When can I change my Medicare plan?

It’s entirely normal and very human for your health care needs tochange over time, so it also stands that you may need to change Medicare plans at some point toensure you’re receiving the coverage that best suits your specific needs. It can really pay to review your package yearly and decide whether it’s still right for you based upon coverage, convenience, and cost. And if you doneed to make a change, it is all fairlystraightforward as long as you know when and how to do it!

If you want to change Medicare Plans for 2019, there are 3 main times to do so:

1. Open Enrollment Period

The best time to switch Medicare plans is during the Annual Election Period,aka Open Enrollment Period, which runs from October 15, 2018, to December 7, 2018. At this time, you can change your Medicare plan in the following ways:

• From Original Medicare Parts A and B, to a Medicare Advantage plan.
• From a Medicare Advantage plan back to Original Medicare Parts A and B.
• From one Medicare Advantage plan to another.
• From a Medicare Advantage plan that does not offer drug coverage to one that does.
• From a Medicare Advantage plan that offers drug coverage to one that does not.
• From one Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (Part D) to another.

When you change plans during thisperiod, your new coverage begins on January 1,2019.

2. Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period

If you’re enrolled in Medicare Advantage and wish to switch back to Original Medicare Parts A and B, you can also do so during the Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period, which runs from January 1 to February 14. You have until February 14 to join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (Part D), and your coverage will go into effect on the first day of the month after your new plan receives your enrollment.

3. Special Election Period

If you happen to be dealing with any number of unexpected circumstances that life sometimes throws our way, Medicare understands that sticking to specific dates does not always cut it, which is where Special Election Periodscome in.

These events may include:

• Moving to a new address;
• Losing your current coverage;
• Qualifying for other coverage such as Medicaid, Employer Group Coverage,ora State Pharmaceutical Assistance Program;
• Becoming qualified for Medicare Part D coverage assistancevia the Social Security Administration.

When your Special Election Period starts and ends depends on your situation.

Contact the knowledgeable professionals at MedicareHealthInsuranceFacts.com at (877) 829-1109 for more information on how and when to change your Medicare plan!