Illinois has a new unique Medigap provision that many Medicare beneficiaries are unaware of.
If you are 65 through 75 years old and already have a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy, Illinois provides an annual 45-day window beginning on your birthday during which you may be able to switch to another Medicare Supplement policy with the same insurance company, without medical underwriting, provided the new policy offers benefits equal to or less than your current policy.
This can create an opportunity for certain retirees to move to a lower-cost Medigap plan without having their health history affect their eligibility or pricing.
For someone who has been paying unnecessarily high premiums for years, taking advantage of this provision could potentially save thousands of dollars over the course of retirement.
We have included an excerpt from the Illinois Department on Aging here for your convenience:
If an individual is at least 65 years of age, but no more than 75 years of age, and has an existing Medicare supplement policy the individual is entitled to a New Medicare Supplement Annual Open enrollment period. This New Medicare Supplement Annual Open Enrollment period begins on the individuals birthdate each year and lasts for 45 days. The individual may purchase any Medicare Supplement policy with the same company/issuer or with any affiliate authorized to transact business in Illinois (instead of only the issuer) that offers benefits equal to or lesser than those provided by the previous coverage. During this open enrollment period, if an individual currently has a Medicare supplement policy then the policy cannot deny or place conditions on the individual holding the policy or effectiveness of Medicare supplemental coverage, nor discriminate in the pricing of coverage, because of health status, claims experience, receipt of health care, or a medical condition of the individual. Example: Sam purchased a Medicare Supplement plan G when they turned 65, Sam is now turning 70 and feels that their supplement plan is getting too expensive. Because of the “Birthday Law” Sam can now purchase a lesser plan within their supplement company without underwriting. Sam has 45 days from their birthdate each year to purchase any Medicare Supplement policy with the same company/issuer or with any affiliate authorized to transact business in Illinois that offers benefits equal to or lesser than those provided by the previous coverage. Sam discussed the options with a SHIP counselor and went with a Plan N. Public Act 103-0747 revised with new updates starting 1/1/2026.
Bibliography
Medicare choices guide for 2026 - illinois department on aging. (n.d.). https://ilaging.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/aging/ship/documents/medicare-choices.pdf