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Medicare in New Jersey: your Medigap window, Advantage choices and help paying costs.
New Jersey follows the federal Medigap rules with no birthday rule, so your 6-month window after you turn 65 and start Part B is the time to buy any plan with no health questions. See your dates, then compare Medigap and Medicare Advantage.
When is your Medigap window?
Enter your birthday. Nothing is saved or sent until you choose to request quotes.
Appointed with Mutual of Omaha, Aetna, HealthSpring, UnitedHealthcare and many others. When we quote a Medicare Supplement, we show each company’s past rate increases, not just today’s price.
Medigap or Medicare Advantage in New Jersey?
The right choice depends on your doctors, where you spend the year, and how you want to pay for care. Here is how the trade-off plays out in New Jersey.
Your no-health-questions doors in New Jersey
New Jersey uses the federal rules for people 65 and older, with no birthday rule. These are the times a company must sell you Medigap.
Sources: New Jersey SHIP, Medigap open enrollment and guaranteed issue; Medicare.gov. Compare every state in our Medigap rules by state tracker.
- Your 6-month windowStarts the month you are 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. Any plan, any company, no health questions.
- Advantage plan leavingIf your Medicare Advantage plan leaves your county or stops serving Medicare, you can buy certain Medigap plans. If your plan is leaving.
- The trial rightIf you joined Medicare Advantage when you first got Medicare, or dropped Medigap to try one, you can return to Medigap within the first 12 months.
- Losing other coverageLosing certain employer or retiree coverage that pays after Medicare opens a short guaranteed window.
On Medicare before 65 in New Jersey
New Jersey runs two programs for people on Medicare because of a disability or ESRD, split by age.
Source: New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance, Medicare Supplement coverage for people eligible because of disability.
- Under 50Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey must offer Plan D (Plan C if you were eligible for Medicare before 2020) when you apply within your window after Part B starts.
- Ages 50 to 64Every company selling Medigap in New Jersey must offer Plan D (or Plan C for pre-2020 eligibility) during your guaranteed window after Part B starts.
- PriceCompanies cannot charge more than their lowest rate for the same plan at 65 or older.
- At 65You get a new 6-month open enrollment with every plan and company open to you.
Price is today. Rate history is the next ten years.
Every Plan G pays the same benefits, so companies compete on price. But many Medigap policies are priced by your current age, so the premium rises as you get older, on top of any rate increases the company files with New Jersey regulators. Two companies can quote nearly the same price today and be far apart in five years.
Spending winters in Florida?
Plenty of New Jersey retirees split the year with Florida. How your coverage travels matters as much as its price.
Source: Medicare.gov rules on moving, special enrollment periods and Medigap coverage.
- Medicare AdvantageMost plans cover only emergencies and urgent care outside their service area, and a plan can end your enrollment after 6 months in a row away.
- MedigapOriginal Medicare with a Medigap plan works with any provider that accepts Medicare, in New Jersey and wherever you spend the season.
- Part DChoose a drug plan with national network or mail-order pharmacies. How to choose a 2027 Part D plan.
New Jersey Medicare Savings Programs and drug help
If your income and savings are limited, New Jersey’s Medicare Savings Programs can pay your Part B premium and, for some people, your deductibles and coinsurance. New Jersey also runs its own drug programs, PAAD and Senior Gold. One application, NJSave, screens you for all of them, and qualifying can also open special enrollment periods, so tell us if you have applied.
The New Jersey Medicare year
With no birthday rule, these dates are the ones that matter.
Your 6-month Medigap window starts once you are 65 and on Part B. The best time to buy any Medigap plan.
Annual Enrollment: change Medicare Advantage or Part D plans for January 1.
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: one change if you are already in an Advantage plan.
You can apply for Medigap, but outside your window a company can ask health questions.
Federal windows: Medicare.gov. Turning 65 soon? Use our enrollment checklist.
Go deeper
Guides that go deeper on the questions New Jersey clients ask most.
- Plan G vs NComparing Medigap plans
- This fallWhat to do during the 2027 Annual Enrollment Period
- SwitchingSwitching from Medicare Advantage to Medigap
Questions New Jersey clients ask
Does New Jersey have a Medigap birthday rule?
No. New Jersey follows the federal rules for people 65 and older. Your 6-month open enrollment and the federal guaranteed-issue situations are the times you can buy Medigap without health questions.
How do I apply for the Medicare Savings Program in New Jersey?
Use NJSave, the state’s single application for Medicare Savings Programs, PAAD, Senior Gold and Extra Help. Your county Office on Aging can help you fill it out.
Can I get a Medigap plan in New Jersey if I am under 65?
Yes. People under 50 can get Plan D from Horizon BCBSNJ, and people 50 to 64 can get Plan D from any company selling Medigap, during a window after Part B starts. Plan C applies if you were eligible before 2020.
When is the best time to buy Medigap in New Jersey?
During the 6 months that start the month you are 65 or older and enrolled in Part B, when every plan and company is open to you with no health questions.
Does it cost anything to work with you?
No. Insurance carriers pay agents a commission, and your premium is the same whether you enroll through us or directly with the company.
¿Pueden ayudarme en español?
Sí. Podemos ayudarle en español por teléfono o video. Envíe el formulario o mándenos un mensaje de texto al (773) 657-9140.
Know your window. Compare both paths. Then decide.
Send your details and a licensed advisor will compare Medigap and Medicare Advantage options for your New Jersey ZIP code, including each company’s rate history, at no cost.