MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT

HAS STARTED

WHAT IS MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT?

Medicare open enrollment refers to the enrollment window that takes place each fall, during which Medicare plan enrollees can reevaluate their existing Medicare coverage — whether it’s Original Medicare with supplemental drug coverage, or Medicare Advantage — and make changes if they want to do so. Plans change every year making “window shopping” important for seniors to evaluate which plan best suits their existing needs!

KEY DATES

NOVEMBER 15, 2024

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Open Enrollment starts for 2025 plans.

DECEMBER 7, 2024

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Enroll by this date for coverage that starts January 1, 2025. You can change your mind and pick a different plan up till the December 7th deadline. There is no limit on the number of plan changes you can make during the open enrollment period.

JANUARY 1, 2024

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Medicare plans take effect.

Extended enrollment opportunities are available to some people in areas where FEMA declares an emergency or major disaster that hampers their ability to complete their signup during the normal window. For people in Hurricane Helene or Hurricane Milton disaster areas who are unable to complete their plan selection for 2025 by December 7, 2024, additional time will be allowed, continuing for two months after the end date that FEMA sets for the disaster incident.

PLAN CHANGES YOU CAN MAKE DURING THE MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD

During the Medicare open enrollment period – if you’re already enrolled in Medicare– you can:

Switch from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage (as long as you’re enrolled in both Medicare Part A and Part B, and you live in the Medicare Advantage plan’s service area).
Switch from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare (plus a Medicare Part D plan (PDP), and possibly a Medigap plan, although medical underwriting might be required for Medigap, depending on the state and the person’s circumstances).
Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another.
Switch from one Medicare Part D prescription drug plan (PDP) to another.
Enroll in a Medicare Part D plan if you didn’t enroll when you were first eligible for Medicare. If you haven’t maintained other creditable coverage, a late-enrollment penalty may apply.

If you are not already enrolled in Medicare, but are eligible to enroll in Medicare Part A and/or Medicare Part B, you have the opportunity to enroll during the General Enrollment Period which runs from January 1 - March 31, 2025 or during the Initial Enrollment Period (up to 3 months after you become eligible for Medicare).

ARE YOU READY TO ENROLL?

Visit medicare.gov now for your health plan or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227); TTY: 1-877-486-2048

Explore your Medicare coverage options HERE.

Important updates to consider as you shop for a plan

The Inflation Reduction Act provides meaningful financial relief for millions of people with Medicare including expanded benefits, lower drug costs, stable prescription drug premiums, and strengthening Medicare programs. You can read below the changes to Medicare plans:

Medicare Part D improvements:
- Insulin available at $35/month per covered prescription
- Access to recommended adult vaccines without cost-sharing
- A yearly $2000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs in Medicare
- Enrollees no longer pay 5% co-insurance when they reach the catastrophic phase of their benefit
- Expansion of the low-income subsidy program (LIS or “Extra Help”) under Medicare Part D to 150% of the federal poverty level starting in 2024
- People with Medicare Part D will have the option to have their drug costs spread out over the full year in equal monthly payments, instead of having to meet their out-of-pocket limit early in the year

Medicare drug price negotiation ( the first 10 negotiated drug prices go into effect for Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage in 2026)

Inflation rebates in Medicare

Medicare Part B improvements:
- Improve access to high quality, affordable biosimilars
- $35/month cost-sharing cap on insulin used in durable medical equipment pumps
- Medicare inflation rebates

Information for Disaster Victims

If you live in an area where an emergency or disaster has been declared by a federal, state, or local government, and that disaster or emergency kept you from signing up or switching or dropping plans during another qualifying enrollment period:

For Original Medicare: You might have a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) to sign up for Part B and/or premium paid Part A.

For a Medicare drug plan or Medicare Advantage Plan: You might have a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) to join, switch, or drop your plan.

To make enrollment changes, call the plan or 1-800-MEDICARE. To qualify for this Special Enrollment Period, try to have paperwork that shows that you live in an affected area (like a driver’s license, utility bills, etc.).

View emergency disaster declaration areas HERE or visit Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or call 1-800-621-FEMA (1-800-621-3362) for a list of impacted areas. TTY users can call 1-800-462-7585.

Translated Resources

(courtesy of CMS and the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging)

Medicare Open Enrollment fact sheet (English)

Medicare Open Enrollment post card (English)

中文 | Chinese (PDF)
한국인 | Korean (PDF)
Tiếng Việt | Vietnamese (PDF)

Changes to Medicare in 2025 (English)

2025年Medicare变更 (中文/ Simplified Chinese)

Những Thay Đổi Medicare 2025 (Tiếng Việt/ Vietnamese)
2025년도 Medicare 변경 사항 (한국인/ Korean)

If you have additional questions about Medicare, Medicaid, Affordable Care Act Health Insurance Marketplace, Social Security Retirement Benefit, Supplemental Security Income, Medicare Savings program, food/home energy assistance, or COVID/Flu vaccination, call NAPCA Senior Assistance Center.