Under Pennsylvania's Medicare Supplement regulations on open enrollment (31 Pa. Code 89.778), what protection does an applicant receive when applying during the open enrollment period?

Why A is correct

Pennsylvania's open enrollment rule, 31 Pa. Code 89.778, guarantees that during the open enrollment period an eligible applicant may buy any Medicare supplement policy the insurer offers without medical underwriting — no denial, waiting, or rating based on health history. The Pennsylvania Insurance Department enforces this guarantee, and it is the single most important consumer protection in the Medicare supplement framework, because it ensures access to standardized coverage around the time a beneficiary first becomes eligible.

Why the other options are wrong

• B) Open enrollment concerns the insurer's obligation to issue coverage, not a health-based premium discount; the rule targets underwriting barriers, not discounted pricing.
• C) The disclosure requirements still apply during open enrollment; the enrollment right does not eliminate the documents Pennsylvania requires for Medicare supplement sales.
• D) Enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan is a separate federal-program choice; it does not entitle the applicant to cash from a Medicare supplement insurer.

Memory hook

Open enrollment opens the door: no health questions, no health pricing.