Vermont 2025-2026 Regular Session

Vermont House Bill H0275 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	BILL AS INTRODUCED H.275
2	2	2025 Page 1 of 3
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5	5	VT LEG #380832 v.1
6	6	H.275 1
7	7	Introduced by Representatives Coffin of Cavendish, Birong of Vergennes, 2
8	8	Boyden of Cambridge, Greer of Bennington, Hooper of 3
9	9	Burlington, Pinsonault of Dorset, Pritchard of Pawlet, and Toof 4
10	10	of St. Albans Town 5
11	11	Referred to Committee on 6
12	12	Date: 7
13	13	Subject: Health; health insurance; Medicare supplement insurance; open 8
14	14	enrollment; guaranteed issue 9
15	15	Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to create annual 10
16	16	open enrollment periods for Medicare supplement insurance policies and to 11
17	17	prohibit health insurers from charging additional premiums, fees, or penalties 12
18	18	based on an individual’s failure to enroll in a Medicare supplement insurance 13
19	19	policy within six months following the individual’s 65th birthday. The bill 14
20	20	would also prohibit preexisting condition exclusions in Medicare supplement 15
21	21	insurance policies and would permit enrollees to change at any time from one 16
22	22	Medicare supplement insurance policy to another policy with comparable or 17
23	23	lesser benefits. 18
24	24	An act relating to enrollment in Medicare supplement insurance policies 19 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.275
25	25	2025 Page 2 of 3
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28	28	VT LEG #380832 v.1
29	29	It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 1
30	30	Sec. 1. 8 V.S.A. § 4080e is amended to read: 2
31	31	§ 4080e. MEDICARE SUPPLEMENTAL HEALTH INSURANCE 3
32	32	POLICIES; COMMUNITY RATING; DISABILITY 4
33	33	* * * 5
34	34	(e)(1) A health insurance company, hospital or medical service corporation, 6
35	35	or health maintenance organization offering a Medicare supplement insurance 7
36	36	policy shall guarantee acceptance of an individual’s application for coverage 8
37	37	during the six-month period following the individual’s 65th birthday and 9
38	38	during an annual open enrollment period that shall coincide with the federal 10
39	39	open enrollment period for Medicare Part D plans. A health insurance 11
40	40	company, hospital or medical service corporation, or health maintenance 12
41	41	organization offering a Medicare supplement insurance policy shall not make 13
42	42	any premium rate distinctions or charge any additional fees or penalty amounts 14
43	43	based on an applicant’s failure to enroll in a Medicare supplement insurance 15
44	44	policy during the applicant’s initial open enrollment period upon attaining 65 16
45	45	years of age. 17
46	46	(2) A health insurance company, hospital or medical service 18
47	47	corporation, or health maintenance organization offering a Medicare 19
48	48	supplement insurance policy shall not exclude, restrict, or otherwise limit 20
49	49	coverage under the policy for any preexisting health condition. 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.275
50	50	2025 Page 3 of 3
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53	53	VT LEG #380832 v.1
54	54	(3) A health insurance company, hospital or medical service 1
55	55	corporation, or health maintenance organization offering a Medicare 2
56	56	supplement insurance policy shall allow an enrollee to change at any time from 3
57	57	one Medicare supplement insurance policy to another policy offering 4
58	58	comparable or lesser benefits. 5
59	59	Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE 6
60	60	This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 7