Under California law, the Medigap open enrollment period begins when an individual is both age 65 or older and:

Why A is correct

The Medigap open enrollment period under CIC Section 10192.11 begins once the individual is both age 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B, and it lasts six months. During this period, insurers must sell a Medigap policy without medical underwriting and may not deny coverage or charge more for health conditions. Enrolling in Medigap during this window guarantees access regardless of health status. After the window closes, medical underwriting generally applies. Because the guarantee applies only during this window, agents should advise clients approaching age 65 to prepare for Medigap enrollment promptly. Missing the open enrollment window can mean being denied coverage or paying more due to health status.

Why the other options are wrong

• B) Medigap is sold to supplement Original Medicare, not Medicare Advantage; MA enrollees cannot use Medigap to pay their cost-sharing.
• C) The trigger is enrollment in Part B, not payment of Part A premiums for a year.
• D) Applying for Social Security is not the trigger; the period opens with age 65 plus Part B enrollment.

Memory hook

65 plus Part B = six months of no-questions-asked Medigap. After that, health answers decide.

Why A is correct

California's Medigap open enrollment period mirrors the federal six-month rule: it begins when an individual 65 or older is enrolled in Medicare Part B and lasts for six months. During this window, insurers must issue Medigap policies without medical underwriting or health questions, and the individual cannot be denied coverage or charged a higher premium because of health status. After the period closes, access to Medigap may require underwriting and can be denied. This rule is examined under the Medigap provisions of AH-III.D.1e.

Why the other options are wrong

• B) Medigap open enrollment is a one-time six-month window, not an annual repeating period.
• C) Open enrollment does not waive premiums; the insured still pays the policy premium.
• D) The window applies to those 65 or older enrolling in Part B, not to applicants of any age.

Memory hook

Six months, once in a lifetime, tied to Part B: the Medigap golden window.

Why A is correct

California law (CIC Section 10192.11) and federal Medigap standards guarantee that during the Medigap open enrollment period — a six-month window starting when a person age 65 or older is enrolled in Part B — insurers must issue a Medigap policy to the applicant without medical underwriting and without charging more because of health conditions. Missing this window can mean losing the right to buy a policy or becoming subject to underwriting.

Why the other options are wrong

• B) Denying applicants for health reasons during open enrollment is prohibited; that protection is the point of the period.
• C) During open enrollment, premiums cannot be increased because of health status.
• D) Insurers that sell Medigap in the state must offer policies and are subject to the open enrollment rules.

Memory hook

Medigap open enrollment: 65 plus Part B, and health history cannot be held against you.