Important Medicare Dates
When can I join, switch, or drop a plan?
You can join, switch, or drop a Medicare health plan or a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) with or without drug coverage during these times:
- Initial Enrollment Period. When you first become eligible for Medicare, you can join a plan (see page 17).
- Open Enrollment Period. From October 15 – December 7 each year, you can join, switch, or drop a plan. Your coverage will begin on January 1 (as long as the plan gets your request by December 7).
- Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period. From January 1 – March 31 each year, if you’re enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan, you can switch to a different Medicare Advantage Plan or switch to Original Medicare (and join a separate Medicare drug plan) once during this time.
Why It's Important to Check if Your Doctors Are In Network When shopping for health insurance or Medicare coverage, it's easy to focus on monthly premiums and benefits, but one important detail is often overlooked: your provider network. Choosing a plan without confirming that your doctors, specialists, and hospitals are in-network could lead to unexpected costs and disruptions in your care. In this month's blog, we explain why checking your provider network before you enroll is so important and share simple steps to help you make a more confident coverage decision. Click here to read more!
