Medicare Open Enrollment

The annual Fall Medicare Open Enrollment Period (also called Annual Enrollment Period, or AEP) is October 15 - December 7.

During this time, people with Medicare can make changes to their Medicare Advantage plans and prescription drug coverage for the following year.

When can I enroll in a Medicare Advantage or prescription drug plan?

When you are first eligible for Medicare, you may decide to receive your Medicare coverage through a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C), or you may choose to add Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D) to Original Medicare (Parts A and B) or a Medicare Advantage plan that doesn’t offer prescription drug coverage.

After you sign up for Medicare Advantage or a Prescription Drug Plan, you can review and adjust your coverage every fall — during open enrollment.

You can also compare Part D plans available where you live and enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan online in as little as 10 minutes when you visit MyRxPlans.com.¹

What is the Medicare Open Enrollment Period?

Each year, there are changes made to Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans that affect cost, coverage and what doctors and pharmacies are in your plan’s network.

If you currently have a plan, you should expect to receive materials notifying you of any changes being made for the next year.

Review your plan and make sure it still meets your needs. If it does not — or you find another plan for a better price — you can switch your plan during open enrollment.

There are two different periods you’ll want to mark on your calendar:

1. Open enrollment for Medicare Advantage (Part C) and Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D) is from October 15 - December 7.
   
   
2. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, which runs from January 1 - March 31.

What changes can you make during your Fall Medicare Open Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 - Dec. 7)?

1. Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan
   
   
2. Drop your Medicare Advantage plan and switch to Original Medicare
   
   
3. Change Medicare Advantage plans — this may include plans that offer prescription drug coverage and those that do not
   
   
4. Sign up for a standalone Prescription Drug Plan to use with Original Medicare
   
   
5. Switch Prescription Drug Plans
   
   
6. Drop your Prescription Drug plan altogether

What changes can you make during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (Jan. 1 - Mar. 31)?

1. Switch Medicare Advantage plans
   
   
2. Drop your Medicare Advantage plan and switch to Original Medicare
   
   
3. Add a standalone Prescription Drug Plan if you decide to switch to Original Medicare during this period

Even if you’re satisfied with your coverage

Reviewing your coverage and shopping around each year could lower your premiums and out-of-pocket costs. Contact a licensed insurance agent to find available plans in your state and compare them based on your unique health care needs.

Call a licensed agent to enroll or make changes

To enroll in a new Medicare Advantage plan or prescription drug plan — or to make changes to your coverage during open enrollment — call to speak with a licensed insurance agent today.

Or call 1-800-557-6059 1-800-557-6059 TTY Users: 711 to speak with a licensed insurance agent. We accept calls 24/7!

About the author

Christian Worstell is a licensed insurance agent and a Senior Staff Writer for MedicareAdvantage.com. He is passionate about helping people navigate the complexities of Medicare and understand their coverage options.

His work has been featured in outlets such as Vox, MSN, and The Washington Post, and he is a frequent contributor to health care and finance blogs.

Christian is a graduate of Shippensburg University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He currently lives in Raleigh, NC.

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