From October 15 to December 7 you can change your Medicare options during the annual open enrollment period.
During this time, you can join, drop, or switch to Medicare Advantage Plans or to Original Medicare.
Medicare Advantage plans, known as Part C, are a Medicare-approved health plan that is an alternative to Original Medicare. The Advantage plans are offered by private companies and they must follow Medicare rules.
Advantage plans cover Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance). Most include Part D (Medicare prescription drug coverage.)
Some Advantage plans offer additional benefits such as hearing, vision, dental or wellness programs.
While most Advantage plans require you to use a doctor in the network, they may have lower out-of-pocket costs than Original Medicare.
Also during Open Enrollment, you can add or drop drug coverage.
One thing people don't realize is that you can make as many plan changes as you want during Open Enrollment. If you make a mistake, you can choose a different plan before December 7.
Allyson Good curates senior living, health, and family content. She is formerly the Managing Editor of Active Life, a print newspaper published in 2016-2017 for seniors, choosing practical articles on health, money, safety, and everyday living for older readers. She is also an avid gardener and offers up Garden Hints and Tips on a regular basis.
