Why Medigap travels with you
Medigap pays after Original Medicare, so it pays wherever Medicare pays. With Original Medicare you can use any doctor or hospital that takes Medicare, anywhere in the U.S. A Plan G bought in Ohio pays its share of a Medicare-approved hospital stay in Fort Myers exactly as it would at home. CMS's guide, Choosing a Medigap Policy, says that in general you can keep your current policy regardless of where you live, as long as you still have Original Medicare.
The exception is Medicare SELECT, sold in some states. It requires you to use its network hospitals, and sometimes doctors, to get full benefits. If you use a non-network hospital for non-emergency care in Florida, you pay some or all of what the policy doesn't cover. Medicare still pays its share. Check your policy before a long season away.
If you make Florida your permanent home
- You can keep the policy. It keeps working with Original Medicare. Tell the company your new address.
- Your premium may change. Ask the insurer whether moving changes your rate.
- No automatic right to switch. CMS's guide says that if you want a different policy you may have to answer medical questions outside your Medigap open enrollment. Moving from one state to another isn't a guaranteed-issue event on its own, unless you're leaving a Medicare Advantage plan or a Medicare SELECT policy because of the move.
Florida's Medigap rules if you buy here
If you buy a policy in Florida, Florida law applies:
- No birthday or yearly switching rule (Fla. Stat. 627.671 to 627.675 and rule 69O-156).
- A 2-month window after group coverage ends. If your group health coverage ends, you have 2 months to buy a Medigap policy without health questions (Fla. Stat. 627.6741(1)(a)2).
- No attained-age pricing on most policy forms. Florida bars premiums that rise automatically with age on forms sold mostly to people 65 and older (Fla. Stat. 627.410(6)(d)). Premiums can still rise for everyone in a plan, with Office of Insurance Regulation approval.
- 30 days to return a new policy for a full refund (Fla. Stat. 627.674).
More in Medigap in Florida and does Florida have a Medigap birthday rule. To compare Medigap policies from the companies they work with, you can request a call from a licensed insurance agent.
Related questions
Does Original Medicare work in every state?
Any provider in the U.S. that accepts Medicare.
Which state should I use for Medicare?
Permanent residence and your plans.
How do snowbirds get prescriptions in two states?
The Part D plan you add to Medigap.
Sources
- CMS — Choosing a Medigap Policy (2026)
- Medicare.gov — Compare Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage
- Florida Statutes — s. 627.6741, Medicare supplement policies
- Florida Statutes — s. 627.410, Filing and approval of forms and rates
- Florida Statutes — s. 627.674, Minimum standards
- Florida Administrative Code — Chapter 69O-156, Medicare supplement
More questions in this guide
- Does my Medicare Advantage plan cover me when I'm in Florida for the winter?
- Does Original Medicare work in every state for snowbirds?
- What happens to my Medicare Advantage plan if I stay in Florida more than 6 months?
- Does Medicare cover me if I live part of the year in Florida and part in Puerto Rico?
- How do snowbirds get prescriptions filled in Florida and up north?
- Which state should I use for Medicare if I split my time between Florida and New York?
Part of the guide: Snowbirds and Medicare in Florida · All questions
Frequently asked questions
Will my Medigap premium change if I make Florida my permanent home?
It may. Insurers can price by area, and Florida's Medigap rules list area among the allowed rating classes. Ask your insurer before you move whether a new address changes your premium.
Can I switch to a Florida Medigap policy when I move?
You can apply, but moving to Florida doesn't by itself give you a right to buy without health questions. Outside your open enrollment or a guaranteed-issue situation, a company can review your health. Keep your current policy until a new one is approved.
Does my home state's Medigap switching right work in Florida?
No. Extra Medigap rights, such as yearly switching windows, come from the state where a policy is sold, so they don't come with you. Florida has no birthday rule or yearly switching right.
Medicare in your Florida county
Plans, local agents and help, county by county: Miami-Dade · Broward · Palm Beach · Hillsborough · Orange · Duval · Pinellas · Lee · Polk · Pasco · Brevard · Volusia · Seminole · Sarasota · Osceola · Manatee · Lake · Marion · Collier · St. Lucie · All 67 counties →
