What It Is
California is one of a handful of states with a "birthday rule" for Medigap. For 60 days starting on your birthday, you can switch to an equal-or-lesser Medigap plan with any carrier - no underwriting, no health questions.
Why It Matters
Medigap pricing varies widely between carriers, and rates rise as you age. The birthday rule lets you shop annually without risking a decline due to new health issues. That alone can save hundreds per year.
How to Use It
Two months before your birthday, ask us to re-quote your current Medigap across every California carrier. We compare apples to apples (Plan G to Plan G, for example), and if a lower-rate carrier exists, we switch you during the 60-day window.
Catches
- You can only switch to a plan with the same letter or lower benefits. You can't use the birthday rule to upgrade from Plan N to Plan G.
- The new plan starts after the old plan ends - there's no gap, but there's also no overlap.
- Some carriers require the new application to be in-house before the 60-day window closes.
What We Do for Clients
Every year, in the month before each client's birthday, our system flags them for a re-quote. We send a one-page comparison and let them decide.