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Texas has no birthday rule. Your first window is the one that counts.
In Texas, the only time you can buy any Medicare Supplement with no health questions is your 6-month open enrollment. Miss it and your options narrow for good. See your dates, then compare Medigap and Medicare Advantage side by side.
When is your Texas Medigap window?
Enter your birthday. Nothing is saved or sent until you choose to request quotes.
Appointed with Mutual of Omaha, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, Aetna, HealthSpring, Humana 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 Texas?
Most Texans on Medicare choose between these two paths, and the right one depends on your doctors, how much you travel, and how you want to pay for care. Here is the honest trade-off.
No birthday rule: your only no-health-questions doors
Some states give people a yearly window to change Medigap plans without health questions. Texas does not. Outside the situations on the right, a Medigap company in Texas can ask about your health and turn you down.
Sources: Texas Department of Insurance, Medicare supplement insurance guide; 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.
- Your plan leavesIf your Medicare Advantage plan stops serving your area, you usually get 63 days to buy certain Medigap plans with no health questions. What to do if your plan is leaving.
- The trial rightJoined Medicare Advantage when you first became eligible at 65? You can switch to Original Medicare and a Medigap plan within the first 12 months.
- Lost other coverageLosing certain coverage, such as some employer plans that supplement Medicare, can open a guaranteed window.
On Medicare before 65 in Texas
Texas has stronger rules than many states for people who get Medicare early, and they changed in 2025. Many websites still describe the old rules.
Source: Texas Insurance Code Sections 1652.059 and 1652.060, as amended by House Bill 2516, effective September 1, 2025; TDI Commissioner’s Bulletin B-0010-25.
- Through disabilityCompanies must offer you Plan A with no health questions for 6 months after you enroll in Part B, and premiums can be higher than at 65. When you turn 65, you get a new 6-month window for any plan.
- Through ESRD or ALSSince September 1, 2025, companies must offer you the full plan lineup sold to people 65 and older, with no health questions or waiting period. Plans A, B and D cost the same as at 65; other plans cost no more than twice the age-65 rate.
Price is today. Rate history is the next ten years.
Every Plan G pays the same benefits, so companies compete on price. But most Texas 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 the Texas Department of Insurance. Two companies can quote nearly the same price today and be far apart in five years.
Travel, the border and winter Texans
If you split time between Texas and another state, visit family across the border, or come to the Rio Grande Valley for the winter, how your coverage travels matters.
- MedigapWorks with any provider that accepts Medicare in all 50 states. Plans G and N also include foreign travel emergency coverage: 80 percent after a $250 deductible, up to $50,000 in your lifetime.
- Medicare AdvantageBuilt around a local network. Outside it, many plans cover only emergencies and urgent care, so check the plan’s travel rules before you commit.
Help paying Medicare costs in Texas
If your income and savings are limited, Texas Medicare Savings Programs can pay your Part B premium and, for some people, your deductibles and coinsurance. You apply through Texas Health and Human Services at YourTexasBenefits.com or by calling 2-1-1. Qualifying can also open special enrollment periods and lower drug costs, which changes which plans make sense, so tell us if you have applied.
The Texas 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.
Questions Texas clients ask
Does Texas have a Medigap birthday rule?
No. Texas does not give a yearly window to change Medigap plans without health questions. Your 6-month open enrollment and the federal guaranteed-issue situations are the main times you can buy without underwriting.
Can I switch from Medicare Advantage to a Medigap plan in Texas?
Yes, but outside a guaranteed-issue situation the company can ask health questions and decline you. If you joined Medicare Advantage when first eligible at 65, you can switch within the first 12 months without health questions. If your plan leaves your area, you usually get 63 days.
Can I get a Medigap plan in Texas if I am under 65?
Yes. If you have Medicare because of a disability, companies must offer Plan A for 6 months after you enroll in Part B. If you have Medicare because of ESRD or ALS, since September 1, 2025 companies must offer the full plan lineup 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 Texas ZIP code, including each company’s rate history, at no cost.