When you can buy a Supplement without health questions
Your six month window, the yearly Maryland birthday window and what to do if you miss one.
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Most Medicare choices come with a deadline, and Supplement plans are no different. The difference is that you get to buy a Supplement during a window when carriers must accept you, regardless of your health. Missing that window does not shut the door, but it can change the conversation. Here is how the windows work for people in Rockville.
Step one: Part B comes first
A Supplement works with Original Medicare, so you need both Part A and Part B. Your Initial Enrollment Period for Medicare lasts seven months: the three months before the month you turn 65, your birthday month and the three months after. Part B has a standard premium of $202.90 a month in 2026, and waiting without other creditable coverage can add a late enrollment penalty of 10 percent for each full 12 months you were eligible and did not enroll.
Your six month Supplement window
Supplement open enrollment is a six month stretch that starts in the first month you are both 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. For that half year, no carrier may decline you or raise your price because of your health, so every plan and carrier available in your ZIP code is on the table.
The clock does not pause and it does not restart. If you enroll in Part B in a month you turn 65, your six months begin then. People who delay Part B because they are still working are often relieved to learn their window begins later, when Part B begins.
Still working after 65
Rockville sits in the middle of the I-270 corridor, where federal agencies, biotech firms and technology employers are common. Many people there reach 65 with job based coverage still in place. If you or your partner are still working for an employer with enough coverage, you may be able to delay Part B without penalty and enroll when the job ends. Your Supplement window will start when Part B does. Because the rules depend on employer size and the kind of coverage you have, check with your benefits office and with us before you decide.
Your yearly birthday window
Once you own a Supplement, Maryland gives you another chance each year. Since July 1, 2023, policyholders may switch during a window that includes their birthday and the 30 days after it. You can stay with your carrier or move to a different one, as long as the new plan is of equal or lesser value. Underwriting is not used for those switches.
Carriers must mail you a notice 30 to 60 days before your birthday. Use it as a prompt to compare, not a deadline to panic over. Our pricing guide explains why a quote can change over time.
A timeline to keep handy
- Three months before you turn 65. Your Initial Enrollment Period opens. Start asking questions and gathering your doctor list.
- The month Part B starts. Your six month Supplement window begins. This is the cleanest time to buy.
- Each year at your birthday. The 30 day switching window opens. Compare, even if you plan to stay.
- If you lose other coverage. You may have a guaranteed issue right that generally lasts 63 days. Call us promptly.
Before you cancel anything. Please talk with us before you drop any coverage. Timing matters, and we can help you avoid a gap.
Plan for the whole household
Medicare timing often involves a partner, a parent or a neighbor. A couple may turn 65 a year or two apart. A grown child may be helping a parent who is just now leaving work. We are happy to talk with the whole household. Each person has their own windows, and we map them out so nobody is surprised.
Quick questions
What if I miss my six month Supplement window?
You can still apply later, but the carrier may ask health questions and may decline you or charge more. Some situations, such as losing other coverage, create a guaranteed issue right that generally lasts 63 days. Call us before the date so we can check what applies to you.
Does the birthday window start on my birthday?
Yes. Maryland's window covers your birthday and the 30 days after it. A carrier may offer a longer window, but not a shorter one. Submit your application during that time, and ask us to help you with the paperwork.
Map your Supplement windows with us
Tell us your birthday and your Part B date and we will mark the dates that matter. Call us or book a time.