State RegulationsMA specificDifficulty 3/5
Beyond the initial open enrollment, Massachusetts law provides a state annual open enrollment for Medicare supplement coverage. Which combination of enrollment window and coverage effective date is correct?
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why D is correct
M.G.L. c. 176K, § 3(d) and 211 CMR 71.10(5) establish Massachusetts' state annual open enrollment for Medicare supplement coverage: each year the window runs February 1 through March 31, and coverage elected in that window becomes effective June 1, or earlier if Medicare is first effective for the individual on an earlier date. Carriers must give insureds written notice of the annual enrollment by January 1, which is why the dates matter to producers advising clients in the Commonwealth.
Why the other options are wrong
- A) April through May is not the Massachusetts annual window; the statute and 211 CMR 71.10(5) fix February 1 through March 31 with a June 1 effective date.
- B) A January window with a February effective date matches neither the enrollment period nor the effective date in M.G.L. c. 176K, § 3(d) — January 1 is only the carrier-notice deadline.
- C) March through April with a May effective date shifts both ends of the statutory window; Massachusetts uses February 1 to March 31, effective June 1.
Memory hook
Feb 1 to Mar 31, effective June 1 — Massachusetts' yearly Med supp window.