HEALTHCARE
What to do if you miss the Medicare open enrollment deadline
Learn what to do if you miss the Medicare open enrollment deadline.
Since 1965, Medicare has provided healthcare to millions in the US who are sixty-five and older.
Medicare beneficiaries can change their health plans and drug coverage during a specific period each year. You can modify your coverage, costs, and choose which providers and pharmacies are in your network. This will help you get the best possible coverage and satisfaction. The open enrollment period for making these changes starts every year on October 15 and ends on December 7. Any changes you make during this period will take effect from January of the following year.
However, if you miss the deadline, you won’t be able to make any changes to your coverage until the next enrollment period. It is, therefore, important to keep track of the enrollment dates and make necessary changes within the given time frame.
What you should do if you miss Medicare open enrollment
If you missed the December 7 deadline to make changes to your Medicare plan or coverage, you’ll have to stick with your current plan for the entire year, until the next enrollment period begins on October 15. After that period ends, you’ll have limited opportunities to make changes to your coverage. For example, if you’re currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan and want to switch to another plan or return to Original Medicare, you’ll need to wait for the next open enrollment period for Medicare Advantage, which runs from January 1 to March 31.
If you qualify for a special enrollment period, you may be able to make changes to your coverage outside of these enrollment periods. To qualify for a special enrollment period, you must have experienced certain life events, such as moving to a new area or losing your existing coverage.
- Moving
- Losing coverage
- Opportunity to obtain other coverage
- Your plan changes its contract with Medicare
- Certain exceptional circumstances, such as being affected by a natural disaster or emergency, incarceration, employer or health plan error, loss of Medicaid coverage, or other circumstances beyond your control.
If you miss your chance to make changes during open enrollment, you can wait for the next period, October 15 to December 7, 2024, to learn about the changes you can make.
- Enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan.
- Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another (whether the plans include prescription drug coverage or not).
- Leave the Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare (Part A and Part B)
- Enroll in a stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.
- Switch from one stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan to another.
- Leave your stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.
If you do not wish to make any alterations to your Medicare enrollment, you may refrain from taking any action during this period. For additional information regarding Medicare, please visit the official website.