Changing Plans

If you are already on a Medicare Advantage Plan and are unhappy with your plan benefits or the price of your premium, there are options available to you.

During the Annual Election Period (AEP), or during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment (OEP), you can:

• Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another
• Switch back to Original Medicare + enroll in a Prescription Drug Plan
• Join, drop or switch a Prescription Drug Plan (also known as Part D Plan)

*If you have been on a Medicare Advantage plan due to a disability and you are turning 65, these options are also available to you during your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP).

Under certain circumstances, you can qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) and enroll in a Medigap policy. Some examples that qualify you for Special Enrollment are:

• You have a Medicare Advantage Plan and the insurance company left your service area
• Your Medicare Advantage Plan has been discontinued or is leaving Medicare
• You have moved out of your Medicare Advantage Plan’s service area

If you lost your Medicare Advantage plan due to special circumstances, a Medigap plan may be an option for you for a limited time. Please contact us if you think you may qualify for Special Enrollment.

If you are still within your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP), you can now:

• Enroll in a Prescription Drug Plan (also known as a Part D Plan)
• Enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan (also known as a Part C Plan)

OR you can:

• Wait until the Annual Election Period (AEP) to switch to a Medicare Advantage Plan (also known as a Part C Plan)
• Enroll in a Medigap plan during the Medigap Open Enrollment Period

If you already have Medicare Part A and you are enrolled in Medicare Part B during the General Enrollment Period (GEP), you can:

• Sign up for a Medicare Advantage Plan (also known as a Part C Plan) between April 1 – June 30th (some exclusions apply)
• Add a Prescription Drug Plan (also known as a Part D Plan) Between April 1 – June 30th (though you may incur a financial penalty for not enrolling in your Part D plan during your Initial Enrollment Period).
• Enroll in a Medigap plan during the Medigap Open Enrollment Period

Under certain circumstances, you can qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) and enroll in a Medigap policy. Some examples that qualify you for Special Enrollment are:

• Your employer coverage is ending
• You have a Medicare SELECT plan and you move out of the of the SELECT plan service area

Please contact us if you think you may qualify for special circumstances to enroll in a Medigap policy. In many of these cases, you have a limited time frame for enrollment.

If you are unhappy with your plan benefits or the price of your premium, there are options available to you.

During the Annual Election Period (AEP)*, you can:

• Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan** (also known as a Part C or MA Plan)
• Switch to a different Prescription Drug Plan*** (also known as Part D Plan)
• Drop your Prescription Drug Plan completely (exclusions apply)

*If you have been on a Medicare plan due to a disability and you are turning 65, these options are also available to you during your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP).

**If you only have Medicare Part A, you must first enroll in Medicare Part B in order to be eligible for a Medicare Advantage Plan.

***If you qualify for Extra Help for your Prescription Drug Plan (also known as a Part D Plan), you can join, switch or drop your Prescription Drug Plan at any time.

During the Medigap Open Enrollment Period, you may enroll in a Medigap Plan.

If you are unhappy with your plan benefits, these options are available to you at any time:

• Join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage Plan (also known as a Plan C or MA Plan)
• Join, switch, or drop a Prescription Drug Plan (also known as a Part D Plan)

If you want to make changes to your Medigap coverage, the best time to do so is during the Medigap Open Enrollment Period. Anytime after this 6-month window, approval of a Medicare Supplement Plan may require underwriting. 

If you’re considering changing Medigap plans, you are entitled to a 30-day “free-look period” which works like a trial. During this 30-day period, you can try out a new Medigap plan, while keeping your current Medigap policy.

About the “Free Look Period”:

• In your application for the new Medigap plan, you must state that you will cancel your first policy after the period has ended.
• If you don’t like your new Medigap plan and are still in your free-look period, you can cancel the second policy and keep your first plan. (some exclusions apply)
• After 30 days, you can cancel your first Medigap plan if you decide to keep your new policy. (some exclusions apply)

We would like to help you make an informed decision regarding cancelling or changing your Medigap coverage. Consider our free consultation before you make any changes.