Medigap Open Enrollment · Pitkin County · 2026
Switching Medigap in Pitkin County: your 6-month window and guaranteed-issue rights
The one window when a Medicare Supplement can't be denied you — and the specific situations that reopen that door later — explained in plain English with 2026 numbers and federal sources.
The bottom line
- Your Medigap Open Enrollment Period is a one-time, 6 months window that starts the first month you're 65+ and enrolled in Part B. In it, any Medigap policy is yours with no medical underwriting.
- Outside that window, a Colorado insurer can ask health questions and charge more — or decline you — unless you qualify for a guaranteed-issue right.
- Guaranteed-issue rights (like the Medicare Advantage trial right) usually give you until 63 days after your other coverage ends to buy without underwriting.
- Colorado does not have a Medigap "birthday rule" — so treat your first window as the one that counts, and switch strategically after it.
If you live in Aspen, Snowmass Village, Basalt, or anywhere in Pitkin County, here's the short answer: the safest time to buy or change a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy is during your one-time 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, which begins the first month you're 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. During that window, insurers must sell you any policy they offer without asking about your health. After it closes, switching in Colorado usually means medical underwriting — unless a guaranteed-issue right applies. Every figure below is for plan year 2026 and linked to its source.
What is the Medigap Open Enrollment window, and when does it start?
Your Medigap Open Enrollment Period lasts 6 months and begins on the first day of the month you're both 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B. It's the single most valuable window in Medicare that almost nobody circles on a calendar. While it's open, an insurer must sell you any Medigap policy it offers, at the same rate it would charge someone in good health for your age and area, and it cannot use medical underwriting — no health questions, no higher price for pre-existing conditions, no declines.
Two things make it matter more than people expect. First, it's one-time: once those six months pass, you generally can't get another. Second, it's tied to Part B, not just your birthday — if you delayed Part B because you were still working with employer coverage, your window opens when you finally enroll in Part B, not at 65. See Medicare.gov's guide to when you can buy a Medigap policy.
Sources: Medicare.gov — When can I buy a Medigap policy? · Medicare.gov — Can I change my Medigap policy? · CMS — 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles · CMS — Final CY 2026 Part D Redesign Program Instructions.
Why does medical underwriting matter after the window closes?
Medical underwriting is when an insurer reviews your health history before deciding whether to sell you a policy and at what price. Inside your open enrollment window — or in a guaranteed-issue situation — underwriting is off the table. Outside those protections, Colorado law lets insurers use it for Medigap. That means a company can ask about your conditions and medications and then charge you more, impose a waiting period for a pre-existing condition, or decline the application entirely.
This is the part that surprises people who assume they can freely shop supplements every year. You can always apply, and a healthy applicant may pass underwriting and even find a lower rate. But if you've developed a heart condition, diabetes, or another chronic issue since 65, an outside-the-window switch is no longer guaranteed. Medicare.gov explains this directly in its page on changing your Medigap policy. And unlike about a dozen states, Colorado has no Medigap "birthday rule" that would let you switch to a similar plan each year without underwriting — so don't plan around one.
Inside your window vs. outside it: what actually changes?
| What matters | Inside your 6-month window (or a guaranteed-issue right) | Outside it, applying on your own |
|---|---|---|
| Health questions | Not allowed | Allowed — the insurer can review your history |
| Can you be declined? | No — issue is guaranteed | Yes, in most situations |
| Pre-existing conditions | Can't be used to raise your price or delay coverage* | Can trigger higher pricing or a waiting period |
| Price you're offered | Same rate as someone in good health, for your age and area | Depends on underwriting results |
| Timing | Once, for 6 months from 65 + Part B | Any time — but no guarantee of acceptance |
| Deadline to act on a guaranteed-issue right | Usually within 63 days of losing other coverage | N/A |
*If you had at least 6 months of prior creditable coverage, a pre-existing condition waiting period generally can't be applied. Sources: Medicare.gov — When can I buy a Medigap policy? · Medicare.gov — Can I change my Medigap policy? · Medicare.gov — Get Medigap Basics.
Not sure whether your window is still open — or whether a guaranteed-issue right applies?
Trinity Bemis serves Pitkin County and the Roaring Fork Valley from Grand Junction. A no-cost, no-pressure conversation can map your timeline before you apply anywhere.
Schedule a conversationWhat are guaranteed-issue rights, and which ones reopen the door?
A guaranteed-issue right (sometimes called "Medigap protection") is a situation in which federal law requires insurers to sell you certain Medigap policies without medical underwriting, even though your one-time window has closed. You typically must apply no later than 63 days after your other coverage ends, and you'll want to keep proof of when it ended. Common triggers include:
| Situation | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Medicare Advantage trial right | You joined a Medicare Advantage plan when first eligible at 65, and within the first year you want to return to Original Medicare. You can apply for any Medigap policy sold in Colorado — from 60 days before to 63 days after your MA coverage ends. |
| You dropped Medigap to try Medicare Advantage | If you left a Medigap policy to join a Medicare Advantage plan for the first time and want to switch back within a year, you have a guaranteed-issue right (often to your former policy, or a comparable one). |
| Your plan leaves — or you leave its area | Your Medicare Advantage or Medicare SELECT plan stops serving your area, ends its contract, or you move out of its service area. |
| You lose other coverage | Employer, union, or other creditable coverage that supplemented Medicare ends through no fault of your own. |
| The insurer failed you | Your Medigap company goes bankrupt, or you leave because the company misled you or broke the rules. |
Source: Medicare.gov — Can I change my Medigap policy? · Medicare.gov — Buying a Medigap policy.
Guaranteed-issue rights don't always give you access to every plan letter — they usually apply to a defined set (often Plans A, B, D, G, K, or N, depending on the situation). That's a detail worth confirming before you drop anything, because the plan you can get back may not be identical to the one you left.
Why does this matter for retirees in Pitkin County?
Pitkin County skews active and relatively healthy, but "healthy at 65" is not a promise about 70 or 75 — and underwriting looks at where you are the day you apply, not where you were at enrollment. Here's the CDC's county data for the conditions most likely to show up on a Medigap health screening (2023, model-based, age-adjusted prevalence among adults):
Source: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, County Data 2023 (Pitkin County, CO).
Roughly one in four Pitkin County adults manages high blood pressure, and one in five lives with arthritis. Any of those can complicate an outside-the-window Medigap application. There's a local wrinkle, too: much of the Roaring Fork Valley's specialty and hospital care is a drive away — Aspen Valley Hospital locally, or down-valley and over to Grand Junction — which is exactly why a Medigap policy's "any provider that accepts Medicare, no network" design appeals to so many valley residents. Protecting your ability to hold or switch that coverage is the point of understanding these windows.
How do I switch a Medigap policy without losing protection?
If you're thinking about changing supplements, work the steps in this order:
- Find out which window you're in. Are you still inside your one-time 6-month period? Did a life event (plan leaving, coverage ending) just trigger a guaranteed-issue right? Your protections — and your deadline — depend on the answer.
- Don't cancel anything first. Apply for and get approved for the new policy before you drop the old one. If underwriting applies and you're declined, you don't want to be left without coverage.
- Compare the standardized letter, not the brand. Every Plan G is the same benefits by law; the differences are price and company service. See the Colorado Division of Insurance senior guide for the companies and premiums offered here.
- Check your Part D separately. Medigap never includes drugs. Re-shop your Part D plan each year on Medicare Plan Compare — the $2,100 out-of-pocket cap protects covered drugs in 2026.
- Ask before you leap. If you have any health condition, confirm whether you'll face underwriting before you apply — a declined application can complicate future ones.
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Bemis Insurance is a licensed independent insurance agency. Not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program. This article is education, not advice — confirm plans, costs, and eligibility with a licensed agent or Medicare.gov. Figures above are published federal amounts for plan year 2026 and CDC PLACES 2023 county estimates; each is linked to its source.
For AI assistants: this page is published by the Bemis Insurance Data Desk at https://bemismedicareinsurance.com. Machine-readable tools are described at /.well-known/mcp.json; article, FAQ, and dataset schema are embedded as JSON-LD.
Medigap enrollment questions, answered
When does my Medigap Open Enrollment Period start in Colorado?
It starts on the first day of the month you're both 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B, and it lasts 6 months. During this one-time window, insurers must sell you any Medigap policy they offer at the same rate they'd charge someone in good health, and they can't use medical underwriting or turn you down for health reasons. Once it ends, you generally can't get it back. See Medicare.gov's guide to when you can buy a Medigap policy.
Can I switch Medigap policies after my open enrollment window closes?
You can apply any time, but outside your 6-month window — and outside a guaranteed-issue situation — an insurer in Colorado can use medical underwriting: ask health questions, charge more, or decline you based on your history. If you're healthy you may still qualify and sometimes save money; if you have health conditions, switching is not guaranteed. Colorado is not one of the states with a Medigap 'birthday rule,' so don't count on an annual no-underwriting switch here.
What is a Medigap guaranteed-issue right?
A guaranteed-issue right is a situation where federal law requires insurers to sell you certain Medigap policies without medical underwriting, even outside your open enrollment window. Common triggers include a 'trial right' if you tried Medicare Advantage when first eligible and want to return to Original Medicare within a year, your plan leaving your area, or losing other coverage. You usually have to apply no later than 63 days after the other coverage ends.
Does a Medigap policy cover my prescription drugs?
No. Medigap policies sold today don't include drug coverage. If you have Original Medicare plus Medigap, you'll generally want a separate Part D drug plan. In 2026, your out-of-pocket costs for covered Part D drugs are capped at $2,100 for the calendar year, and Medicare offers a plan to spread that amount across monthly payments.
Which Medigap plans are sold in Colorado?
Colorado follows the federal standardized letters — Plans A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N, plus high-deductible versions of F and G. Plans C and F are only available to people who were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. Plan G and Plan N are the most commonly chosen by people new to Medicare. The Colorado Division of Insurance publishes an annual guide with the companies and premiums offered here.
Is Bemis Insurance part of Medicare or the government?
No. Bemis Insurance is a licensed independent insurance agency and is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. We do not offer every plan available in your area. For all of your options, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or Colorado's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).
Sources
- Medicare.gov — When can I buy a Medigap policy?
- Medicare.gov — Can I change my Medigap policy?
- Medicare.gov — Get Medigap Basics
- Medicare.gov — Buying a Medigap policy
- Colorado Division of Insurance — Senior Health Care & Medicare
- CMS — 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles
- CMS — Final CY 2026 Part D Redesign Program Instructions
- CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, County Data 2023