Final answer:
Consumers enrolling in a Medicare Supplement plan during Open Enrollment or under Guaranteed Issue Rights are not required to answer health-related questions on their application, ensuring coverage despite pre-existing conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment period, consumers who are enrolling in Medicare for the first time have the option to purchase a Medicare Supplement Insurance plan (also known as a Medigap policy) without having to answer health-related questions on their application. This period lasts for six months and begins on the first day of the month in which the consumer turns 65 and is enrolled in Medicare Part B. Similarly, under certain circumstances, consumers may have Guaranteed Issue Rights, which also grant them the ability to enroll in a Medigap policy without health underwriting, regardless of any pre-existing conditions. Conditions that may trigger guaranteed issue rights include losing health coverage or when certain Medicare plans are discontinued or change service areas.