Open enrollment for Medicare begins on October 15th and runs through December 7th, with any changes you make taking effect on January 1, 2015.
Medicare plans change annually, so a recipient should never assume that the plan they currently have will be the best available plan for you again next year. A user could save hundreds to thousands of dollars, by taking the time to review what plans are available for 2015, and how they might meet their anticipated health care and prescription coverage needs.
During this enrollment period, the following changes can be completed:
- Change from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan
- Change from a Medicare Advantage Plan back to Original Medicare.
- Switch from one Medicare Advantage Plan to another.
- Switch from a Medicare Advantage Plan that doesn’t offer drug coverage to one that does.
- Switch from a Medicare Advantage Plan that offers drug coverage to one that doesn’t.
- Join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
- Switch from one Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to another.
- Drop your Medicare prescription drug coverage completely.
For additional information or to review which plan will work best for you or a loved one, The Official U.S. Government Site for Medicare has a great tool to assist you through this process. Medicare Plan Finder provides a great way to review and select various plans. A great local resource, Michigan Medicare Assistance Program (MMAP), has onsite counselors who are certified and have been trained in health care benefits including Medicare. They are able to provide help for persons with Medicare and all services are free of charge.
If you have and questions or concerns regarding the Medicare Open Enrollment Period, contact attorney Melisa M.W. Mysliwiec at mmysliwiec@fraserlawfirm.com or 616.301.0800. Melisa works out of Fraser Trebilcock’s Grand Rapids and Lansing offices, focusing her work in the areas of Elder Law and Medicaid planning, estate planning, and trust and estate administration. She was named a “Rising Star” in Michigan by Super Lawyers in 2013, and is an Accredited Attorney by the Department of Veterans Affairs.