What is the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period?
Published: 03.21.2024
What is the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period?
The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA OEP) runs each year from January 1 to March 31. This is the time when existing Medicare Advantage plan members can:- Switch to another Medicare Advantage Plan with or without drug coverage.
- Drop your Medicare Advantage Plan and return to Original Medicare. You’ll also be able to join a separate Medicare Drug Plan (Part D).
MA OEP Regulations and Reminders:
- Medicare Beneficiaries may only change plans once during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period.
- Eligibility to use the MA OEP is only available to those beneficiaries already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage (MA) Plan; additionally, the ability to make changes to Part D coverage is limited to individuals who are already enrolled in an MA or Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MAPD) plan.
- Medicare Medical Savings Account (MSA) enrollees may not use the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period to disenroll from the MSA.
- As a reminder, marketing representatives may not engage in targeted marketing related to the OEP—for example, marketing that mentions the OEP or that targets individuals known to be MA enrollees.
What is the difference between Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment and Medicare Annual Enrollment?
The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period is only for people who are currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. On the other hand, Medicare Annual Enrollment, also known as Medicare AEP, is when anyone who has Medicare can make coverage changes for the year.Both enrollment periods take place each year. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs from January 1 to March 31, while the Medicare Annual Enrollment Periods runs from October 15 – December 7.
Questions about Medicare?
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