When Can I Change My Medicare Plan?
If your Medicare plan no longer fits your prescriptions, doctors, budget, or healthcare needs, you may be ready for a change. But Medicare generally does not allow you to switch plans whenever you want. The options available to you depend on the type of coverage you have and the enrollment period you qualify for.
Here are the primary times when you may be able to change your Medicare coverage.
Medicare Open Enrollment: October 15 through December 7
Medicare Open Enrollment—also called the Annual Enrollment Period—is the main opportunity to review and change Medicare coverage each year. Changes made during this period generally take effect January 1 of the following year.
During Medicare Open Enrollment, you may be able to:
Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another.
Move from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan.
Leave a Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare.
Join, switch, or drop a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.
Even if you are satisfied with your current plan, reviewing it each fall can be worthwhile. Plans can change their premiums, copays, provider networks, drug formularies, pharmacy arrangements, and extra benefits for the coming year. Your own prescriptions and healthcare needs may also have changed.
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: January 1 through March 31
This enrollment period is only for people who are already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. During this period, you may make one change:
Switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan; or
Leave Medicare Advantage, return to Original Medicare, and—if eligible—join a separate Part D plan.
You cannot use the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period to move from Original Medicare into Medicare Advantage. It also is not a general opportunity for someone with Original Medicare to change from one standalone Part D plan to another.
Special Enrollment Periods
Certain life events or changes in coverage may give you a Special Enrollment Period. The exact timing and choices depend on the event. Examples may include:
Moving outside your plan’s service area or to an area with new plan choices.
Losing employer or union coverage.
Moving into, living in, or leaving a qualifying institution.
Becoming eligible for Medicaid or Extra Help—or losing that eligibility.
Your plan ending its Medicare contract or making certain significant changes.
Special Enrollment Period rules can be very specific. Before assuming you qualify, verify the event, deadline, and effective date.
Your Initial Coverage Election Period
When you first become eligible for Medicare, you generally have an initial opportunity to enroll in a Medicare Advantage or prescription drug plan. This period is connected to when you first have Medicare Parts A and B, and the timing can vary if you delayed Medicare because you had qualifying employer coverage.
Do not confuse this with the one-time Medigap Open Enrollment Period. Your federal Medigap Open Enrollment Period lasts six months and begins the first month you have Medicare Part B and are age 65 or older. During that window, you generally have important federal protections when buying a Medicare Supplement policy.
Can I change my Medicare Supplement plan at any time?
You may apply for a different Medicare Supplement—or Medigap—policy at any time, but acceptance is not always guaranteed. Outside your Medigap Open Enrollment Period or another guaranteed-issue right, an insurer may use medical underwriting, charge more, or decline the application where permitted.
Never cancel an existing Medigap policy until the new policy has been approved and you understand when it becomes effective.
What should I review before changing plans?
A plan with a low premium is not automatically the best value. Before enrolling, review:
Whether your doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies participate.
Whether each prescription is covered and what it may cost.
Premiums, deductibles, copays, coinsurance, and annual maximum out-of-pocket limits.
Prior-authorization and referral requirements.
Dental, vision, hearing, transportation, fitness, and other extra benefits.
How the plan works when you travel or spend time outside Northwest Arkansas.
Get local help reviewing your Medicare options
Medicare enrollment periods can be confusing, and the right time to make a change depends on your current coverage and circumstances. Jared and Mandy Simms at Friendliest Agent help people in Bella Vista, Bentonville, and throughout Northwest Arkansas compare Medicare options and understand the tradeoffs.
Use the Schedule an Appointment button below to request a no-cost Medicare plan review. There is no obligation to enroll.
This article is for general educational purposes and is not legal or medical advice. Plan availability, benefits, provider networks, drug coverage, and eligibility rules vary. Friendliest Agent is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.
