Free Senior and Special Needs Study Guide
Minnesota Accident & Health exam — Senior and Special Needs.
The national Senior and Special Needs guide covers Medicare, the federal lettered Medigap plans, Medicaid and LTC concepts, with the 2026 Medicare figures. Minnesota is one of three states (with Massachusetts and Wisconsin) that standardizes Medigap differently. Instead of plans A through N, Minnesota uses a basic plan and an extended basic plan (Minn. Stat. 62A.31–62A.44). This guide covers Minnesota's Medigap and long-term care rules.
Minnesota Medicare supplement plans
| Plan | Key features |
|---|---|
| Extended basic (62A.315) | Pays all of the Part A inpatient deductible and coinsurance |
| Basic (62A.316) | Pays Part A inpatient coinsurance and eligible hospital expenses after the Part A deductible is met. Pays 80% of emergency care during foreign travel. Insurers must offer riders for the Part A deductible, Part B excess charges, the Part B deductible and preventive care. |
| High-deductible plan (62A.3165) | Pays 100% after the annual high deductible is met. Out-of-pocket costs other than premium count toward the deductible. |
- No plan may cover any part of the Part B deductible for a newly eligible person (62A.315(b), 62A.316(c)).
- Medicare SELECT policies charge lower premiums in exchange for using a set network (CMS Medigap guide).
- Open enrollment: the federal 6-month Medigap open enrollment period starts in the first month a person is 65 or older and has Part B.
Selling and replacing Medigap
- An outline of coverage in at least 12-point type is delivered when the application is made. It states that neither the company nor its agents are connected with Medicare (62A.39).
- Free look: 30 days from delivery for a full refund (62A.38).
- Replacement (62A.40):
- Replacing with a plan in the same category is allowed only for a substantial favorable cost difference or documented dissatisfaction with service.
- Replacing with a less comprehensive plan requires the buyer's signed acknowledgment of fewer benefits.
- The new issuer must waive pre-existing condition and waiting periods already satisfied (62A.31).
- Compensation for a Medigap sale must be the same in each of the first 4 years, including on replacements (62A.436).
Long-term care insurance (chapter 62S)
| Rule | Minnesota requirement |
|---|---|
| Free look | 30 days from delivery, for any reason (62S.07) |
| Renewability | Individual policies must be guaranteed renewable or noncancelable (62S.14) |
| Pre-existing conditions | Defined using a 6-month look-back. No exclusion more than 6 months after the effective date (62S.05). |
| Prior stays | A prior institutional stay of more than 30 days can't be required for noninstitutional benefits (62S.06) |
| Contestability | After 2 years, contestable only for knowing and intentional misrepresentation of health facts. Field issue based on health status is prohibited (62S.13). |
| Inflation protection | Must be offered and is included unless the buyer signs a rejection. Partnership buyers under 61 must get compound protection, ages 61–75 some protection, and 76+ none required (62S.23). |
| Lapse protection | The applicant designates a person to receive lapse notices, or signs a waiver. Notice comes at least 30 days before lapse, and only after the premium is 30 days overdue. Reinstatement for cognitive impairment if requested within 5 months (62S.19). |
| Disclosures | The shopper's guide is given before the application (62S.31). There's a notice that the policy may not cover all LTC costs, plus contact information for the Senior LinkAge Line (62S.29). |
| Agent duties | List other health policies sold to the applicant that are in force, or were sold in the past 5 years (62S.24) |
Producer training: a life or health license, a one-time 8-hour course and 4 hours every 24 months. The course covers partnership programs and Minnesota Medical Assistance, which is Minnesota's Medicaid program (60K.365).
Common exam traps
- Minnesota Medigap uses basic and extended basic plans, not lettered plans A–N.
- The basic plan pays 80% of foreign travel emergencies. Riders must be offered.
- Medigap and LTC free looks: 30 days. The general 10-day right to cancel excludes them.
- Medigap commissions must be level for 4 years.
- LTC inflation protection is included unless rejected in writing.
- LTC lapse reinstatement for cognitive impairment: 5 months.
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Practice questions are study aids generated for exam preparation and are not actual exam questions. Content is provided for educational purposes and is not legal advice. Verify current statutes, rules, and exam specifications with the Insurance Department and the exam administrator before relying on it.
