Medicare’s Open Enrollment is almost over! It ends on Monday December 7. Also referred to as the Annual Election Period (AEP), this is an important time to closely evaluate your current health coverage and whether it is still a good fit for 2021. If not, you can switch health plans, return to Original Medicare or join a health plan if you are already in Original Medicare.
Options for coverage abound and knowing your options and how to compare them are important for making a good choice. Here are some resources to make the most of the AEP’s final days:
- Read our page on the AEP. It gives the details on what you can do during the AEP, has links and resources for information on health care options and your rights, and lists frequently asked questions on the topic.
- Contact your local Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) to review your current plan and plans (Medicare Advantage plans, Part D prescription drug plans and Medigap plans) in your area. As the AEP ends Monday, you’ll need to get a same-day appointment. If they are booked, you can make an appointment for January.
- Review our Part D plan comparison charts (PDFs): Part D stand-alone prescription drug plans and Part D benchmark plans (for people receiving the Extra Help, aka the low-income subsidy (LIS)).
- Visit Medicare.gov to compare health and drug plans, compare Medigap policies, find out which plans cover the drugs you’re taking with Medicare’s Formulary Finder, and to enroll in a health or drug plan.
If come January, you are unsatisfied with your health coverage choice, you may have some options to make a change. People enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan have the opportunity to switch plans or return to Original Medicare and get a Part D plan during the first 3 months of the year in the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period. You can also review the available Special Election Periods (SEP), including a SEP for COVID-19 pandemic related challenges, to see if you qualify for an opportunity to change coverage. Call your local HICAP for more information and/or to schedule an appointment for assistance.
