What to Do if You Missed the Medicare Annual Election Period

Posted by Melissa Hanes
Estimated Reading Time 1 minute 10 seconds

Hopefully, you took advantage of the opportunity to investigate your coverage options during the Medicare Annual Election Period, from October 15 to December 7. But if you got busy and missed your chance to make changes to your Medicare plan, don’t despair. You might have other options available to you.

Participate in the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period. From January 1 to March 31, those enrolled in any Medicare Advantage plan have a second opportunity to make necessary changes. If you’re enrolled in an Advantage plan, during this time you can

• Switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan
• Drop Medicare Advantage and go back to regular Medicare Parts A and B
• Add a Part D (prescription) plan if you do return to Original Medicare

Unfortunately, this open enrollment window only applies to those already enrolled in Medicare Advantage. If you’re enrolled in Original Medicare, you only have one other option to make changes at this time.

See if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. A number of different changes to your life circumstances can qualify you for a Special Enrollment Period at any point during the year, and then you can make changes to your Medicare plan. One of the most common situations is a move to a new area, or if you move into or out of a nursing home. A diagnosis of some medical conditions can qualify you for enrollment into a Special Needs Plan.

The best way to determine whether you might qualify for a Special Enrollment Period is to simply call one of our brokers. We can ask a few questions to learn more about your situation, and then help you evaluate the options available to you.