Medicare Supplement Birthday Rule 2027: Every State, Window and Limit

Reviewed by Russell Noga, Licensed Medicare Insurance Broker (all 50 states) — Last updated November 1, 2026

The Medicare Supplement birthday rule is a state law that gives you a yearly window, tied to your birthday, to switch to another Medicare Supplement plan with no health questions, as long as the new plan has the same or fewer benefits. For 2027, 16 states have one, after New Mexico’s rule starts January 1, 2027, and each state sets its own window length and limits.

2027 by the Numbers

states with a yearly birthday-style switch window in 2027, counting New Mexico (NAIC chart, May 2026; state laws)

63 days

longest window, in Idaho, Louisiana and Wyoming (NAIC)

30 days

shortest window, in Maryland (Maryland statute)

24 months

how long West Virginia requires you to hold your policy first (HB 4869)

Outside your first six months on Part B, a Medicare Supplement company in most states can ask about your health and turn you down. A birthday rule switches that off for a few weeks each year, and the insurer must accept you at its normal rate.

Federal Medicare does not create this right. States do, so the details change at the state line. Our main guide to whether you can change Medicare Supplement plans covers every switching route. This page goes deep on the birthday window alone: who gets one, how long it lasts, what you can move to, and the fine print most summaries skip.

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How a Birthday Window Plays Out From Notice to New Policy

Medicare Supplement birthday rule timeline from insurer notice to new policy in 2027

Every birthday rule follows the same basic pattern. Your insurer sends a notice, the window opens near your birthday, you apply to a new plan, and the new company cannot use your health to decide. When the window closes, normal underwriting comes back until next year.

You must already own a policy. The rule is for people who have a Medicare Supplement plan now. It does not help someone with Medicare Advantage or no supplement at all.

Health questions are waived. The new insurer cannot deny you, charge more for health reasons, or add a pre-existing condition wait during the window.

You move sideways or down. The new plan must match or offer less than the one you have. Moving up to richer coverage still means underwriting.

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Birthday Rule States for 2027: Windows, Moves and Start Dates

This table lists each state with a yearly birthday-style switch right as of late 2026. Windows count from your birthday unless the table says the birth month or a span before it.

State	When the window runs	What you can switch to	Rule began
California	60 days, opening on your birthday	Equal or lesser benefits, any insurer	Long-standing; notice rules 2020
Delaware	30 days before to at least 30 days after	Same or lesser benefits, any insurer	January 1, 2026
Idaho	63 days from your birthday	Same or lower plan, any insurer	March 1, 2022
Illinois	45 days from your birthday	Same or lower plan, current insurer or affiliate; ages 65 to 75	January 1, 2022
Indiana	One month before to one month after	Same plan letter, any insurer	January 1, 2026
Kentucky	60 days from your birthday	Same plan letter, any insurer	January 1, 2024
Louisiana	63 days from your birthday	Equal or lesser, current insurer or affiliate	2023 law
Maryland	30 days after your birthday	Equal or lesser benefits	July 1, 2023
Nevada	60 days from the 1st of your birth month	Same or lower plan, any insurer	January 1, 2022
New Mexico	At least 60 days from the 1st of your birth month	Equal or lesser value, any insurer	January 1, 2027
Oklahoma	60 days, opening on your birthday	Same or lesser benefits, any insurer	September 1, 2023
Oregon	30 days before to 30 days after	Same or lower plan, any insurer	2013; window widened 2023
Utah	60 days, opening on your birthday	Equal or lesser, current insurer only	May 7, 2025
Virginia	At least 60 days, opening on your birthday	Same benefits, any insurer	2020; updated 2025
West Virginia	60 days from the 1st of your birth month	Same or lesser, current insurer or affiliate	June 11, 2026
Wyoming	63 days from your birthday	Same or lesser benefits	In effect; start year not confirmed

Sources: NAIC birthday rule chart (May 11, 2026) and each state’s law or insurance department. Sources disagree on Louisiana and Maryland window lengths, so confirm with your state before you apply.

Three Rule Styles Decide Which Plan Letter You Can Pick

Window length gets the headlines, but the bigger question is what the state lets you move to. Every birthday rule falls into one of three styles.

Equal or lesser, any company. The most flexible style. California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Oklahoma, Delaware and New Mexico let you drop to a smaller plan and change insurers in the same move.

Same letter, any company. Kentucky, Virginia and Indiana keep you in your current letter. You can chase a lower price for the same plan, but you cannot step down.

Same company or its affiliate. Illinois, Louisiana, Utah and West Virginia keep you with your current insurer group. This helps if your company sells a cheaper letter, not if a rival is cheaper.

Planned move	Equal-or-lesser states	Same-letter states
Plan G at Company A to Plan G at Company B	Allowed	Allowed
Plan G to Plan N	Allowed	Not allowed
Plan F to Plan G (Medicare before 2020)	Allowed	Not allowed
Plan N to Plan G	Not allowed	Not allowed
High-deductible Plan G to standard Plan G	Not allowed	Not allowed

Insurer-limited states follow the left column, but only within your current company or affiliate. Extra perks an insurer adds, called innovative benefits, do not count when Delaware, Virginia and Utah compare plans.

Notice Letters, Waiting Periods and Other Fine Print

Medicare Supplement birthday rule fine print by state: notice timing, waiting period and gap limits

Several states add small rules that can cost you the window if you miss them.

Watch your mail. Virginia insurers must send notice 15 to 30 days before your window. Delaware, Maryland and New Mexico require notice 30 to 60 days ahead.

West Virginia’s two-year clock. Your current policy must be in force for 24 months before the new one starts, and each switch restarts that clock. You may ask for a start date up to 90 days after you apply.

Oklahoma’s gap limit. You keep the right only if you have not gone more than 90 days without Medicare Supplement coverage.

Deductible reset: Delaware’s insurance department warns that moving off a high-deductible plan in the middle of the year starts your deductible over with the new company. The 2027 high-deductible Plan G deductible is $3,050, so timing matters.

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Anniversary, Year-Round and Look-Alike Rules in Other States

Some states give a switching right not tied to your birthday. Others have rules that sound alike but work differently.

State	Rule type	How it works
Missouri	Anniversary rule	60-day window from 30 days before to 30 days after your policy anniversary; same benefits, any insurer
New York	Year-round	Insurers must accept applicants all year
Connecticut	Year-round	Guaranteed acceptance all year for people 65 and older
Massachusetts	Year-round	Open enrollment with community rating
Maine	Continuous coverage	Switch any time to equal or lesser benefits if you have had no gap over 90 days
Washington	Plan-to-plan switching	Move among most plan letters any time without a health form; limits apply to Plan A
Minnesota	First-time buyer window	Since August 2026, ages 65 to 70 buying for the first time get guaranteed issue in the fall and early-year periods; not a switch right

Based on the NAIC chart and the Minnesota Commerce Department’s Bulletin 2026-3. Our Maine Medicare Supplement guide explains that state’s any-month rule.

Planning Your 2027 Birthday Window Week by Week

Find your exact window. Use the table above and your birth date. If your state counts from the birth month, a late-month birthday leaves fewer days after the birthday itself.

Pull quotes a month early. Price your current letter and any lower letter your state allows. Premiums for 2027 often reset on your policy renewal date, so compare the new rate, not last year’s.

Apply inside the window. Most states only require the application to be in during the window. The new plan can start later.

Set the start on the 1st. Pick a first-of-month date so you do not pay two premiums for long.

Cancel the old policy last. Cancel in writing only after the new policy is issued.

Thinking about stepping down a letter? Our Plan G vs Plan N comparison shows what you give up. If you live in one of the busiest birthday states, the California Medicare Supplement guide and the Indiana guide cover local details.

Bottom Line

In 2027, people in 16 states can shop their Medicare Supplement plan once a year around their birthday without health questions. Know whether your state lets you step down a letter, change companies, or only keep the same plan, then compare rates before the window opens.

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Medicare Supplement Birthday Rule — Frequently Asked Questions

➤ Which states have a Medicare Supplement birthday rule in 2027?

California, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming. New Mexico’s rule begins January 1, 2027.

➤ Is the Medicare birthday rule a federal law?

No. Each state passes its own rule, so window length, eligible plans and insurer limits differ. If your state has no rule, the birthday window does not apply to you.

➤ Does my insurer have to tell me when my window opens?

In several states, yes. Virginia requires notice 15 to 30 days before the window, and Delaware, Maryland and New Mexico require it 30 to 60 days before.

➤ Can I switch from Plan F to Plan G under a birthday rule?

In states that allow equal or lesser benefits, yes, because Plan G covers less than Plan F. In Kentucky, Virginia and Indiana you must keep the same letter, so a Plan F holder can only move to another company’s Plan F.

➤ Does the birthday rule work with Medicare Advantage?

No. It only applies to people who already have a Medicare Supplement policy and want to replace it with another one.

➤ What if I miss my birthday window?

You can still apply for a new plan, but the insurer can ask health questions and decline you. Your next protected chance is your next birthday window.

➤ Will my new plan cost more because of my age?

The new company cannot charge extra for your health during the window, but it uses its normal rate for your age and area. Delaware also bars carriers from rating up people who switch under its rule.

➤ Does Missouri have a birthday rule?

Missouri uses an anniversary rule instead. You get a 60-day window starting 30 days before your policy anniversary to move to a plan with the same benefits at another company.

New to Medicare?

If you are new to Medicare, then you can enroll in a 2027 Medicare Supplement plan up to six months prior to your Medicare Part B effective date.

Call one of our licensed insurance agents to see what the best time frame is for you to enroll, based on your current situation. You can contact them at 1-855-409-6195.

Medicare Supplement Quotes

Call a Licensed Agent Now

Compare 2027 Plan G, Plan N and more from several insurance companies in one call.

☎ 1-855-409-6195

TTY users 711 | Mon–Fri: 5am–7pm, Sat–Sun: 7am–4pm CT

No obligation to enroll

Speak with a licensed insurance agent

1-855-409-6195

Compare plans in your area

1-855-409-6195 TTY 711

Medicare Supplement Birthday Rule 2027: Every State, Window and Limit

Compare 2027 Rates Before Your Birthday Window Opens

Speak with a licensed insurance agent

1-855-409-6195TTY 711

Mon-Fri: 5am-7pm, Sat-Sun: 7am-4pm CT

How a Birthday Window Plays Out From Notice to New Policy

Birthday Rule States for 2027: Windows, Moves and Start Dates

Three Rule Styles Decide Which Plan Letter You Can Pick

Notice Letters, Waiting Periods and Other Fine Print

Compare plans & benefits in your area

Or speak with a licensed insurance agent

1-855-409-6195TTY 711

Mon-Fri: 5am-7pm, Sat-Sun: 7am-4pm CT

Anniversary, Year-Round and Look-Alike Rules in Other States

Planning Your 2027 Birthday Window Week by Week

Bottom Line

Check 2027 Medicare Supplement rates in your ZIP code

Speak with a licensed insurance agent

1-855-409-6195TTY 711

Mon-Fri: 5am-7pm, Sat-Sun: 7am-4pm CT

Medicare Supplement Birthday Rule — Frequently Asked Questions

New to Medicare?

Compare plans & benefits in your area

Or speak with a licensed insurance agent

1-855-409-6195TTY 711

Mon-Fri: 5am-7pm, Sat-Sun: 7am-4pm CT