How Premiums Rise, Florida's Birthday Rule, and Strategies to Stay Covered — 2026
By William Gray, The Medicare Dude — independent Medicare broker a licensed insurance agent since 1998 working with seniors
Medigap premiums increase every year. Understanding how pricing works — and how to use Florida's Birthday Rule — can save Jacksonville seniors hundreds of dollars annually without losing coverage.
Florida Birthday Rule: Every year, starting on your birthday, you have a 30-day window to switch to an equal or lesser Medigap plan from any carrier — no medical underwriting. William reviews your premium against all available carriers every year during this window.
Medigap premiums increase for two reasons: (1) annual rate increases applied by the insurance company to all policyholders in your rating class, and (2) age-based increases if your policy uses attained-age pricing. In Florida, most Medigap policies use attained-age pricing, meaning your premium increases as you get older in addition to any general rate increases. Understanding your pricing method is critical to projecting long-term Medigap costs.
Medigap policies use one of three pricing methods. Attained-age pricing starts lower but increases as you age — the most common method in Florida. Issue-age pricing is based on your age when you first enroll and does not increase with age, only with general rate increases — typically higher initial premiums but more predictable long-term costs. Community-rated pricing charges the same premium to all policyholders regardless of age — rare in Florida. William compares all available pricing methods when recommending a Medigap plan.
Florida's Birthday Rule gives Medigap policyholders a 30-day window each year, starting on their birthday, to switch to a Medigap plan with equal or lesser benefits from any carrier without medical underwriting. This means you can shop for a lower premium every year without risking denial due to health conditions. The Birthday Rule applies to the same plan type (e.g., Plan G to Plan G) or a lesser plan. William reviews your current premium against all available carriers every year during your birthday window.
Annual Medigap rate increases in Jacksonville typically range from 3% to 8% per year, depending on the carrier and plan. Some carriers have historically lower rate increases than others. Over a 10-year period, a policy with 5% annual increases will cost 63% more than when you first enrolled. William tracks historical rate increase data for all carriers in Jacksonville and factors this into his plan recommendations.
The most effective strategies to manage Medigap rate increases are: (1) use Florida's Birthday Rule to shop for lower premiums annually; (2) choose a carrier with a history of lower rate increases; (3) consider issue-age pricing if you enroll before age 68; (4) evaluate whether switching to Medicare Advantage makes sense if premiums become unaffordable — though this involves trade-offs in coverage and network restrictions. William evaluates all options before recommending any change.
Most common in FL
Available in FL
Rare in FL
William compares all available Medigap carriers and pricing methods in Jacksonville — and reviews your premium every year during your Birthday Rule window. Free consultation.
Annual Medigap rate increases in Jacksonville typically range from 3% to 8% per year, depending on the carrier and plan. Some carriers have historically lower rate increases than others. William tracks historical rate increase data for all carriers and factors this into his recommendations.
Florida's Birthday Rule gives Medigap policyholders a 30-day window each year, starting on their birthday, to switch to a Medigap plan with equal or lesser benefits from any carrier without medical underwriting. This means you can shop for a lower premium every year without risking denial due to health conditions.
Attained-age pricing means your Medigap premium increases as you get older, in addition to any general rate increases. It is the most common pricing method in Florida. Premiums start lower but increase significantly over time. Issue-age pricing locks in your rate based on your age at enrollment and is more predictable long-term.
Yes — Florida's Birthday Rule allows you to switch to an equal or lesser Medigap plan from any carrier without medical underwriting during your annual 30-day birthday window. Outside this window, you may be subject to medical underwriting and could be denied coverage. William reviews your options every year during your birthday window.
Medicare Advantage plans often have $0 premiums but require prior authorization, network restrictions, and cost-sharing at the point of service. Medigap Plan G has higher premiums but no prior authorization, no network restrictions, and predictable out-of-pocket costs. William compares total annual costs — premiums plus expected out-of-pocket — before recommending any plan.
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY: 1-877-486-2048) to get information on all of your options.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. This is an advertisement for insurance. William Gray and affiliated licensed agents are independent insurance agents, not government employees or representatives. Medicare has neither reviewed nor endorsed this information.
Not all plans or types of coverage may be available in your area. Plan availability, benefits, and premiums vary by county and ZIP code. Enrollment in any plan depends on contract renewal. Benefits, premiums, and cost-sharing may change on January 1 of each year.
Independent Agent & Compensation Disclosure. William Gray is an independent licensed insurance agent (FL License #W690237) and is not employed by or exclusively affiliated with any single insurance company. William is compensated by insurance carriers when you enroll in a plan. This compensation does not affect the premium you pay — your premium is the same whether you enroll through a broker or directly with the carrier. Affiliated agents are independent contractors solely responsible for their own conduct and representations.