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Can I switch Medigap plans any time?

You can apply to switch on any day of the year. Whether a company accepts you depends on your health. Here is how to switch without a gap.

Updated September 3, 2026 · 3 min read · by Gerino Alejos

Yes. There is no enrollment season for a Medigap policy, also called a Medicare Supplement, so you can change plans or companies on any day of the year. Applying and being accepted are two different things, and in Texas your health usually decides.

The underwriting question

Two windows force a company to take you. One is your six month open enrollment window. The other is guaranteed issue, a window set by law when no company can turn you down or charge you more.

Outside those, Texas lets a Medigap company use underwriting, which means it can ask health questions, charge you more, or say no.

Your health decides how easy a switch is. A recent health problem can get you turned down, often when you most want a lower premium, the monthly bill for the coverage.

The rule that matters most when switching

Good reasons to switch

• Your premium has climbed well above what others charge for the same plan letter.
• You want to move from Plan F to Plan G, or from G to N, to pay less.
• You want a high deductible version. A deductible is what you pay yourself before the policy starts paying, so a higher one lowers your bill.
• Your company's service has been poor.
• You found a household discount somewhere else.

Medigap letters are standardized, so Plan G pays the same way no matter whose name is on it. Changing companies for the same letter changes your price and who answers the phone, nothing else.

The 30 day free look

When you buy a new Medigap policy you generally get a 30 day free look period. You can hold both briefly and cancel the new one for a refund if you change your mind.

You pay both premiums during that overlap. That is what it costs to avoid a gap, and it is usually worth it.

How to switch properly

1. Get quotes for the same plan letter from several companies. Ask how each sets its price and how often it raises rates.
2. Apply to the one you want. Answer the health questions accurately, because a wrong answer can void the policy later.
3. Wait for written approval and a start date.
4. Set the old policy to end the day before the new one begins.
5. Confirm both in writing.

See how to compare rates properly.

If you are declined

• Try other companies. Health standards differ a lot from one to the next.
• Ask about a different plan letter, or a high deductible version. Some companies review those more loosely.
• Stay where you are. The policy you hold is guaranteed renewable, which means it cannot be cancelled over your health or your claims.
• If your premium has become too expensive, look at Medicare Advantage, which cannot turn you down for health. Moving back to a supplement later faces the same review.

See how Medigap health questions work.

If you are switching, get quotes for your plan letter first, and leave the old policy alone until the new one is approved in writing. Call our McAllen office at (956) 687 3334, or use the ZIP form on this page.

Gerino Alejos

Licensed insurance agent · License 3128710 · NPN 18243381

Owner of McAllen Insurance Group, an independent agency on North 10th Street in McAllen. Works with clients across Hidalgo, Cameron and Starr counties on Medicare, Marketplace health, life and auto coverage. Se habla español.