A Michigan Medicare supplement policy can't be denied or priced on your health during one six-month window that opens once you're both 65 and enrolled in Part B. Michigan's six-month Medigap open enrollment window comes from MCL 500.3829 of the state's Insurance Code. After Michigan's open enrollment window closes, a Michigan Medicare supplement insurer can use medical underwriting unless you hold a guaranteed-issue right under MCL 500.3830, which usually follows the loss of other coverage and carries a short deadline.,

In This Guide

Your One-Time Michigan Medigap Open Enrollment Window

Michigan's Medigap Open Enrollment Period comes from MCL 500.3829(1), part of Michigan's Insurance Code of 1956. MCL 500.3829(1) protects a Medigap application submitted during the 6-month period that begins with the first month in which a person 65 or older is enrolled in Medicare Part B.

If your application is submitted inside that 6-month period, MCL 500.3829(1) says a Michigan Medigap insurer may not:

  • deny or condition the issuance or effectiveness of a Medicare supplement policy available for sale in Michigan;
  • set a different price because of your health status, claims experience, receipt of health care or medical condition.

MCL 500.3829(1) also requires each Medicare supplement policy an insurer currently has available in Michigan to be made available to all applicants who qualify, without regard to age.

Miss the window and that protection is gone. According to DIFS, Michigan's insurance regulator, a Michigander who applies after the open enrollment period is subject to the insurer's medical underwriting criteria and may be denied or rated based on health conditions.

Because the Michigan window is keyed to Part B rather than a birthday, a Michigander who enrolls in Part B after turning 65 starts the window in the month Part B begins.

Brevy's national guide to the Medigap open enrollment period explains the federal version of the same six-month window.

Will a Pre-Existing Condition Be Covered Right Away in Michigan?

Getting a Michigan Medigap policy issued and getting a pre-existing condition covered from the first day are separate questions under MCL 500.3829. Michigan's statute answers the pre-existing condition question with a creditable-coverage test.

  • Six months or more of creditable coverage: under MCL 500.3829(2), a Michigan open enrollment applicant with at least 6 months of continuous creditable coverage as of the application date may not have Medigap benefits excluded because of a pre-existing condition.
  • Less than six months of creditable coverage: MCL 500.3829(2) requires any pre-existing condition exclusion period for a Michigan open enrollment applicant to be reduced by the total creditable coverage the applicant had.
  • The outer limit: except as MCL 500.3829(2) and MCL 500.3833 provide, MCL 500.3829(3) lets a Michigan Medigap policy exclude benefits, during its first 6 months, for a pre-existing condition treated or diagnosed during the 6 months before coverage took effect.

Ask the insurer, or a Michigan SHIP counselor, how your prior coverage counts before you buy. Brevy's guide to Medigap and pre-existing conditions covers the federal framework.

Can You Buy a Michigan Medicare Supplement Plan Under 65?

Medicare's March 2026 guide Choosing a Medigap Policy lists Michigan among the states that, at the time of printing, require insurance companies to offer at least one kind of Medigap policy to people with Medicare under 65.

Michigan's insurance regulator spells out the under-65 rules on its Medicare Supplement page:

  • Plan letters: DIFS says the Medigap choices of a Michigander on Medicare who is under 65 are generally limited to Medicare Supplement Plan A or Plan C. For an under-65 Michigander newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020, DIFS says Plan C is reassigned as Plan D.
  • Which insurers: according to DIFS, a limited number of health insurers must offer Plans A and C to Michiganders under 65.
  • Price: DIFS notes that a company required to offer Plans A and C to a person under 65 is allowed to charge that person more for the coverage.

Turning 65 changes the picture for an under-65 Michigander. Medicare's March 2026 guide says a person who already has Medicare Part B will still get a Medigap Open Enrollment Period on turning 65, and in Michigan that window is the six-month period MCL 500.3829 protects.,

A guaranteed-issue right can matter before 65, too. The guaranteed-issue triggers MCL 500.3830(2)(a), (b), (d) and (e) describe are written around a coverage event, such as an employer plan that supplements Medicare ending or a Medicare Advantage plan leaving your area, while the (2)(f) trial right applies to a person who first became eligible for Medicare Part A at 65. Call DIFS at 877-999-6442 to confirm which Michigan guaranteed-issue right fits your situation before the deadline runs.

Michigan Guaranteed-Issue Rights: When an Insurer Must Sell You a Policy

A Michigan Medigap guaranteed-issue right comes from MCL 500.3830, which defines the "eligible persons" who hold one. For an eligible person, MCL 500.3830 says a Michigan insurer may not deny or condition issuance of a covered policy it offers and has available to new enrollees, may not discriminate in pricing because of health status, claims experience, receipt of health care or medical condition, and may not impose a pre-existing condition exclusion.

Eligible persons under MCL 500.3830(2) include, among others:

  • (2)(a) Employer plan ends. Your employee welfare benefit plan that supplements Medicare terminates, or stops providing all of those supplemental benefits.
  • (2)(b) Medicare Advantage plan ends. Your Medicare Advantage organization's or plan's certification is terminated, or the organization stops offering the plan in the area where you live.
  • (2)(d) Medigap coverage ends involuntarily. Your Medigap enrollment ends because the insurer becomes insolvent, or through another involuntary termination.
  • (2)(e) First-time Medicare Advantage trial. You dropped a Medigap policy, enrolled for the first time with a Medicare Advantage plan or another plan type the statute lists, and end that enrollment within its first 12 months during a period federal law permits.
  • (2)(f) Trial right at 65. On first becoming eligible for Medicare Part A at 65, you joined a Medicare Advantage plan or the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), and you disenroll within 12 months.

Michigan's guaranteed-issue deadlines are short, and MCL 500.3830(3) sets them case by case:

  • Employer plan ends: under MCL 500.3830(3)(a), the Michigan guaranteed-issue period ends 63 days after the later of the notice or the date coverage ends.
  • Voluntary disenrollment: under MCL 500.3830(3)(d), a person described in (2)(b), (2)(d)(ii), (2)(d)(iii), (2)(e) or (2)(f) who disenrolls voluntarily has a Michigan guaranteed-issue period that runs from 60 days before to 63 days after the disenrollment's effective date.

The DIFS summary gives a single deadline: a Michigander who qualifies for guarantee issue rights has 63 days to apply for new coverage. Brevy's national guide to Medigap guaranteed issue rights covers the federal triggers in more depth.

Which Plans You Can Get With a Guaranteed-Issue Right

Michigan's statute sets its own list of plans for a guaranteed-issue applicant. Under MCL 500.3830(5), an eligible person in the (2)(a) through (d) cases is entitled to a Medigap policy with a benefit package classified as Plan A, B, C, F (including high-deductible F), K or L, offered by any insurer.

For a Michigander newly eligible for Medicare after December 31, 2019, MCL 500.3811b(4) says the references to Plans C, F and high-deductible F in MCL 500.3830(5) to (8) are read as Plans D, G and high-deductible G. DIFS's summary describes the same substitution, listing Plans A, B, C, F, high-deductible F, K and L, with Plan C reassigned as Plan D, Plan F as Plan G, and high-deductible F as high-deductible G.

The Michigan trial right at 65 is broader. Under MCL 500.3830(7), a person with the (2)(f) trial right is entitled to any Medicare supplement policy offered by any insurer.

Confirm the Michigan Medigap plan letters open to you with DIFS or Michigan SHIP before you apply with a guaranteed-issue right.

Why Plans C and F Closed to New Michigan Enrollees After 2019

MCL 500.3811b bars Michigan insurers from offering Medigap Plans C, F and high-deductible F to people newly eligible for Medicare after December 31, 2019. For Michiganders newly eligible for Medicare after December 31, 2019, MCL 500.3811b redesignates Plan C as Plan D, Plan F as Plan G, and high-deductible F as high-deductible G, and none of those plans may cover any portion of the Medicare Part B deductible.

MCL 500.3811b counts a person as newly eligible after December 31, 2019 if the person turned 65 after that date, or became entitled to Medicare Part A after that date under the federal provisions the statute cites. MCL 500.3811b also allows high-deductible Plan G to be offered in Michigan to people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020.

DIFS ties the Plan C and F closure to federal law. The DIFS Medicare Supplement page says the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) prohibits the sale of Medicare Supplement policies that cover Part B deductibles to people newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020.

Brevy's Plan G vs Plan N comparison weighs the two most-compared plan letters.

Protections After You Buy a Michigan Medicare Supplement

DIFS lists several protections that apply once a Michigan Medicare supplement policy is in force.

  • Guaranteed renewable: DIFS says a Michigan Medicare Supplement policy is guaranteed renewable and can be terminated only for nonpayment of premium or material misrepresentation. Medicare's March 2026 guide adds that any new Medigap policy issued since 1992 is guaranteed renewable even with health problems.
  • 30-day return: DIFS says a Michigander not satisfied with a Medicare Supplement policy may return it to the insurer within 30 days after receiving it for a full premium refund.
  • Medicare SELECT: DIFS defines a Michigan Medicare SELECT policy as a Medicare Supplement policy (Plan A through N) that conditions the payment of benefits, in whole or in part, on the use of network providers.
  • Suspension for Medicaid: in its guidance on becoming eligible for Medicaid while holding a Medicare Supplement policy, DIFS says benefits and premiums can be suspended at the insured's request for up to 24 months.

Brevy's guide to suspending a Medigap policy when you qualify for Medicaid explains how the federal suspension works.

Which Michigan Medigap Rule Fits Your Situation

The table below summarizes how Michigan's Insurance Code, DIFS and Medicare's March 2026 guide treat each Michigan Medigap situation.,,,,

Situation What applies in Michigan Source
Open enrollment Six months from the first month you are 65 or older and on Part B; no denial or health-based pricing; every available policy offered MCL 500.3829(1); DIFS
Pre-existing conditions in open enrollment No exclusion with at least 6 months of creditable coverage; less coverage shortens any exclusion; otherwise up to a 6-month exclusion MCL 500.3829(2), (3)
Under 65 on Medicare Generally Plan A or Plan C (C reassigned as D if newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020); a limited number of insurers must offer them and may charge more DIFS; Medicare guide 02110
Guaranteed-issue right No denial, no health-based pricing, no pre-existing condition exclusion MCL 500.3830
Guaranteed-issue deadline Employer plan ends: 63 days after the later of notice or coverage end; voluntary disenrollment: 60 days before to 63 days after MCL 500.3830(3)(a), (3)(d)
Plans with a guaranteed-issue right (2)(a) to (d): A, B, C, F, high-deductible F, K, L (D, G, high-deductible G if newly eligible after 2019); trial right at 65: any policy MCL 500.3830(5), (7); MCL 500.3811b(4)
Newly eligible after December 31, 2019 No Plans C, F or high-deductible F; D, G and high-deductible G instead, with no Part B deductible coverage MCL 500.3811b
After you buy Guaranteed renewable; 30-day return for a full refund; suspension up to 24 months if you become eligible for Medicaid DIFS
Free help Michigan SHIP at 1-800-803-7174; DIFS at 877-999-6442 for guaranteed-issue questions MDHHS; DIFS

Where to Get Free Medigap Help in Michigan

Michigan's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) is the free place to start. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) SHIP page describes Michigan SHIP as a free, unbiased resource for Medicare questions, reachable at 1-800-803-7174, whose local certified counselors give personal assistance at no charge. MDHHS says Michigan SHIP doesn't sell Medicare plans, and it lists reviewing Medigap insurance needs and comparing policies among the help Michigan SHIP counselors give.

For a question about a guaranteed-issue right specifically, DIFS lists its own number, 877-999-6442.

For the rest of Michigan's Medicare choices, including Medicare Advantage and Part D, see Brevy's guide to Medicare plans and coverage in Michigan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you get a Medicare supplement plan under 65 in Michigan?

Yes, though the plan letter depends on when your Medicare began. DIFS says an under-65 Michigander is generally limited to Plan A or Plan C, and for anyone newly eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020, Plan C is reassigned as Plan D. So an under-65 Michigander who became eligible for Medicare in 2021 would look at Plan A and Plan D, while one who became eligible before 2020 would look at Plan A and Plan C.

Can a Michigan insurer cancel my Medigap policy if my health gets worse?

No. DIFS says a Michigan Medicare Supplement policy is guaranteed renewable and can be terminated only for nonpayment of premium or material misrepresentation, and Medicare's March 2026 guide says the insurance company can't cancel a policy issued since 1992 as long as you stay enrolled and pay the premium. A new diagnosis after you buy is not one of those grounds.

Can I go back to a Medigap policy in Michigan after trying Medicare Advantage?

Yes, if your situation matches MCL 500.3830(2)(e) or (2)(f) and you apply within the statute's window. MCL 500.3830(2)(e) covers a Michigander who dropped a Medigap policy for a first Medicare Advantage enrollment and ends that enrollment within its first 12 months during a period federal law permits, and MCL 500.3830(2)(f) covers a Michigander who joined Medicare Advantage or PACE on first becoming eligible for Part A at 65 and leaves within 12 months. For either Michigan trial right, a voluntary disenrollment opens a guaranteed-issue period from 60 days before to 63 days after the disenrollment takes effect.

Can I still buy Medigap Plan F or Plan C in Michigan?

Only if you were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020, because MCL 500.3811b keeps Michigan insurers from offering Plans C, F and high-deductible F to anyone newly eligible after December 31, 2019. MCL 500.3811b also lets Michigan insurers offer high-deductible Plan G to people eligible before 2020, so an earlier enrollee may have that option as well.

Learn More

MedicareMedicare Plans and Coverage in MichiganMichigan Medicare in 2026: what Parts A and B cost, Medicare Advantage and Medigap rules (Michigan has no birthday rule), plus free help from Michigan SHIP. MedicareMedigap (Medicare Supplement): How the Lettered Plans WorkMedigap (Medicare Supplement) explained: how the standardized A-N plans work, Plan G vs Plan N, closed C and F plans, and the 6-month guaranteed-issue window. MedicareMedigap Guaranteed Issue Rights: When an Insurer Must Sell You a PolicyMedigap guaranteed issue rights are federal situations where an insurer must sell you a policy, no health questions. See the triggers and the 63-day deadline. MedicareMedigap in Ohio: When You Can Buy a Medicare Supplement Without Health QuestionsOhio Medigap guide: the one-time six-month open enrollment window, guaranteed-issue rights, what Ohio's rule says for people under 65, and where to get help. MedicareIndiana's Medigap Birthday Rule: Switch Carriers Without UnderwritingIndiana's Medigap birthday rule lets enrollees age 65+ switch to the same plan letter at a new carrier each year, with no medical underwriting. MedicareWisconsin Medicare Supplement (Medigap): Base Plan and RidersWisconsin Medigap works differently: one base plan plus riders, not the federal A-N letters. See the core benefits, riders, cost-sharing plans, and who to call.

Find personalized help comparing Medicare supplement options in Michigan at brevy.com.

The information on Brevy.com is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional legal, financial, or medical advice. Rules vary by state and program and change frequently. Always verify with the relevant agency or a qualified professional. Brevy is not a law firm, financial advisor, or healthcare provider.

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