Dear AMAC,
I am disabled and starting Medicare next month. After doing my research I decided that I want a Medicare Supplement Plan. But when I called another agency to get quotes, they told me there were no supplements available for people “my age” in my area. I am not yet sixty-five but thought that I still had the same options. Is this right?
-James (Salt Lake City, UT)
Hello James,
Once you have received disability benefits for at least 24 months, you are entitled to Original Medicare benefits. However, when it comes to a Medicare Supplement Plan, federal law does not require insurance companies to sell these policies to people who are under age 65. It does not have anything to do with why you are eligible for Medicare, but it does have to do with your age.
Now, some states may require Medicare Supplement carriers to offer you a policy, even if you are not sixty-five yet. In this case, you may wind up paying more for the same coverage or have limited plan options. Unfortunately, the state of Utah, where you reside, does not require Medicare Supplement carriers to offer plans to those on Medicare under sixty-five.
(The states that do not require Medicare Supplements to be sold to those under sixty-five are as follows: AL, AK, AZ, AR, ID, IN, IA, NE, NV, NM, ND, OH, RI, SC, UT, VA, WA, WV, and WY.)
But even if state and federal law do not require that Supplement plans be offered, some carriers may still choose to offer you a plan if you are under sixty-five. Again, the premium may be higher and plan options can be limited in this scenario. The good news, James, is that once you are closer to your 65th birthday you will be able to pick up a Supplement policy.
If you need help looking over other options available to you, please do give us a call, James. And thank you for contacting your Medicare Advisors here at AMAC!
Sincerely,
Your Medicare Advisor
For help with Medicare plans – or any questions you may have about Medicare – contact AMAC’s Medicare Advisory Service at 1-855-611-4856 or request a quote below!
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