Medigap Choice - an Emerging Policy Issue
Advocates for older Kansans and caregivers have become increasing concerned about lack of choice and satisfaction by some seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage insurance, and about the seeming inability of current advantage plan customers to realistically return to Traditional Medicare if the discover that option would have suited them better. The devil is in the details - including a critically important one of access to Medicare Supplement insurance policies—also known as “Medigap” policies.
Medicare Advantage (MA) is offered as an alternative to traditional Medicare with services through private insurance networks. Such networks can offer initial enticements in their insurance plans not available through Traditional Medicare, but also comes with drawbacks related to pre-approval of procedures, changing network access, and limited network coverage in rural areas.
By contrast, Traditional Medicare is much more accommodating of patient choice, rural flexibility, and decision-making when facing major illness. The primary drawback is the higher deductibles and co-pays — but that drawback is mitigated in large part by access to well regulated and uniform “Medigap” policies.
It is relatively easy for a Medicare beneficiary to enroll into and disenroll from individual Medicare Advantage (MA) plans, however, there are limited windows of opportunity to join a Medigap plan. Medigap enrollment rights are significantly more limited than the annual opportunities beneficiaries have to get in and out of private MA plans. Many beneficiaries are locked out of Medigap and locked into MA coverage—even if they discover the MA plan is not a good fit for them.
“It’s like Hotel California,” Julie Govert Walter, Executive Director of the NC-FH AAA said. “You can get into an MA plan anytime you want, but if you want to go back to Original Medicare you can never leave. Most Kansans on MA plans can’t enroll in a Medigap policy due to pre-existing conditions—and without Medigap paying the Part B gaps, there is no limit on how much you would pay for medical services you need.“
Addressing this issue was among the top 2026 Priorities of the Kansas Association of Area Agencies on Aging.
Many of these advocates provided testimony on this issue at an Informational Hearing on February 24, 2026 to the Senate Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee. Testimony provided by 18 different organizations emphasized the critical need for lawmakers to consider changing current rules so that Kansans enrolled in Medicare Advantage Plans have more opportunities to purchase an affordable Medigap policy under “guaranteed issue” so that they do not have to be subject to medical underwriting by insurance companies. Advocates told lawmakers that access to Medigap policies must be strengthened to give all Medicare beneficiaries in Kansas true freedom of choice concerning their coverage options.
Individual testimonies as presented to the Senate Committee are listed below, or download the entire testimony booklet:
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Meadowlark
NCFHAAA
Etc
“Our goal in providing testimony was to bring attention to issues we have been hearing about Medicare Advantage plans for some time,” said Jim Beck, Chair of the North Central-Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging’s Advisory Council and is a long-time Senior Health Insurance for Kansas (SHICK) counselor.
Visit our Keynotes online for an in-depth article regarding this issue and the Feb 24 , 2026 Senate Committee hearing. (LINK PENDING)
