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Committee advances Medigap “birthday rule” to let New Mexico seniors switch plans annually
Summary
The House committee gave a due pass to Senate Bill 21, which would require Medigap (Medicare supplement) issuers to provide a 60‑day annual open-enrollment window around a beneficiary’s birthday for equal-or-lower-value plans, with sponsors and the Office of the Superintendent of Insurance saying it increases consumer choice while insurers warn it could raise premiums.
Senate Bill 21, introduced by Sen. Rex Wilson, would amend New Mexico’s Medicare Supplement Act to require issuers of Medigap (Medicare supplement) policies to offer a 60‑day annual open-enrollment window beginning the first day of the policyholder’s birthday month. During that window, policyholders age 65 and older could switch to a plan of equal or lesser value without medical underwriting or premium discrimination based on health status.
The bill’s sponsor and agency witnesses framed the measure as expanding consumer choice and protections for seniors locked into high-cost Medigap plans. “This is a bill that is about fairness and basic consumer protection for seniors who currently are unable to move out of their Medigap plan,” Emily Kullenbach, secretary of Aging and Long-Term Services, told…
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