Medicare Terms – G

General Enrollment Period

You can sign up between January 1-March 31 each year. This is called the General Enrollment Period. Your coverage starts July 1. You might pay a monthly late enrollment penalty if you don’t qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.

Generic Drug

A prescription drug that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as having the same active ingredient(s) as the brand-name drug. Generally, a “generic” drug works the same as a brand-name drug and usually costs less.

Grievance

A complaint about the way your Medicare health plan or Medicare drug plan is giving care. For example, you may file a grievance if you have a problem calling the plan or if you’re unhappy with the way a staff person at the plan has behaved towards you. However, if you have a complaint about a plan’s refusal to cover a service, supply, or prescription, you file an appeal.

Group Health Plan

In general, a health plan offered by an employer or employee organization that provides health coverage to employees and their families.

Guaranteed Issue Rights (also called “Medigap Protections”)

Rights you have in certain situations when insurance companies are required by law to sell or offer you a Medigap policy. In these situations, an insurance company can’t deny you a Medigap policy, or place conditions on a Medigap policy, like exclusions for pre-existing conditions, and can’t charge you more for a Medigap policy because of a past or present health problem.

Guaranteed Renewable Policy

An insurance policy that can’t be terminated by the insurance company unless you make untrue statements to the insurance company, commit fraud or don’t pay your premiums. All Medigap policies issued since 1992 are guaranteed renewable.