How and When Can I Change Medicare Insurance Plans?
Posted on April 23, 2025 By Jeff Snyder
Many people love their Medicare insurance plan. It offers them the coverage they need for a price they can afford. Yet each year, millions of Medicare insurance enrollees consider making a change with their plans. There are plenty of reasons to review your plan, including changing medical needs, costs, or moving out of a plan’s service area. Whatever your reason, knowing when you’re permitted to change your plan and how to go about it allows you to ensure you’re getting the benefits that best fit your needs.
Annual Enrollment Period
October 15 — December 7
The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) runs every year from October 15 to December 7. This window of time is the primary Medicare insurance shopping season. During AEP, you can change to a different type of Medicare insurance plan. The only thing you can’t do is enroll in the Medicare program for the first time, unless your Initial Enrollment Period happens to occur during AEP. Specifically, you can:
- Enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan if you have Original Medicare (Parts A and B)
- Return to Original Medicare from a Medicare Advantage plan by not renewing for the next calendar year
- Move from one Medicare Advantage plan to another
- Enroll in a Medicare Part D plan
- Switch from one Part D plan to another
- Drop your Part D plan completely
This is an excellent time for Medicare insurance beneficiaries to explore their options because everything is on the table. Do you have Original Medicare and love it, but want some additional coverage? Try picking up a Part D plan. Enjoy your Medicare insurance coverage, but want to take it a step further? Look into a Medicare Advantage plan. Whatever your preference, there’s an option out there for you to explore.
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period
January 1 — March 31
The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (OEP) is another window of opportunity to make a change to your Medicare insurance coverage. During this period, you can switch from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare and a Part D plan, as well as pick up a Medicare Supplement, if you’re healthy enough. You can also use this time to switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another.
Special Enrollment Periods
The third window that you may encounter is a special enrollment period (SEP). Unlike the AEP and OEP, an SEP is based on the circumstances that created it. For example, if you’re working when you turn 65 and have creditable coverage, you can begin an SEP when you retire and lose that coverage through your employer. Another common reason for an SEP is if you move or change your address and your new address is outside of your current plan’s service area.
There are many different reasons why you may get an SEP and each allows you to do different things. Moving, for example, allows you to switch to Original Medicare or to a new Medicare Advantage plan that’s within your network. If the Medicare program terminates its contract with your Medicare Advantage plan, you’ll be able to switch to a new Medicare Advantage plan. The length of time also varies depending on the reason for the SEP but can start as soon as two months before the initiating event and continue a month or two after.
Changing Your Medicare Insurance Plan
OK, so that’s a lot to learn, but here’s the easy part. When you switch from one Medicare insurance plan to another, all you have to worry about is the enrollment. Once you enroll in a Medicare insurance plan, you’ll be automatically disenrolled from your old plan. An exception to this is Medicare Supplements, which you need to notify your plan that you wish to disenroll.
If you wish to enroll in Original Medicare from Medicare Advantage and it’s during an enrollment window, call your current plan or the Medicare program directly at 1-800-MEDICARE and explain what you’d like to do. And that’s it! You should receive your new plan information shortly, along with when your plan is active and in-depth coverage information.
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The beauty of the Medicare program is that there are so many options available, so your chances of finding a plan that fits your needs is highly in your favor. That said, if you need to change your plan for whatever reason, you have options. If you want extra help enrolling in Medicare insurance or simply want to explore your options with a helpful guide, get in touch with Chastain Agency LLC. Together, we can find that plan you love.
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