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Open Enrollment Period
Medicare Advantage Plans

What is Open Enrollment?

You can change your health care coverage once per year. This may mean changing from basic Medicare with Part A, B and D to a Medicare Advantage Plan (MAPD), or changing from one MAPD to another. This period is called open enrollment.

When can I join a Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan available in my area?

If you are eligible for a Medicare Advantage Plan, you can also join or switch Medicare Advantage Plans from January 1 to March 31 of any year, but you can't join or drop Medicare prescription drug coverage during this time. For instance, if you are in a Medicare Advantage Plan with prescription drug coverage, you could return to the Original Medicare Plan, but you'd have to also join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan at the same time. If you have questions about whether or not you can join or switch Medicare plans, call1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.

Special Note for Joining Medicare Prescription Drug Plans:

If you have Medicare and didn't join a Medicare drug plan by May 15, 2009, you most likely will have to pay a higher premium that includes a penalty, unless you have had continuous creditable prescription drug coverage. You will have to pay this penalty as long as you have Medicare prescription drug coverage. If you didn't join in 2008 for coverage in 2009, you can't join until November 15 - December 31 of 2009, and your coverage won't start until January 1, 2010.