Open Enrollment Period

What is the Medicare Open Enrollment Period?

During the Medicare Open Enrollment Period (OEP), Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plan members can change, switch, or drop a plan they chose during the Annual Election Period. OEP starts on January 1 and ends on March 31.[mfn referencenumber=1]Medicare.gov, “Joining a health or drug plan“, Accessed September 25, 2021[/mfn]

[keytakeaways]

• The OEP allows Medicare Advantage plan and Medicare Part D members to make a change to their plan.
• Medicare Advantage members can switch plans, drop a plan, and switch to Medicare Part A and Part B during the OEP.
• Medicare Part D members can switch between or drop their prescription drug plans.
• The Open Enrollment Period for Medicare Advantage is not the same as the Annual Enrollment Period and General Enrollment Period.

[/keytakeaways]

Medicare Advantage plan members can switch between Advantage plans or drop Advantage for Medicare Part A and Part B, and optionally Part D. Medicare Part D members can change drug plans or drop them altogether.[mfn referencenumber=1]Medicare.gov, “Joining a health or drug plan“, Accessed September 25, 2021[/mfn]

The OEP is not the same thing as the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 to December 7), nor is it the same as the General Enrollment Period (January 1 to March 31). These enrollment periods have different purposes and different rules for Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D members.[mfn referencenumber=1]Medicare.gov, “Joining a health or drug plan“, Accessed September 25, 2021[/mfn]

The OEP allows Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D members to make a single plan change[mfn referencenumber=1]Medicare.gov, “Joining a health or drug plan“, Accessed September 25, 2021[/mfn]. If beneficiaries are dissatisfied with a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, or they unwittingly enrolled in a wrong plan during the fall Annual Enrollment Period, they are not stuck with it for a year. They may be able to take advantage of the OEP to shop around for a plan, but they can only make that change once.

The Open Enrollment Period is also not the same thing as the Medigap Open Enrollment Period. Beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B can add, switch, or cancel a Medigap policy at any time. If a beneficiary does not have guaranteed issue rights, medical underwriting may be required.