Committee hears House Bill 24 to let under‑65 Medicare-eligible Ohioans buy Medigap supplemental coverage

House Bill 24 received proponent testimony in its second hearing before the Ohio House Insurance Committee on proposals to allow certain Medicare‑eligible Ohioans under age 65 to purchase Medigap (Medicare supplement) coverage currently available to beneficiaries age 65 and older.

Witnesses from patient groups told the committee the change would remove a coverage gap for small groups of Ohioans who become Medicare‑eligible because of medical disability, including people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and end‑stage renal disease (ESRD). Proponents said access to Medigap coverage would improve patients’ access to transplant and other high‑cost services and could reduce state Medicaid spend‑down by some individuals.

Alex Meixner of the ALS Association described the experience of Angelina Fanus of Strongsville, Ohio, who enrolled immediately in Medicare after an ALS diagnosis but could not purchase Medigap because she was under 65 and…