Medicare Annual Open Enrollment Information
Each year from October 15th through December 7th, during Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period, Medicare beneficiaries have an opportunity to review and change their Medicare Part D Plan or Advantage Plan for the following year. For most people, this is the only time of the year they may be able to change plans. Changes made to plans for the coming year could mean that the costs and coverage could change.
The only way to find out if you can save money and to guarantee that the plan will offer you the coverage that you need is to review and compare your plan. There is help available.
September
Read your mail. In September, your current Medicare Prescription Drug Plan or Medicare Advantage Plan will send an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC). This notice will include plan changes in coverage, benefits, costs and service areas for the upcoming year. The ANOC would also inform you if the plan is not going to be offered for the following year. You should call the plan directly if you don’t receive this notice by the end of the month.
October 15th – December 7th
For most people, this is the only time of the year you can change your coverage. The only way to find out if you can save money is to review and compare your available plan options! See options below on how to compare plans.
Option 1: Compare compare plans online at www.medicare.gov To learn how to create a Medicare.gov account click here: Creating a Medicare Account
Option 2: Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) Open 24/7 during Open Enrollment.
Option 3: Contact a Benefit Specialist at the ADRC at 1-866-578-2372 to schedule an appointment for help with reviewing plan options. Please do not call before Oct 1st and please understand that in-person appointments are limited.
Option 4: Contact the Board on Aging and Long-Term Care Part D helpline (ages 60+) at (855) 677-2783 the Board on Aging and Long-Term Care Medigap helpline at (800) 242-1060 or the Disability Rights Wisconsin Part D helpline (ages 18-59) at (800) 926-4862.
If your current plan is offered for the following year and you want to keep your same plan, you do not need to do anything. If you decide to change plans for the following year, you need to enroll in the new plan by December 7th and January 1st is when changes take effect. It is not necessary for you to contact your current plan to inform them of the change; you will automatically be disenrolled from your old plan. You should start to receive mail and an ID card from the new plan by mid-December.
For reduced prescription drug premiums, deductibles and medication costs, call Social Security at 1-866-815-2927 to see if you may qualify for program called “Extra Help” Click here to learn more about these programs or to apply online.
Other Helpful Information
CMS Medicare & You: Understanding Your Medicare Choices: A video providing basic information for consumers about their Medicare options
Medicare Preventive Benefits
Medicare Savings Programs: Learn more about programs that can help Medicare beneficiaries save money
Medicare Yearly Wellness Visit
Wisconsin SHIP Information for Beneficiaries
Medicare Educational Video Series for People with Medicare in Wisconsin are available by request. Contact the ADRC for more information.
Additional Resources and Helpful websites:
www.ssa.gov
www.medicare.gov
www.access.wisconsin.gov