Change Part Plans

The Open Enrollment period for ALL Medicare beneficiaries to change an existing begins on November 15th of each year and runs through December 31st. During this time the beneficiary has the option to do nothing and remain in their existing Part D plan or they may change to another plan. If a new plan is selected, coverage will begin on January 1st of the new year.

If the beneficiary has special circumstances, he/she may change plans at ANY TIME during the year and AS MANY TIMES as they wish. Each change will take effect on the first day of the next month after the plan change. Those beneficiaries who may change at any time include anyone who:

• Resides in, enters or leaves a nursing home or other approved long term care facility
• Receives extra financial help in paying for prescription drugs (e.g. dually eligible)
• Permanently moves out of the current plan region (service area)
• Current plan stops offering prescription drug coverage for any reason

If the beneficiary has monthly premiums automatically deducted from their Social Security benefit, the plan change will automatically notify the previous plan to stop deducting premiums. During the transition period, two monthly premiums will be deducted for the first month.

To change plans, the beneficiary may either call the plan directly to enroll or they may enroll through Medicare.

Enrollment can be completed online through the Medicare Enrollment Center at:
http://www.medicare.gov/pdphome.asp

Or by calling Medicare at:
1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) / (TTY 1-877-486-2048)