Finding Medicare coverage that meets your health care needs is a challenge. A common fear among seniors is that once you choose a Medicare plan, it’s not easy to switch insurance if you need to. Medicare offers seniors different ways to move to other types of coverage. Here is everything you need to know about switching Medicare plans.
Every year people on Medicare have the opportunity to switch Medicare plans during Fall Open Enrollment. It runs from October 15 to December 7. New plans, benefits, and other changes are added or made every year. To make sure seniors have the care that meets their health care needs and preferences, they can switch to a Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare.
This is also a time to join a separate Medicare Part D plan if coverage isn’t included in the current plan. Purchasing Medigap plans happen during this time too. But this depends on location and when Medicare enrollment occurred.
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment
Those who have signed up with a Medicare Advantage plan have another opportunity to change to a different plan or go to Original Medicare. This is a Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment period that goes from January 1 to March 31st. Switching plans is allowed only once during this time.
Switching Plans Due to Mistakes or Misleading Information
Medicare also has options for people who enrolled in Medicare Advantage by mistake or due to misleading information. During an enrollment period, someone may accidentally sign up for Medicare Advantage when they meant to sign up for a Part D plan or vice versa. Some seniors may be kept in an old plan due to an enrollment error or sign up for a plan after being told their doctor is in-network or a part of a different plan, but they aren’t.
The process of disenrolling depends on whether services have been used or not. If the answer is yes, request a retroactive disenrollment. Request a special enrollment period if services have not been used yet. It may be faster than the retroactive disenrollment process.
If you’re searching for Medicare coverage that fits your health care needs, visit the Medicare experts at MedicareInsurance-4Less.com Our agents will provide accurate and trusted information to help you find the right plan. Reach out to us today!
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