Medicare Insurance Your rights when buying Medicare insurance Written by: Beth Orenstein | Reviewed by: Nupur Gambhir Nupur Gambhir Nupur Gambhir is a content editor and licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert. She has extensive experience bringing brands to life and has built award-nominated campaigns for travel and tech. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service. | Updated on August 12, 2022 Why you should trust Insure.com Quality Verified At Insure.com, we are committed to providing honest and reliable information so that you can make the best financial decisions for you and your family. All of our content is written and reviewed by industry professionals and insurance experts. We maintain strict editorial independence from insurance companies to maintain editorial integrity, so our recommendations are unbiased and are based on a comprehensive list of criteria. You might feel confused by all the different health insurance options and choices you have to make when you turn 65. No matter whether you choose Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage Plan, you are guaranteed certain rights: You are guaranteed to be treated with dignity and respect Some unscrupulous agents may think just because you’re older, you’re easy prey, but you should never let anyone intimidate you when you’re researching and signing up for your Medicare benefits and Medicare supplement insurance (also known as Medigap). If someone treats you wrongly, report him or her to your state insurance department. Your questions about your Medicare coverage must be answered You may be able to find the answers to common questions at the Medicare website. You also can call the Medicare help line at 1-800-633-4227, 24 hours a day, including weekends (TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048). Your state insurance department also may be able to answer your general questions about health insurance plans. Your questions must be answered in a way that you understand, whether the answers come from Medicare, the people at your health insurance plans or, under certain circumstances, contractors. You must be accepted in a Medicare supplemental plan if you apply when you enroll in Medicare You can’t be turned down for health reasons, says Lucas Burton of Golden Age Providers in Largo, Fla. If you want to switch Medigap insurance plans, you might be refused, but not when you first enroll, he says. Your Medigap insurance policies must be renewed as long as you pay your premiums You can’t be dropped for making claims. Don’t let anyone tell you that if you make too many claims on your Medigap health plan, you may lose it. You can make changes to your health and prescription drug coverage In most cases, you can make these changes during the Annual Enrollment period, which is October 15 to December 7. Any changes made during that time take effect on January 1 of the following year. There’s also a more limited open enrollment from January 1 to March 31 when you can only switch Medicare Advantage plans or change from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare. There are special circumstances that allow you to change your Medicare health or prescription drug coverage at other times of the year, Burton says. The circumstances may depend on the state in which you live, but may include the death of a spouse or moving. You can appeal decisions about coverage for services or prescriptions drugs You can file an appeal if your plan denies coverage or stops paying for items or services you believe you need. If you have Original Medicare, you must fill out a Medicare Summary Notice within 120 days of obtaining it. You should receive a decision within 60 days. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you must file the instructions from your plan. If you need help with your appeal, you can contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program. Medicare can be confusing, but understanding your rights will help you protect yourself and get the right plan. Related Articles What is Medicare Supplement Plan F? By Elizabeth Rivelli Medicare Supplement Plan G: What you need to know about the Medigap policy By Elizabeth Rivelli What you need to know about Medicare insurance By Chris Kissell Who is eligible for Medicare? By Chris Kissell Understanding the Medicare donut hole By Satta Sarmah-Hightower How do Medicare Advantage plans work? By Les Masterson Table of contents You are guaranteed to be treated with dignity and respect You must be accepted in a Medicare supplemental plan if you apply when you enroll in Medicare Your Medigap insurance policies must be renewed as long as you pay your premiums You can make changes to your health and prescription drug coverage You can appeal decisions about coverage for services or prescriptions drugs Get instant quotes now ! Please enter valid zip Get Quotes