When does open enrollment for Medicare Supplement coverage typically begin?

• A. 3 months before your 65th birthday
• B. 3 months after your 65th birthday
• C. When Social Security benefits begin
• D. At age 70

Answer: (A)

The timing you’re being tested on is when you first become eligible to shop for Medicare Supplement (Medigap) coverage in relation to turning 65. The window that starts the Medicare open enrollment for these plans begins three months before you reach your 65th birthday, extending through the birthday month and a few months after. This period aligns with when you’re entering Medicare Part B, and during this time you generally have guaranteed issue rights to Medigap plans, meaning insurers can’t deny you or impose medical underwriting for most standard plans.

So, the best choice is the option that starts three months before your 65th birthday. The other options don’t match Medicare’s typical enrollment timing: open enrollment doesn’t begin at 3 months after turning 65, when Social Security benefits begin, or at age 70.