Health & Fitness
Many Seniors in Massachusetts Can Change Medicare Part C or Part D Every Month
The Annual Enrollment Period for public Part C Medicare health plans and public Part D standalone drug plans will kick off shortly.
- You should receive your 2014 "Medicare and You" booklet in the mail in the next few weeks (unless you told them to save a tree in Oregon and to stop sending it in the mail because it is also be available online).
- The new Part C and Part D plan premium prices will be up on the medicare.gov Plan Finder web site around October 1 (along with new drug formularies and other new benefits... and likely new drawbacks).
- You can choose your plan any time between October 15 and December 7 (but sooner rather than later is always better) with the new plan (and new premium prices) to go into effect January 1, 2014.
In addition, this is not well known but a large group of Massachusetts seniors can change Medicare Part C or Part D every month if they want. And another group can change at least one time during the year in addition to between October 15 and December 7.
- If you qualify for Social Security Extra Help (that's about 20% of you), you can change C or D plans any time during the year (but not in the ambulance).
- If you are on the Massachusetts Prescription Advantage (PA) pharmaceutical assistance program (another 40% of you or so are eligible), you can change one time during the year other than the fall but only after you first sign up for PA.
Make sure you look into Extra Help and Prescription Advantage. Keep your options open.
NOTE: This timing does not necessarily apply to anyone that gets their Medicare supplement insurance through a former employer. Check with your former employer.
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