In short, it depends. I always recommend getting your Medicare supplement plan set up when you’re new to Medicare – you get a 6-month open enrollment period (initial open enrollment period) from your Part B effective date to apply for any Medicare supplement plan with NO MEDICAL UNDERWRITING.
You can apply for a Medicare supplement plan up to 3 months before your desired effective date of the coverage.
If you do not purchase a Medicare supplement plan during your initial open enrollment period, you will have to go through medical underwriting – the only way around this is if you have a special enrollment period (a guaranteed-issue right).
Click here to review situations when you may have a special enrollment period available to you
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