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Virginia gives you a Medigap switching window every birthday.

Every year, your birthday and the 59 days after it are your chance to move your Medigap plan to another company, with the same benefits and no health questions. See your dates, then compare Medigap and Medicare Advantage.

When is your Virginia birthday window?

Your 60 dayswill showhere

Enter your birthday. Nothing is saved or sent until you choose to request quotes.

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Medigap or Medicare Advantage in Virginia?

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 Virginia.

Medicare Supplement (Medigap)

Works with Original Medicare

  • See any doctor or hospital that accepts Medicare, anywhere in the country
  • Higher monthly premium, very predictable costs after that
  • No referrals or network rules
  • Every birthday you can move the same plan to a lower-priced company

Compare Medigap plans G, N, K and L

Medicare Advantage

A private plan that replaces Original Medicare

  • Lower or $0 premium in many Virginia counties, often with dental and vision
  • Networks, prior approvals and a yearly out-of-pocket limit
  • Plans and networks change every year, and some leave counties
  • Change plans each fall, October 15 to December 7

Medicare Advantage vs Medigap, in depth

How the Virginia birthday rule works

Virginia’s rule is about shopping companies, not changing plans. It protects you when your current company raises rates.

Source: Virginia State Corporation Commission, Bureau of Insurance, Medigap Birthday Rule consumer guide. Compare every state in our Medigap rules by state tracker.

  • Your window60 days, starting on your birthday, every year.
  • What you can buyA Medigap plan with the same benefits as yours (for example Plan G to Plan G), from any company selling in Virginia.
  • What you cannotMoving to a richer or a different plan (G to N, for example) still means health questions outside your first 6 months.
  • Timing tipKeep your old policy until the new one is issued and in effect, so there is no gap. A deductible you already met may not carry over.
  • Other doorsYour 6-month window at 65 and the federal guaranteed-issue rights still apply. If your Advantage plan is leaving.

On Medicare before 65 in Virginia

Virginia has one of the stronger protections for people on Medicare because of a disability, ALS or ESRD.

Source: Virginia State Corporation Commission, Consumer’s Guide to Medigap Insurance in Virginia.

  • Your windowEvery company selling Medigap in Virginia must offer at least one plan to you with no health questions for 6 months after you enroll in Part B.
  • PriceSince January 1, 2024, companies cannot charge you more than they charge a 65-year-old for the same plan.
  • Which planMost companies choose to offer Plan A to this group, so we compare which richer plans are also available to you.
  • At 65You get a new 6-month open enrollment at 65 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 Virginia regulators. Two companies can quote nearly the same price today and be far apart in five years.

We show past rate increasesWhen we quote, you see how each company has raised rates, not just who is cheapest this month.

Ask Virginia’s regulatorsThe State Corporation Commission’s Bureau of Insurance oversees Medigap companies in Virginia and publishes a consumer guide each year.

Discounts that lastAsk about household discounts and how long they apply. Some shrink after the first years.

Same plan, different ZIP, different priceNorthern Virginia, Richmond, Hampton Roads, Roanoke, Charlottesville and Southwest Virginia are priced differently. Quotes are always by ZIP code.

Splitting time between Virginia and another state?

Many Virginians spend winters in Florida or live near family out of state for part of the year. How your coverage travels matters.

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 Virginia and anywhere else.
  • Part DChoose a drug plan with national network or mail-order pharmacies. How to choose a 2027 Part D plan.

Help paying Medicare costs in Virginia

If your income and savings are limited, Virginia’s Medicare Savings Programs can pay your Part B premium and, for some people, your deductibles and coinsurance. You apply through your local Department of Social Services or Cover Virginia. Qualifying can also open special enrollment periods and lower drug costs, so tell us if you have applied.

The Virginia Medicare year

These are the dates that matter in Virginia.

Your 65th

Your 6-month Medigap window starts once you are 65 and on Part B. The best time to buy any Medigap plan.

Oct 15 – Dec 7

Annual Enrollment: change Medicare Advantage or Part D plans for January 1.

Jan 1 – Mar 31

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: one change if you are already in an Advantage plan.

Every birthday

Your birthday plus 59 days: move your Medigap plan to another company, same benefits, no health questions.

Federal windows: Medicare.gov. Turning 65 soon? Use our enrollment checklist.

Go deeper

Guides that go deeper on the questions clients here ask most.

Questions Virginia clients ask

How does the Virginia Medigap birthday rule work?

Each year, for 60 days starting on your birthday, you can switch to a Medigap policy with the same benefits from any company selling in Virginia, with no health questions. The rule took effect July 1, 2025.

Can I switch from Plan G to Plan N on my birthday in Virginia?

Not under the birthday rule. It lets you keep the same plan letter and change companies. Moving to a different plan still usually means health questions unless another guaranteed-issue right applies.

Can I get a Medigap plan in Virginia if I am under 65?

Yes. Companies must offer at least one plan to people on Medicare because of a disability or ESRD for 6 months after Part B starts, and since 2024 they cannot charge more than they charge a 65-year-old.

Should I cancel my old Medigap policy before the new one starts?

No. Keep your current policy until the new one is issued and in effect, so you are never without coverage.

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.

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Know your window. Compare both paths. Then decide.

Send your details and a licensed advisor will compare Medigap and Medicare Advantage options for your Virginia ZIP code, including each company’s rate history, at no cost.

Smart Insurance Agents is an 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. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or the Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program (VICAP) at 1-800-552-3402 to get information on all of your options. Plan availability varies by county.