The Open Enrollment period allows people already on Medicare to switch to a different plan that suits their needs better or add prescription coverage to their existing plan. However, since you can only do this during a specified period within the year, it’s important to know when the Medicare Open Enrollment period is and what your options are.

What is Medicare Open Enrollment?

The Medicare Open Enrollment period is the time frame allotted for people on Medicare to change their Medicare plans. The Open Enrollment period is also sometimes referred to as the Annual Election Period.

The Open Enrollment period for Medicare typically runs from October 15 to December 7. This means that if you want to make changes to your Medicare plan for 2024, you can do so between October 15, 2023, and December 7, 2023.

Any changes you make to your Medicare plan during the open enrollment will take effect starting in January of the next year. In special circumstances, you may be able to change your Medicare plan outside of the open enrollment window, but this is subject to meeting the specified criteria for Special Enrollment.

Original Medicare Open Enrollment Period

If you have Original Medicare, which includes Medicare Part A and B, the Open Enrollment period for your Medicare plan is between October 15^th and December 7^th each year. Within this period, you can make the following changes to your Medicare plan:

• Enroll in Medicare Advantage from Original Medicare;
• Disenroll from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare;
• Enroll for Medicare prescription coverage or Part D;
• Change your Medicare Part D plan;
• Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another;

It is important to note that if you did not enroll for Medicare when you first became eligible, you cannot enroll in a Medicare plan for the first time during the Open Enrollment period. The Open Enrollment period is for people who already have a Medicare plan but would like to switch the plan or purchase additional plans like Part D.

Are you required to make changes during Medicare Open Enrollment?

You do not have to do anything during the Medicare Open Enrollment period. If you are satisfied with your current Medicare plan, you can keep the same plan without making any adjustments or purchasing additional coverage.

The Open Enrollment period is specifically for those who would like to make changes to their existing Medicare plans.

It is recommended that you evaluate your current Medicare plan before the enrollment period to determine whether you need to make any changes. If you have a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part D plan, your provider should send you an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) and Evidence of Coverage (EOC) notice. These notices will inform you of any changes in benefits and costs so you can use them to determine whether you need to switch your plan during the open enrollment period.

If you need to compare plans, Medicare has resources like the Medicare Plan Finder tool that you can use to find the most suitable coverage based on your needs.

What should you consider during Medicare Open Enrollment?

Medicare Open Enrollment gives seniors and those with qualified disabilities an opportunity to switch up their Medicare plans to better suit their needs.

Before you decide whether to keep your existing Medicare plan, it is important to ask yourself the following questions:

·        Did the monthly premiums for your current Medicare plan increase?

·        Are your medications still included in the drug formulary of your plan?

·        What has been your experience with your current Medicare plan?

·        What are your annual medical costs on your current plan?

·        Is your preferred doctor or provider still in the approved network of providers for your plan?

These questions will help you in figuring out whether your current plan serves your health care needs or whether you should switch to a different plan during the open enrollment period.

Preparing for Medicare Annual Enrollment

If you decide that your Medicare plan is no longer meeting your health care needs, you can take advantage of the Medicare Open Enrollment period and make changes to your plan.

To prepare for the Medicare Open Enrollment period, it is important to take the following steps:

·        Ensure that you are eligible to make coverage changes: Medicare open enrollment from October to December is for people who already have Medicare plans and want to switch or add other coverage. You will not be eligible for this enrollment if you are not yet enrolled in Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage.

Tip: Use our handy Eligibility Wizard to check whether you are eligible for Medicare.

·        Compare plans for the upcoming year: Before you make changes to your existing plan, it is important to compare plan benefits and costs. Comparing different plans will help you identify the most affordable plans available to you and find plans that best suit your health care needs. Plan D and Medicare Advantage plans may sometimes change premiums and benefits so make sure you are aware of such changes before switching plans. There are modern tools that allow you to upload your current plan and compare it with any other available for the following year. 

What plan changes can be done during open enrollment?

During the open enrollment period, you can make any of the following changes to your existing Medicare plan:

a)      Enroll in Medicare Advantage from Original Medicare

b)     Disenroll from Medicare Advantage and enroll in Original Medicare

c)      Sign up for Medicare Part D prescription coverage

d)     Change from one Medicare Advantage plan to another

e)     Change from one Part D prescription plan to another

f)       Disenroll from your Medicare Part D coverage

What to do if you miss Medicare Open Enrollment?

If you are planning to change your Medicare plan, it is important to remember when the Open Enrollment period ends. The Medicare open enrollment period runs from the 15^th of October to December 7^th each year. This means that if you do not make changes to your plan by the 7^th of December, your existing plan will remain in effect the following year.

In some special cases, you may be able to qualify for Special Enrollment. Special Enrollment allows people who were unable to switch their plans during the Open Enrollment period to do so outside of the Annual Enrollment period.

Some of the cases that may qualify for special enrollment include:

·        You moved to an area that is not covered by your existing Medicare plan.

·        You moved to or out of a long-term care facility or skilled nursing home.

·        You are no longer eligible for Medicaid.

·        Your Medicare plan is no longer Medicare-approved.

Medicare Part B Open Enrollment

If you did not enroll for Medicare Part B when you first become eligible, you can do so during the Medicare Part B General Enrollment period.

Medicare Part B General Enrollment is available each year from January 1 to March 31. If you enroll for Part B during this time frame, your coverage will take effect on the 1^st of July.

It is important to note that you may incur a penalty for late enrollment where there is a 10% increase in your Part B premiums for each year that you did not have coverage. This penalty only applies if you did not have creditable coverage from an employer or union during that time.

Medicare Part D Open Enrollment

Original Medicare may cover most of your health expenses, but it does not offer coverage for prescription drugs. To get prescription drug coverage, you need to enroll in Medicare Part D.

There are two main enrollment periods when you can sign up for Part D prescription coverage.

·        Initial enrollment: Your first opportunity to sign up for Part D is when you first become eligible for Medicare after turning 65. This initial enrollment period is the seven-month period that starts on the first of the month, three months before you turn 65 years old, and extends to the three months after your 65^th birthday.

·        Open Enrollment: if you fail to sign up for Part D during the Initial Enrollment period, you have the opportunity to enroll from October 15^th to December 7^th each year. During this Open Enrollment period, you can sign up for Plan D for the first time or change from one Plan D plan to another. You can also drop your Plan D prescription coverage altogether.

Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment

Medicare supplement plans, also known as Medigap, do not have specific enrollment periods. You can buy a Medigap plan during the 6-month period that starts the first day of the month when you turn 65. You need to be enrolled in Medicare Part B to apply for a Medicare supplement plan.

For people who are new to Medicare, you may be eligible for guaranteed issue rights, which means that an insurance provider cannot refuse to sell you a Medigap policy. This is the best time to enroll in a Medigap plan since you are guaranteed coverage.

You may also apply for a Medigap policy if you choose to drop your Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare.

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment period

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment runs between January 1 and March 31. During this timeframe, beneficiaries on Medicare Advantage can make the following changes to their plan:

·        Change to Original Medicare and disenroll from Medicare Advantage;

·        Switch Medicare Advantage plans;

·        If you change to Original Medicare from Medicare Advantage, you can also enroll for Part D prescription coverage;

It is important to note that during the Medicare Advantage open enrollment, you can only make one plan change.

Apart from the January 1st to March 31^stMedicare Advantage open enrollment period, you can also make changes to your Medicare Advantage plan during the October 15^th to December 7^th Medicare open enrollment period.

It is also possible to make changes to your Medicare Advantage plan during the first year of your Medicare Advantage coverage which is referred to as the trial period.

How to change your Medicare plan if you miss Open Enrollment?

Medicare Open Enrollment periods allow beneficiaries to make changes to their Medicare plans. However, in some instances, you may miss the Open Enrollment period. While it is not impossible to change your plan outside of the yearly open enrollment periods, you will need to meet specific criteria to qualify for Medicare special enrollment.

Some of the circumstances that may qualify you to enroll or change your plan after the Open Enrollment period include:

·        Moving outside the coverage area of your current Medicare plan.

·        You become eligible for Medicaid or are no longer eligible.

·        You qualify for Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug expenses.

·        You are receiving care in a long-term care facility or skilled nursing home.

·        You want to switch to a Medicare plan with a 5-star quality rating.

·        Your plan is losing or ending its contract with Medicare.

·        You are no longer covered by an employer’s or union health plan.

·        You just got out of jail.

·        You moved back to the United States after living abroad.