Medicare Missive...from the Beach 

So You Missed Open Enrollment!  Who Cares?

First off, breathe...You may not be as stuck as you think.

Open Enrollment is primarily for those with "Traditional Medicare", that is a Supplement plus a stand-alone Drug Plan.  It doesn't even apply to the Supplement!  

Open Enrollment ONLY applies to Drug Plans...both stand-alone and those embedded into an Advantage plan.  

Supplements have NO Open Enrollment period!!!

You read that correctly!  If you can medically qualify, you can change your Supplement plan whenever you choose, for an effective date the first of the following month.  No Open Enrollment deadlines apply.

Additionally, if any of the following "SEPs" (Special Enrollment Periods) apply you can change your plan now, in the future or whenever the SEP is in effect.

1. You have an Advantage Plan - Advantage Plans have their own Open Enrollment from January 1st - March 31st

2. You are new to Medicare

3. You (or spouse) is leaving their Group/Employer coverage

4. You moved

5. You have or lost Medicaid/MA Health

6. You were freed from incarceration

There are actually 40 or so SEPs including the ones above!

So if you need to make a change to your Medicare plans, don't assume that you can't or that you are stuck.  You may well be able to make a change to a plan that better suits your circumstances by providing better coverage, lower pricing/co-pays or both!

Please let me know how we can help!