What To Do After Medicare's Open Enrollment Ends

Can I still change my Medicare Plan?

The 2011 Medicare Open Enrollment period ended on December 7, but there are still a few changes you can make, if you qualify.

For those with a Medicare Advantage Plan:

Between January 1 and February 14, you can leave your plan and switch to Original Medicare, but you cannot switch to another Medicare Advantage Plan.  Your Original Medicare coverage will begin the first day of the following month.  You may also add a supplement at this time or at any time during the year. Again, coverage will begin on the first day of the following month.  If you drop your Medicare Advantage plan during this period, you will be able to join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to add drug coverage.  Your prescription drug coverage will begin the first day of the month after your enrollment. 

For those with a Tufts Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (drug coverage only) in 2011:

If you did not select a different Medicare drug plan for 2012, then you are currently without drug coverage.  You have until the end of February to enroll in a new Part D drug plan for 2012, which will begin the first of the month after your enrollment.

For those with Prescription Advantage or getting “Extra Help” paying for prescription drugs:

You can change your plan anytime during the year.  Those with Prescription Advantage can do this only once each year.  Those with “Extra Help” can change every month.

Trained SHINE (Serving Health Information Needs of Elders) volunteers can help you. The SHINE program at Mystic Valley Elder Services offers free counseling services to Medicare beneficiaries in the communities of  Chelsea, Danvers, Everett, Lynn, Lynnfield, Malden, Marblehead, Medford, Melrose, Middleton, Nahant, North Reading, Peabody, Reading, Revere, Salem, Saugus, Stoneham, Swampscott, Wakefield and  Winthrop.  Call your senior center and ask for a SHINE appointment.  You can also call the SHINE office at Mystic Valley Elder Services at 781-324-7705 x 164, leave your name and number.  A volunteer will call you back, as soon as possible.