At Cariloop, our Care Coaches get a lot of questions from caregivers about Medicare, including when different people are eligible to sign up. Whether you’re helping a loved one, an employee or yourself navigate Medicare, we’ve compiled answers to the most common questions.
What are the enrollment periods for Medicare?
Initial Enrollment Period: This is the period when an individual turns 65 years old and is eligible to enroll in Medicare. You have three months before, the month of and 3 months after your 65th birthday to enroll in Medicare.
Open Enrollment Period: The open enrollment period occurs yearly from October 15th to December 7th. During this time, someone who is 65 or someone who meets special requirements, such as having particular disabilities, can choose to enroll, unenroll or change their plan. For any enrollment done in this time period, benefits will begin on January 1 of the following year.
Special Enrollment Period: The special enrollment period allows someone to make changes to their plan when certain events happen in their life such as:
- Change in address
- You lose your current coverage
- You have a chance to get other coverage
- Your plan changes its contract with Medicare
- Other eligibility changes occur
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: This enrollment is only for those who are currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan and is from January 1 to March 31. During this time, someone can unenroll in their Medicare Advantage Plan or switch from one Medicare Advantage Plan to another.
What changes can I make during open enrollment?
Some changes you can make during open enrollment include:
- Change Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage, or vice versa
- Switch Medicare prescription drug plans (also known as Part D)
- Add or remove Part D to your plan
Explore all the changes you can make for your or your loved one’s plan.
What if I don’t want to make changes to my coverage?
You don’t have to take action—your coverage will automatically renew for the next year. But, there are risks to doing this. Our Care Coaches recommend you and your family review any cost changes that may occur once your coverage renews on January 1, regardless of your plans to change your plan. Also, the benefits you get from the same coverage might change. For example, medications that are covered now might not be covered in the new year. Be sure to check that as well.
Cariloop Care Coaches are here to help you and your employees with all your Medicare questions. A dedicated Coach can support you through the entire Medicare open enrollment process.
Support with Medicare enrollment is just one of the ways we seek to relieve the stress and anxiety felt by all caregivers. If you’re ready to talk through what makes Cariloop such a meaningful offering for your employees, schedule a demo today.
