A birthday can be a useful reminder to review your insurance. If your Medigap coverage still fits your needs, you may decide to keep it. If you are considering a change, Maryland offers a specific opportunity worth understanding before you apply.
The key takeaway: Check whether your proposed switch qualifies, compare the benefits and costs, and apply within your birthday window before making any cancellation decisions.
Who is the birthday rule for?
This protection is for people who already have a Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy issued in Maryland. It is not a general right to buy Medigap for the first time or to move from Medicare Advantage into Medigap. Those situations require a separate eligibility and enrollment review.
Maryland’s birthday-rule protection began July 1, 2023. It allows qualifying changes to a Medigap policy with equal or lesser benefits without medical underwriting. In those qualifying changes, health history cannot be used to deny coverage or discriminate in pricing. See Maryland Insurance law, §15-909(b)(6).
When do you apply?
The annual window includes your birthday and the following 30 days. Some insurers allow more time. Your application must be submitted during the applicable window; it does not have to finish processing before that window closes. These details come from the Maryland Insurance Administration’s birthday-rule guidance.
Start comparing options before your birthday, confirm the exact application deadline, and keep proof of submission. Do not assume the window lasts through the end of your birthday month.
A standard Plan G-to-Plan G example
Suppose your current Maryland-issued policy is standard Plan G. Maryland’s comparison chart permits a qualifying switch to standard Plan G with another insurer. You do not have to remain with your current company. This example does not refer to high-deductible Plan G; check the MIA chart for your exact plan.
Standard Plan G has the same standardized benefits across insurers, but premiums can differ. Ask for a current quote and confirm any discount requirements. A switch may or may not save you money. Medicare’s guide to comparing Medigap costs
Plan G is one example, not a recommendation for everyone. If you consider a different plan, compare what you would pay when receiving care. Lower benefits can mean more costs for you, and a lower premium does not necessarily mean better value. Compare Medigap plan benefits
Make the transition carefully
Before changing coverage:
- Identify your current policy. Have the insurer, plan letter, any high-deductible designation, current premium, and birthday notice ready.
- Confirm the proposed switch qualifies. Ask the insurer or agent to check the benefit comparison and your application window, then submit the application within that window.
- Coordinate dates and payments. Confirm acceptance, the new policy’s effective date, and how the old coverage will end. Ask about any temporary overlap, premiums due, and applicable policy-review period.
- Keep your existing coverage until the replacement is confirmed. Do not cancel simply because you requested a quote or sent an application. Medicare warns that a dropped Medigap policy may not be available to you again. Medicare’s guidance on changing Medigap policies
Let’s review your options
Official source: Maryland Insurance Administration — birthday-rule details and plan-comparison chart. Use the chart to check which replacement plans have equal or lesser benefits than your current plan.
At Health & Harmony, we can help you compare the plans we represent and understand the next steps. Bring your current policy information and questions. The goal is to help you decide whether a change makes sense for you.
Schedule a conversation with Health & Harmony.
Sources checked October 19, 2026. Eligibility and timing depend on your policy and circumstances.