Medicare Open Enrollment Period: What You Need to Know Before You Signup

The Medicare open enrollment cycle for existing beneficiaries occurs annually during the last six weeks of the year (November 15th through December 31st). The changes made during this time period will go into effect January 10th of the New Year.

During this time period, Medicare beneficiaries have the choice to go with traditional Medicare only, a Medicare supplement insurance plan or to sign up for a Medicare prescription drug plan.

After the beneficiary has made a decision, he or she has until March 31st to switch plans. If not change his made before this date, the plan will remain intact until the following year's open enrollment season.

Users have the ability to keep their existing Medicare Advantage plans by doing nothing. To make changes, users can enroll at Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE.
What should you do before making a decision?

First off, be sure to review your current health and prescription drug plans. The costs for plans will change annually so you need to know your current benefits and pricing. You can then compare your existing Medicare plan with other ones to see if you can find a better choice. If you want to keep the existing plan, you do not have to do anything. It will rollover at the end of the open enrollment period.

If you decide to make a change to your health insurance plans, it is best to do it as soon as possible. This will help you avoid any confusion at your local pharmacy when the new plans go into effect in January.

When you have chosen the new plan (if you do), you should join with one of the following methods:

Sign Up with a Paper Medicare Application: The company that is handing your plan will have an application. You can fill it out and send it back by mail, fax or possibly email.

Visit the Plan Website: Find the website for the plan you have chosen and complete an online application.

Go to the Medicare Website: There are many drug plans available on the official Medicare website. There is a chance though that the plan you have chosen will not be available here so you may have to use another application choice.

You Can Call the Company Directly: If you have the phone number for the Medicare drug plan company you can normally call and enroll by phone.

Call Medicare: As a final resort, you can call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE and enroll by phone. This is by far the most difficult and time-consuming option and should be kept as a last resort.

What Information is needed to join a Medicare Drug Plan?

If you are ready to join, you will need the following items to complete your enrollment:

• Your personal information (full name, address, date of birth, etc.)
• The information on your Medicare Card
• The premium payment option
• Any other insurance information.
• Your social security number (optional)
• Your Email address (optional)
• A Name and Phone Number for an Emergency Contact
• The contact information for the nursing home or assisted living facility you reside in (if applicable)

Once you have completed the Medicare open enrollment application process, you will receive a packet of information from the company you have enrolled with. The materials they send will include a membership card, a handbook, a list of covered prescription drugs, a directory of approved pharmacies, the appeal or complaint procedure instructions and other related details of the plan.

In closing, it is important to devote some time each fall to finding the best Medicare health insurance plan for you and your significant other. No matter your ultimate choice, it is important that you compare all your options before making a final decision.

Filed under: General-Medicare

Tags: medicare advantage enrollment, medicare drug plan enrollment, medicare enrollment, medicare open enrollment, medicare supplement plan enrollment