Medicare Minute: Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period

Medicare’s Open Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7 and is the time of year when you can make certain changes to your Medicare coverage. The last change you make will take effect on January 1. Take action during Medicare’s Open Enrollment to make sure your coverage will meet your needs in 2025.

What changes can you make during Medicare’s Open Enrollment?

• Joining a new Medicare Advantage Plan or Part D prescription drug plan
• Switching from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage
• Switching from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare (with or without a Part D plan)

Call 1-800-MEDICARE (633-4227) or visit www.Medicare.gov to make changes.

Review your coverage for 2025

Medicare Advantage and Part D plans usually change each year. Make sure that your drugs will be covered next year and that your providers and pharmacies will still be in the plan’s network.

• Original Medicare: Visit www.Medicare.gov or read the 2025 Medicare & You handbook to learn about Medicare’s benefits for the upcoming year.
• Medicare Advantage or Part D plan: Read your plan’s Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) and Evidence of Coverage (EOC).

What to consider when choosing a new plan:

Ask yourself the following questions before choosing a Part D drug plan:

• Does the plan cover all the medications I take?
• Does the plan have restrictions on my drugs?
• How much will I pay for monthly premiums and the annual deductible?
• How much will I pay at the pharmacy (copay/coinsurance) for each drug I take?
• Is my pharmacy in the plans’ preferred network? Can I fill my prescription by mail order?
• What is the plan’s star rating?
• If I have other drug coverage, will the Medicare drug plan work with this coverage?

For a full checklist of questions to ask before choosing a Medicare Advantage Plan, where to find Medicare’s Plan Finder tool, and tips on protecting yourself from marketing violations and misleading marketing, download SHIP’s full handout here.

Where can I go for more help?

State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP): Contact your SHIP if you have questions about any notices you receive or have experienced a potential marketing violation. SHIP counselors can help you review your options and pick a plan that meets your needs. SHIP counselors provide trusted, unbiased, and individualized Medicare counseling. Contact information for your local SHIP is below. 

Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP): Contact your local SMP if you believe you have experienced a potential marketing violation. SMP team members can help you to prevent, detect, and report potential Medicare fraud, errors, or abuse.

In Southwest Florida, SHIP/SMP are also known as SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders), to contact your local SHINE Medicare Counselors, call toll-free 866-413-5337 or visit floridashine.org.

The Medicare Rights Center is the author of portions of the content in these materials but is not responsible for any content not authored by the Medicare Rights Center. This document was supported, in part, by grant numbers 90SATC0002 and 90MPRC0002 from the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official Administration for Community Living policy. [September 2024]