Speak with a licensed insurance agent
Enrollment may be limited to certain times of the year. If you are new to Medicare, recently moved or lost coverage, you may be able to enroll today.
More than 1.9 million
People are enrolled in a Kaiser Permanente Medicare health plan.2
In many instances, signing up for a health insurance plan may only be done during an enrollment period. Below we break down the different enrollment periods for various types of insurance plans, including Medicare health plans, Marketplace plans and more.
Enrollment periods for Medicare health plans
Medicare beneficiaries have three main enrollment periods to sign up for a Medicare Advantage health plan. Medicare Advantage health plans offer all of the same coverage as Original Medicare while typically providing some additional benefits that are not found in Original Medicare. Medicare Advantage health plans are the only type of Medicare health plan coverage sold by Kaiser Permanente.
The first opportunity is an Initial Enrollment Period (IEP), which begins three months before you turn 65 years old and ends three months after your birthday month.
The next opportunity most people will have to sign up for a Medicare Advantage health plan is during the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) that takes place each fall from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7.
A third opportunity to enroll in a Medicare Advantage health plan is during a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). A Special Enrollment Period may be granted throughout the year for people who move to a new area, lose their workplace benefits or experience some other type of qualifying event.
It should be noted that Kaiser Permanente does not have its own open enrollment periods for Medicare Advantage health plans. All carriers who sell Medicare Advantage health plans are subject to the same standard set of enrollment periods set forth by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Enrollment periods for Obamacare Marketplace plans
Marketplace plans, often referred to as “Obamacare,” are designed for people who are not eligible for Medicare or Medicaid and either do not receive health insurance through their employer or choose not to utilize those benefits.
Marketplace health insurance plans are open for enrollment between Nov. 1 and Jan. 15. That enrollment period pertains to Kaiser Permanente and all other insurance carriers offering health plans through the Marketplace, or “Exchange.”
If you enroll by Dec. 15, your coverage will begin on Jan. 1. If you enroll after Dec. 15, your coverage will begin Feb. 1.
You may also enroll in individual or family health insurance plans directly through Kaiser Permanente.
Enrollment periods for Medicaid health plans
Medicaid provides health insurance to low-income families and individuals. The program is made possible by a joint effort from state and federal governments and private insurance companies like Kaiser Permanente.
Unlike most other types of health insurance, there is no open enrollment period for Medicaid. Medicaid enrollment is year-round and you are eligible to apply whenever your level of income and assets meet your state’s requirements.
Kaiser Permanente also sells Dual-eligible Special Needs Plans in select states. A Dual-eligible Special Needs Plan, or D-SNP, is a type of Medicare Advantage health plan that is specifically designed for people who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid.
You may visit the Kaiser Permanente Medicaid page for more information about coverage in your area. You may also contact a licensed insurance agent about any Kaiser Permanente D-SNP plans that may be available where you live.
Enrollment periods for Kaiser Permanente employer-based health plans
Kaiser Permanente partners with many companies to provide employer-based health insurance plans. New employees are typically granted an enrollment opportunity within 90 days of being hired while current employees are given an annual enrollment period to make changes to their coverage. The enrollment periods for both new and retained employees will vary from one company to another, and employees may also be given an enrollment opportunity following a qualifying life event such as getting married or having a child.
Employees should consult with their hiring manager or human resources department about enrolling in company health insurance.
Every minute we help someone compare their Medicare Advantage plan options.3
