What Can I Do During the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period?

Posted by Medicare Made Clear

Do you have a Medicare Advantage plan? If you do, then you need to know about the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period. It’s new in 2019 and runs January 1 – March 31.

The new enrollment period gives you a chance to revisit your plan choice and make changes if you need to. The changes you can make include the following:

• Switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan (Part C).
• Drop your Medicare Advantage plan and go back to Original Medicare (Parts A & B).
• Enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan (Part D), if you go back to Original Medicare.

Make a point to use and rate your Medicare Advantage plan early in the year to make sure you’re getting the coverage and customer service you want. If you decide to switch to a new Medicare Advantage plan, it can be from the same insurance company as your current plan or from a different one. You can choose any plan offered where you live.

If you decide to go back to Original Medicare, look into Part D and Medicare supplement plans first. You may need to add them to Original Medicare to get the coverage and financial protection you want. Also, think about coverage you may be giving up with your Medicare Advantage plan, such as dental and vision, and how you’ll replace it.

The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period is only for Medicare Advantage plan members. You cannot switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan at this time. For that, you need to wait until the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period, October 15 – December 7.

 The Bottom Line

The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, January 1 through March 31, gives you a second chance – after the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period – to make sure that you have a plan that fits your health and budget needs.

For more information, explore MedicareMadeClear.com or contact the Medicare helpline 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), TTY 1-877-486-2048.

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