Medicare Advantage plan Election Periods are changing for the 2011 calendar year.
The 45-day period from November 15th through December 31, 2010, the Annual Election Periods (AEP), hasn’t changed. Beneficiaries can enroll or dis-enroll from a Medicare Advantage plan during this time period.
However, the Annual Dis-enrollment Period, where persons already in a Medicare Advantage plan, may change plans or carriers, or dis-enroll from a Medicare Advantage plan all together, (and return to original Medicare), has been shortened to 45 days between January 1 and February 15, 2011.
Additionally, in 2011 the Medicare Advantage Annual Election Periods (AEP) changes as well. The 2011 AEP will begin on October 15th and end on November 30, 2011. This allows persons to make decisions ahead of the Christmas rush and will assure members of having their enrollment ID cards on or before January 1, 2012, which is the beginning of their new plan year.
The “Special Election Periods” (SEP) remains the same.
For questions on how and when you may or may not enroll/disenroll from a Medicare Advantage plan, please contact us at (714) 729-3161
