New to Medicare?

If you recently became eligible for Medicare, through age or disability, you generally have the option to apply for coverage in a Medicare Advantage plan close to the date when your Medicare Part A and Part B coverage starts.

Your Medicare Advantage plan cannot start before both your Part A and Part B coverage begins. However, you generally have a period of seven months to apply for coverage in a Medicare Advantage plan.

This means you can apply for coverage in a Medicare Advantage plan three months before, the month of, or within three months after your Medicare Part A and Part B coverage starts. You must be enrolled in Medicare Part A and in Medicare Part B. This period is known as the Initial Coverage Election Period (ICEP).

Already enrolled in Medicare?

If you did not recently become eligible for Medicare, your enrollment options are different and may be limited to certain times during the year.

During this time, you may change or enroll in a Medicare Advantage (MA), Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MAPD), or prescription drug plan (PDP), or return to Original Medicare. Changes you make during this period will take effect on January 1 of the following year.

If you enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MAPD) plan, you may switch plans or return to Original Medicare during this time. You can change plans only one time during this enrollment period.

During this time you cannot change your Medicare Advantage (MA), Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MAPD), or Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) unless a special situation comes up which may allow you to qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP).

In certain situations, you may be able to join, switch, or leave a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan, Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MAPD) plan, or a prescription drug plan (PDP) during a Special Enrollment Period (SEP).

Some examples of special enrollment situations are:

• Your current plan is not renewing its contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
• You recently moved outside of the plan coverage area.
• You have Medicare and Medicaid.
• You are disenrolling from an Employer’s or Union’s health coverage.
• You want to enroll in a plan that received a 5-star rating from Medicare for that plan year.
• You enter, reside in, or leave a long-term care facility.
• You qualify for Extra Help.
• You involuntarily lost creditable prescription drug coverage.
• Other exceptional conditions may exist, as determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS).