2024 Enrollment dates for Medicare advantage plans
When can you enroll in, switch, change, cancel or drop a Medicare Advantage plan in 2024?
1. When you turn 65, or earlier if you are disabled
Usually, you first become eligible for Medicare when you turn 65, or earlier if you are disabled. At that time, you will automatically be enrolled in original Medicare (Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B) if you are receiving benefits from Social Security or the RRB (Railroad Retirement Board). When you turn 65, your ‘Initial Enrollment Period’ lasts seven months: from 3 months before to 3 months after your birthday. This is also the time when you are allowed to enroll in a Medicare advantage plan.
2. During specific times each year – for the 2024 season, those dates are:
- October 15 through December 7, 2023 – Open Enrollment Period for Medicare Advantage Plans and Prescription Drug Plans for 2024.
During annual open enrollment, you are able to enroll in a Medicare advantage plan. This is a good time to check your current health care needs and evaluate benefits and premium of your current Medicare plan. Compare your current premium and the benefits to other Medicare advantage plans available in your area. Is your current plan still the best for your health care needs? If you don’t take action now, the next time you will be able to make changes will be during the open enrollment period next year. - All Year 2024 (Only for 5-Star Medicare Advantage plans) – You can switch to a ‘5-star’ Medicare Advantage plan at any time during the year. You are only allowed once every year to switch to a 5-star plan, and the Medicare advantage plan must be available in your area.
- Special Enrollment (SEP) – Special Enrollment Periods may apply for many different reasons. Here are just some examples: you become eligible for a Special Needs Plan (SNP), you move out of the plan’s coverage area, or you move back to the US.
What happens if you miss the enrollment?
If you missed enrolling in a Medicare advantage plan during the appropriate time, you must wait until the next enrollment period applicable to you as described above comes along.
For more information, read www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
