Whether you forgot to do your research or already selected a plan and now decided it’s not going to work for you, you may still be in luck to make plan changes. If you missed the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period, which runs from October 15^th to December 7^th, you may still have an opportunity to change your plan during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period if you are not happy with it.

Many people do not know about this election period, but the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA OEP) runs from January 1^st-March 31^st of each year. This is a special enrollment period designed only for Medicare beneficiaries who are already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan- regardless of whether their plan includes drug coverage or not.

During the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, beneficiaries are allowed to make a one-time to their coverage if they are dissatisfied with their current Medicare Advantage plan.

You may use this election period to change your Medicare Advantage plan to another Medicare Advantage plan with or without drug coverage; OR You may drop your plan completely and go back to Original Medicare. If you drop your plan, you will be able to pick up a stand-alone prescription drug plan.

Additionally, choosing to drop your Medicare Advantage Plan during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period will not guarantee your acceptance into a Medicare Supplement Plan. If you wish to pick up a Supplement plan to replace your Advantage plan, be sure to speak with a licensed agent who can help you through the process. In most cases, you will have to go through Medical Underwriting before your application for Supplemental coverage is considered.

If you choose to make a change during this time, your new coverage will start on the first of the following month. Remember, this is a one-time change available only to those who are currently a member of a Medicare Advantage plan and are unhappy with it.

For help with Medicare Advantage plans – or any questions you may have about Medicare – contact AMAC’s Medicare Advisory Service at 1-855-611-4856 or request a quote below!

(Please note that we do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.)