New Medicare Enrollment period for 2011

With the beginning of the Fall Season comes the ramp up to the Open Enrollment for Medicare, but this year there are some changes that beneficiaries should be made aware of.

Traditionally, the Open Enrollment Period for Medicare Advantage AND Medicare prescription drug coverage could only be done between November 15 & December 31 but for this year and going forward the enrollment period has been changed to October 15 through December 7.

During this period a Medicare eligible individual can;

•  Change from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan.
•  Change from a Medicare Advantage Plan back to Original Medicare.
•  Switch from one Medicare Advantage Plan to another Medicare Advantage Plan.
•  Switch from a Medicare Advantage Plan that doesn’t offer drug coverage to a Medicare Advantage Plan that offers drug coverage.
•  Switch from a Medicare Advantage Plan that offers drug coverage to a Medicare Advantage Plan that doesn’t offer drug coverage.
•  Join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
•  Switch from one Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to another Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
•  Drop your Medicare prescription drug coverage completely

This happens to busiest time for a Health Care Insurers and a period where Seniors start to get bombarded with marketing materials for the different types of plans; MediGap Plans, Medicare Part D Plans and Medicare Advantage Plans.

For help on selecting which plan is best please contact Medicare directly at 1-800-MEDICARE