Medicare's annual October 15–December 7 open enrollment window begins today. People with Medicare can use the period to review and change Medicare Advantage and prescription drug coverage.
Medicare.gov says coverage starts January 1 when the plan gets the enrollment request by December 7. The deadline concerns the request reaching the plan, rather than a person merely beginning a comparison.
What the window allows
The official page lists several choices: joining a Medicare Advantage plan, dropping one, switching to another, or changing between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage. The window also allows changes to Medicare drug coverage.
These choices do not all produce the same combination of benefits. Medicare Advantage plans may include drug coverage; someone returning to Original Medicare may need to join a separate Medicare drug plan.
The page describes an annual opportunity to change coverage. It is not a universal initial enrollment period for everyone becoming eligible for Medicare, and it does not establish an individual's eligibility for a particular plan.
Returning to Original Medicare
Medicare flags an additional consideration for someone leaving Medicare Advantage: whether to buy Medicare Supplement Insurance, also called Medigap.
The page warns that there are limits on when a person can add Medigap. The annual plan-choice window should not be read as a promise that everyone can obtain any Medigap policy on the same terms.
A coverage change and the ability to obtain supplemental insurance are separate questions. The official page links to more information about those choices.
Where to compare
The Medicare page links to plan comparison and information about coverage options. Someone considering a change can start with those official instructions and the details for the coverage being considered.
The calendar alone establishes neither a doctor's participation nor coverage for a particular prescription. No individual plan directory, formulary or enrollment application was checked for this report.