Medicare

Your Initial Enrollment Period generally lasts seven months. It begins three months before the month you turn 65, includes your birthday month, and ends three months after it. We recommend reviewing your Medicare options before your Initial Enrollment Period begins so you have time to understand your choices and enroll on time.

A Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan works alongside Original Medicare and helps pay certain out-of-pocket costs, such as deductibles and coinsurance. With a Medigap plan, you can generally see any provider that accepts Medicare.

A Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan is offered by a private insurance company and provides your Medicare Part A and Part B benefits through the plan. Medicare Advantage plans typically use provider networks and may include additional benefits not covered by Original Medicare.

Your Medigap Open Enrollment Period begins when you are 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B. It lasts for six months. During this period, you generally have important protections that allow you to buy a Medigap policy without medical underwriting.

After your Medigap Open Enrollment Period ends, you may have to answer health questions or meet other underwriting requirements, depending on your circumstances and the plan you choose. Certain situations may give you additional rights to buy a Medigap policy.

If you have Original Medicare and want prescription drug coverage, you can enroll in a Medicare Part D plan. You may also have creditable prescription drug coverage through another source, such as an employer or union plan.

If you go without Part D or other creditable prescription drug coverage for 63 days or more after becoming eligible, you may owe a late enrollment penalty if you enroll in Part D later. The penalty generally continues for as long as you have Part D coverage.

Yes. During Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period, October 15 through December 7, you can make certain changes to your Medicare Advantage and Part D coverage. Changes generally take effect January 1.

We recommend reviewing your coverage each year because premiums, benefits, prescription drug formularies, provider networks, and plan availability can change from year to year.