MEDICARE OPEN ENROLLMENT 2018

While private health insurance markets seem uncertain, Medicare open enrollment has been left unchanged, and Open Enrollment will be just the same as it has been in recent years. It’s important to keep in mind that you cannot enroll in a Medicare plan on the healthcare marketplace at healthcare.gov. The marketplace is only for private health insurance plans and Medicare recipients do not need to register.

The Open Enrollment period for Medicare recipients is October 15 through December 7^th, 2017 and any policy updates will go into effect on January 1^st, 2018.

What Is Medicare Open Enrollment For?

 Open Enrollment will allow Medicare recipients to make changes to their current coverages and drugs plans. Some reasons options you have are:

• Switching to Medicare Advantage from Original Medicare.
• Switching back to Original Medicare from a Medicare Advantage plan.
• Change to a different Medicare Advantage plan.
• Change Part D prescription drug plans, apply for a drug plan if you don’t have one now, or drop drug coverage altogether.

New to Medicare?

If you are turning 65 soon, you’ll soon be eligible to enroll in Medicare. The government gives you three months before your birth month, and three months after your birth month to sign up for Medicare. For instance, if you are turning 65 this fall, you would need to enroll for health insurance coverage that will take you through the end of this year and then sign up for Medicare at the beginning of 2018 to avoid a lapse in coverage.

If you have coverage under a health insurance policy either through the ACA exchange, your employer or an individual health plan, you can keep your current plan until your Medicare kicks in and then cancel without any penalty.

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