What can you do during the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period?

• Join, drop, or switch to another Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) with or without drug coverage (or add or drop drug coverage).

• Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan or from a Medicare Advantage Plan to Original Medicare.

• Join, drop, or switch to another Medicare drug plan (Part D) if you’re in Original Medicare.

• Coverage starts January 1st of the next year (the plan must get your enrollment request by December 7th).

What can you do during the Medicare Open Enrollment Period?

• Switch to a different Medicare Advantage (MA) Plan or drop your MA plan to return to Original Medicare (and potentially join a Part D plan).  

• The main annual window for big changes AEP (below) is Oct 15-Dec 7, but if you have a MA plan and want to swap it out in the first quarter of the year, you can use the MA OEP (Jan 1-Mar 31). 

• Only 1 change allowed during the MA OEP (Open Enrollment Period).

• The change takes effect the first day of the month after your request is received.  

What should you keep in mind?

• Find out which plans are available in your area.

• Does the plan meet your needs?

• Does the plan covers your prescriptions and include the benefits you need?

• Are your doctors and pharmacies in the plan’s network?

• What are the monthly premiums, deductibles, and an estimate of your yearly costs for drugs you regularly take?

• Do you have any other health insurance or drug coverage and, if so, how will it work with or be affected by the new plan?

• Do you live in another state for part of the year and, if so, will the new plan cover you there?

Go over all of these questions (and more) with your Noteworthy Insurance Agent.