Medicare Open Enrollment Starts Today (October 15)

If you are already enrolled in Medicare and you would like to switch your plan, you have from October 15 through December 7 to do so.

During this time period you can sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan (Part C), Medicare prescription coverage (Part D), or you can change any existing coverage you may have.

Other things you can do during this open enrollment period include:

• Change from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan.
• Change from a Medicare Advantage Plan back to Original Medicare.
• Switch from one Medicare Advantage Plan to another Medicare Advantage Plan.
• Switch from a Medicare Advantage Plan that doesn’t offer drug coverage to a Medicare Advantage Plan that offers
• drug coverage.
• Switch from a Medicare Advantage Plan that offers drug coverage to a Medicare Advantage Plan that doesn’t offer
• drug coverage.
• Join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
• Switch from one Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to another Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
• Drop your Medicare prescription drug coverage completely.

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The open enrollment period is only for people who are already enrolled in Medicare and would like to make changes to their existing plans.

If you are just turning 65 or just now qualifying for Medicare for some reason, then your initial enrollment period is the 7-month period that begins 3 months before you turn 65 and ends 3 months after the month you turn 65.  It is a good idea to sign up as soon as that window starts to avoid your coverage being delayed.

To learn more about what you can do during open enrollment, please visit https://www.medicare.gov/Publications/Pubs/pdf/11219.pdf.