Medicare Advantage Enrollment Periods

Annual Election Period: October 15 - December 7 (effective Jan 1)

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period: January 1 - March 31 (one time only)

Special Enrollment Period: special circumstances (ie losing employer coverage)

Examples

Annual Election Period

October 15–December 7  (Changes will take effect on
January 1.)
➢ 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.

 

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period

January 1–March 31
(You can only make one change during this period.
Changes will take effect the first of the month after the
plan gets your request.)
➢ If you’re in a Medicare Advantage Plan (with or
without drug coverage), switch to another
Medicare Advantage Plan (with or without drug
coverage).
➢ Disenroll from your Medicare Advantage Plan and
return to Original Medicare. If you choose to do
so, you’ll be able to join a Medicare Prescription
Drug Plan.
➢ If you enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan
during your Initial Enrollment Period, change to
another Medicare Advantage Plan (with or without
drug coverage) or go back to Original Medicare
(with or without a Medicare Prescription Drug
Plan) within the first 3 months you have Medicare.

You can’t...
➢ Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare
Advantage Plan.
➢ Join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan if you’re in
Original Medicare.
➢ Switch from one Medicare Prescription Drug Plan
to another if you’re in Original Medicare.