Washington has no annual birthday-rule window, but for people already enrolled in a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy it is one of the most flexible states in the country. If you already hold a Medigap plan in Washington, you can switch to another plan in the same plan group at any time of year, with no new health screening. This guide explains Washington's year-round switching right, how it differs from a birthday rule, how the standardized A-through-N plans fit together, which plans are closed to newer enrollees, and who regulates Medigap in the state.
How Medigap works in Washington
A Medigap policy is private insurance that pays the deductibles and coinsurance Original Medicare leaves to you. Medigap (Medicare Supplement Insurance) works only alongside Original Medicare, not with a Medicare Advantage plan, and each policy covers one person. A married couple who both want coverage need two policies.
Washington uses the federal standardized framework. Medigap is sold as lettered plans, A through N, and the benefits inside each letter are fixed by federal rule. A Plan G from one Washington insurer covers exactly what a Plan G from another covers. Insurers compete on price, service, and rate stability, not on what the plan pays. That makes the plan letter your first decision and the insurer your second.
The gaps Medigap closes are real. After the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026), Original Medicare pays 80% of the approved amount for most outpatient care and leaves you the other 20%, with no annual cap. Part A adds a hospital deductible of $1,736 per benefit period in 2026, and that deductible can apply more than once in a year. Medigap caps that exposure.
Washington's year-round switching right
Washington's standout protection is not a once-a-year window but a continuous one. Under Washington rules, a beneficiary may apply to change Medigap plans at any time of year, and a switch is guaranteed without a written health-screening questionnaire as long as it stays within the same plan group, according to the Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner. A person enrolled in any Plan B through N may switch to any other Plan B through N, and a person with Plan A may switch to another Plan A, in both cases without passing a health screen.
The practical value is timing freedom. In a birthday-rule state you have to wait for a short annual window and act inside it. In Washington, an existing policyholder can move at any point in the year, so if your insurer raises its rate or a competitor offers the same coverage for less, you can switch right away. Because the benefits inside a letter are identical across insurers, that switch moves your premium and company without changing what the plan pays.
The plan-group limit is the key constraint. The no-screening right protects switches within the B-through-N group (or within Plan A), not moves that gain benefits. Moving up from Plan A into the richer B-through-N group, or otherwise increasing your coverage, can still trigger underwriting. New buyers who are outside a protected enrollment period may also face medical screening, so the strongest flexibility belongs to people who already hold a plan.
How to switch in Washington
Because there is no window to wait for, the steps focus on staying inside the protected group.
- Confirm you already hold a Medigap plan. The year-round no-screening right is for existing policyholders. New buyers outside a protected period may face screening.
- Stay within your plan group. If you have a Plan B through N, you can switch to any other B through N plan without a health screen. If you have Plan A, you can switch to another Plan A. Moving up from Plan A into B-through-N may be underwritten.
- Compare and apply any time. Benefits inside a letter are identical across insurers, so compare price, service, and rate-increase history, then apply whenever you find a better deal. Tell the insurer you are switching under Washington's rules.
- Keep the old policy until the new one starts. Don't cancel existing coverage until the new policy is confirmed and in force, so you're never uninsured.
Plan G and Plan N: the common choices
For someone newly eligible for Medicare, the practical choice in Washington narrows to two plans.
Plan G is the most complete plan still available to people who became eligible on or after January 1, 2020. It covers every gap in Original Medicare except the annual Part B deductible: the Part A hospital deductible, Part A and Part B coinsurance, skilled nursing facility coinsurance, and Part B excess charges. After you pay that one Part B deductible for the year, a Plan G holder generally has no further cost-sharing on Medicare-covered services.
Plan N covers the same major gaps but shifts a little cost back to you. It pays the Part B coinsurance except for a copay of up to $20 for some office visits and up to $50 for emergency-room visits that don't lead to an inpatient admission, and it does not cover Part B excess charges. In exchange, Plan N premiums are usually lower than Plan G premiums.
Because both Plan G and Plan N sit inside the B-through-N group, a Washington policyholder can move between them at any time of year without a health screen.
| Feature | Plan G | Plan N |
|---|---|---|
| Part A hospital deductible | Covered | Covered |
| Part B coinsurance | Covered in full | Covered, minus up to $20 office / $50 ER copays |
| Part B excess charges | Covered | Not covered |
| Annual Part B deductible ($283 in 2026) | You pay it | You pay it |
| Skilled nursing facility coinsurance | Covered | Covered |
| Relative premium | Higher | Lower than Plan G |
Plans C and F are closed to newer enrollees
Plans C and F once covered the annual Part B deductible on top of the other gaps, which made Plan F the most complete plan on the market. Under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA), any Medigap plan that pays the Part B deductible is closed to people who first became eligible for Medicare on or after January 1, 2020.
The closure works by eligibility date, not purchase date. If you became eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020, you can still buy or keep Plan C or Plan F in Washington. If you became eligible on or after that date, those two plans are off the table, which is why Plan G has become the default top-tier choice for newer enrollees: it's identical to Plan F except that you pay the one Part B deductible yourself.
When you can buy or switch in Washington
Washington gives you more than one protected path. Three matter most.
- The federal Medigap Open Enrollment Period. This is a one-time, six-month window that begins the first month you're both age 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B. During it, insurers must sell you any Medigap policy they offer at their best available rate regardless of your health, with no medical underwriting. This is the single best time to buy, because you can choose any plan, including Plan G.
- Washington's year-round switching right. Beyond the federal window, an existing policyholder can switch within the same plan group at any time with no health screening, as described above.
- Federal guaranteed-issue rights. Certain life events, such as losing other coverage or an insurer leaving the market, trigger a federal guaranteed-issue right to buy specific plans without underwriting.
Outside these paths, a Washington insurer can require medical underwriting and charge more, or decline to sell you a policy, based on your health, which is most likely to affect new buyers and people trying to gain benefits. That is why the choice between Plan G and Plan N is best made during your six-month open enrollment, when you can pick any plan without screening.
What Medigap costs and how it's priced in Washington
Medigap premiums vary widely. The benefits inside a letter are fixed, but the price is not: it depends on the insurer, your age, and in many cases your gender and tobacco use. Nationally, median Plan G premiums run about $150 to $175 a month and Plan N about $125 to $150, though your Washington quote can fall outside those ranges.
Insurers use one of three pricing methods, which shapes how your premium changes as you age:
- Community-rated policies charge everyone the same premium regardless of age.
- Issue-age-rated policies base your premium on your age when you buy, and that starting point doesn't rise simply because you get older.
- Attained-age-rated policies start lower but increase as you age, so a low first-year quote can climb over time.
Ask which method each insurer uses, not just the first-year premium. Washington's year-round switching right pairs well with this: if your attained-age policy climbs, you can move to a cheaper carrier within the same plan group at any time, without a health screen. Note that Medigap does not include prescription drug coverage, so you add a separate Part D plan for that.
Who regulates Medigap in Washington
Washington Medigap policies are regulated by the Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner, which approves the standardized plans sold in the state and handles consumer complaints. If you have a question or a complaint about a specific policy, that is the agency to contact.
Frequently asked questions
No. Washington does not use an annual birthday-rule window. Instead, an existing Medigap policyholder can switch within the same plan group at any time of year without a health screening, per the Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner. For existing holders, this is more flexible than a birthday rule.
Yes, if you stay within the same plan group. A person enrolled in any Plan B through N can switch to another B-through-N plan, and a Plan A holder can switch to another Plan A, with no written health screen. Moving up from Plan A into the B-through-N group can still involve underwriting.
The year-round no-screening right is strongest for people who already hold a Medigap plan. New buyers outside a protected period, such as the federal six-month open enrollment, may still face medical screening when they apply.
Only if you first became eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. Plans C and F, which cover the Part B deductible, are closed to anyone who became eligible on or after that date under MACRA. Plan G is the closest available alternative; it's identical to Plan F except that you pay the annual Part B deductible yourself.
Washington Medigap policies are regulated by the Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner, which approves the standardized plans sold in the state and handles consumer complaints.
Learn More
- Medicare plans and coverage in Washington
- Medigap (Medicare Supplement): how the lettered plans work
- What is Medicare? Parts A, B, C, and D explained
- Original Medicare vs. Medicare Advantage
Find personalized help comparing Medicare Supplement plans in Washington 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.