when your window opens matters.

How WKI Can Help

Westerholm Koehler Insurance (WKI) is an independent agency in Seguin, and we help people with Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans. We can explain how the plan letters differ and how each one fits your budget. We don’t sell Medicare Advantage or ACA marketplace plans, so if that’s what you’re after, we’ll point you to the right place rather than guess.

Next Steps

If you’re approaching 65, or you’re already on Part B and wondering about a Medigap plan, reach out before you sign anything. We can look at your dates with you and tell you whether you’re inside your open enrollment window.