Medicare’s fall Open Enrollment begins in just 15 days on October 15th. Officially referred to as the Annual Election Period (AEP), this is the time when you can change how you receive your Medicare coverage by either joining a Medicare Advantage plan or returning to Original fee-for-service Medicare, and/or joining, switching or disenrolling from a Part D prescription drug plan. This is different from the Affordable Care Acts’ open enrollment period on the Marketplace which is from Oct 1, 2013 through March 31, 2014. Medicare beneficiaries do not need to buy coverage in the Marketplace as they are considered already covered. (See the National Council on Aging’s article, What the Health Insurance Marketplace Means for Seniors.) For more information about your options during the AEP, see our webpage on the Annual Election Period.
Below are also some important dates to remember this fall…
| Sep 16-30 | Centers for Medicare & Medicaid mails Medicare & You handbook |
| Sep 30 | Plans send Annual Notice of Coverage/Evidence of Coverage |
| Oct 1 | Marketing of Medicare Advantage and Part D plans may begin |
| Oct 2 | Beneficiaries of non-renewing plans must receive notice |
| Oct 8 | Plan star ratings go “live” on Medicare.gov |
| Oct 15–Dec 7 | Annual Election Period (Open Enrollment) |
| Dec 8-Feb 28 | Special Election Period for beneficiaries in non-renewing plans |
| Dec 8-Nov 30 | Special Election for 5-star plans |
| Jan 1-Feb 14 | Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period |
| Jan 1-Mar 31 | General Enrollment Period (Medicare Parts A & B) |
