Special Enrollment Periods (SEP) for Special Circumstances
Special circumstances (Special Enrollment Periods)
You can make changes to your
Medicare Advantage and Medicare prescription drug coverage
when certain events happen in your life, like if you move or
you lose other insurance coverage. These chances to make
changes are called Special Enrollment Periods (SEPs). Rules
about when you can make enrollment changes and the type of
Medicare plan changes you can make are different for each SEP.
| Note |
| If you believe you made the wrong plan choice because of inaccurate or misleading information, including using Plan Finder, call 1-800-MEDICARE and explain your situation. Call center representatives can help you throughout the year with options for making changes. |
What can I do?
Switch to a new Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
If you tell your plan before you move, your chance to switch plans begins the month before the month you move and continues for 2 full months after you move.
If you tell your plan after you move, your chance to switch plans begins the month you tell your plan, plus 2 more full months.
Switch to a new Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
| Note |
| If you’re in a Medicare Advantage (MA) Plan and you move outside your plan’s service area, you can also choose to return to Original Medicare. If you don’t enroll in a new MA Plan during the time explained below, you’ll be enrolled in Original Medicare when you’re disenrolled from your old Medicare Advantage Plan. |
When?
If you tell your plan before you move, your chance to switch plans begins the month before the month you move and continues for 2 full months after you move.
If you tell your plan after you move, your chance to switch plans begins the month you tell your plan, plus 2 more full months.
What can I do?
Switch to a new Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
If you tell your plan before you move, your chance to switch plans begins the month before the month you move and continues for 2 full months after you move.
If you tell your plan after you move, your chance to switch plans begins the month you tell your plan, plus 2 more full months.
Switch to a new Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
If you tell your plan before you move, your chance to switch plans begins the month before the month you move and continues for 2 full months after you move.
If you tell your plan after you move, your chance to switch plans begins the month you tell your plan, plus 2 more full months.
What can I do?
Join a Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
Your chance to join lasts for 2 full months after the month you move back to the U.S.
Join a Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
Your chance to join lasts for 2 full months after the month you move back to the U.S.
What can I do?
When?
Your chance to join, switch, or drop coverage lasts as long as you live in the institution and for 2 full months after the month you leave the institution.
- Join a Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
- Switch from your current plan to another Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
- Drop your Medicare Advantage Plan and return to Original Medicare
- Drop your Medicare prescription drug coverage.
When?
Your chance to join, switch, or drop coverage lasts as long as you live in the institution and for 2 full months after the month you leave the institution.
What can I do?
Join a Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
If you kept paying for your Part A and Part B coverage while you were in jail, you have 2 full calendar months after you're released from jail to join a plan. You have to sign up for Medicare before you can join a plan.
Join a Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
If you kept paying for your Part A and Part B coverage while you were in jail, you have 2 full calendar months after you're released from jail to join a plan. You have to sign up for Medicare before you can join a plan.
What can I do?
Your chance to change lasts for 3 full months from either the date you're no longer eligible or notified, whichever is later.
- Join a Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
- Switch from your current plan to another Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
- Drop your Medicare Advantage Plan and return to Original Medicare.
- Drop your Medicare prescription drug coverage.
Your chance to change lasts for 3 full months from either the date you're no longer eligible or notified, whichever is later.
What can I do?
Join a Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
Your chance to join lasts for 2 full months after the month your coverage ends.
Join a Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
Your chance to join lasts for 2 full months after the month your coverage ends.
What can I do?
Join a Medicare Advantage Plan with drug coverage or a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
Your chance to join lasts 2 full months after the month you lose your creditable coverage or you're notified that your current coverage is no longer creditable, whichever is later.
Join a Medicare Advantage Plan with drug coverage or a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
Your chance to join lasts 2 full months after the month you lose your creditable coverage or you're notified that your current coverage is no longer creditable, whichever is later.
What can I do?
Join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
Your chance to join lasts for 2 full months after you drop your Medicare Cost Plan.
Join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
Your chance to join lasts for 2 full months after you drop your Medicare Cost Plan.
What can I do?
Join a Medicare Advantage Plan or Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
Your chance to join lasts for 2 full months after the month you drop your Program Of All-Inclusive Care For The Elderly (Pace) plan.
Join a Medicare Advantage Plan or Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
Your chance to join lasts for 2 full months after the month you drop your Program Of All-Inclusive Care For The Elderly (Pace) plan.
What can I do?
Switch to a new Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
What can I do?
Drop your current Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to enroll in the private plan offered by your employer or union.
When?
Whenever your employer or union allows you to make changes in your plan.
Switch to a new Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
What can I do?
Drop your current Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to enroll in the private plan offered by your employer or union.
When?
Whenever your employer or union allows you to make changes in your plan.
What can I do?
Drop your current Medicare Advantage Plan with drug coverage or your Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
Anytime.
Drop your current Medicare Advantage Plan with drug coverage or your Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
Anytime.
What can I do?
Drop your current Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
Anytime.
Drop your current Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
Anytime.
What can I do?
Switch from your Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to another plan.
When?
Your chance to switch is determined by Medicare on a case-by-case basis.
Switch from your Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to another plan.
When?
Your chance to switch is determined by Medicare on a case-by-case basis.
What can I do?
Switch from your Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to another plan.
When?
Your chance to switch starts 2 months before and ends 1 full month after the contract ends.
Switch from your Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to another plan.
When?
Your chance to switch starts 2 months before and ends 1 full month after the contract ends.
What can I do?
Join another Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
December 8–the last day in February.
Join another Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
December 8–the last day in February.
What can I do?
Join, switch, or drop your Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare prescription drug coverage
When?
One time during each of these periods:
If you make a change, it will take effect on the first day of the following month. You’ll have to wait for the next period to make another change. You can’t use this Special Enrollment Period from October–December. However, all people with Medicare can make changes to their coverage from October 15–December 7, and the changes will take effect on January 1.
Join, switch, or drop your Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare prescription drug coverage
When?
One time during each of these periods:
- January-March
- April-June
- July-September
If you make a change, it will take effect on the first day of the following month. You’ll have to wait for the next period to make another change. You can’t use this Special Enrollment Period from October–December. However, all people with Medicare can make changes to their coverage from October 15–December 7, and the changes will take effect on January 1.
What can I do?
Join, switch, or drop Medicare Prescription Drug coverage.
When?
Most people with Medicare can only make changes to their drug coverage at certain times of the year. If you have Medicaid or receive Extra Help, you may be able to make changes to your coverage one time during each of these periods:
If you make a change, it will begin the first day of the following month. You’ll have to wait for the next period to make another change. You can’t use this Special Enrollment Period October – December. However, all people with Medicare can make changes to their coverage October 15 – December 7. The changes will begin on January 1.
Join, switch, or drop Medicare Prescription Drug coverage.
When?
Most people with Medicare can only make changes to their drug coverage at certain times of the year. If you have Medicaid or receive Extra Help, you may be able to make changes to your coverage one time during each of these periods:
- January - March
- April - June
- July - September
If you make a change, it will begin the first day of the following month. You’ll have to wait for the next period to make another change. You can’t use this Special Enrollment Period October – December. However, all people with Medicare can make changes to their coverage October 15 – December 7. The changes will begin on January 1.
What can I do?
Join either a Medicare drug plan or a Medicare Advantage Plan with prescription drug coverage.
When?
Once during the calendar year.
Join either a Medicare drug plan or a Medicare Advantage Plan with prescription drug coverage.
When?
Once during the calendar year.
What can I do?
Drop your Medicare Advantage Plan and enroll in Original Medicare. You'll have special rights to buy a Medigap Policy.
When?
Your chance to drop your Medicare Advantage Plan lasts for 12 months after you join the Medicare Advantage Plan for the first time.
Drop your Medicare Advantage Plan and enroll in Original Medicare. You'll have special rights to buy a Medigap Policy.
When?
Your chance to drop your Medicare Advantage Plan lasts for 12 months after you join the Medicare Advantage Plan for the first time.
What can I do?
Join a Medicare Chronic Care Special Needs Plan (SNP).
When?
You can join anytime, but once you join, your chance to make changes using this SEP ends.
Join a Medicare Chronic Care Special Needs Plan (SNP).
When?
You can join anytime, but once you join, your chance to make changes using this SEP ends.
What can I do?
Switch from a Special Needs Plan (SNP) to a Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
You can choose a new plan starting from the time you lose your special needs status, up to 3 months after your SNP's grace period ends.
Switch from a Special Needs Plan (SNP) to a Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
You can choose a new plan starting from the time you lose your special needs status, up to 3 months after your SNP's grace period ends.
What can I do?
When?
Your chance to change coverage lasts for 2 full months after the month you get a notice of the error from Medicare.
- Join a Medicare Advantage Plan with drug coverage or a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
- Switch from your current plan to another Medicare Advantage Plan with drug coverage or a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
- Drop your Medicare Advantage Plan with drug coverage and return to Original Medicare.
- Drop your Medicare prescription drug coverage.
When?
Your chance to change coverage lasts for 2 full months after the month you get a notice of the error from Medicare.
What can I do?
Join a Medicare Advantage Plan with drug coverage or a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
Your chance to join lasts for 2 full months after the month you get a notice of the error from Medicare or your plan.
Join a Medicare Advantage Plan with drug coverage or a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
Your chance to join lasts for 2 full months after the month you get a notice of the error from Medicare or your plan.
What can I do?
Join a Medicare Advantage Plan with drug coverage or a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
Your chance to join lasts for 2 full months after the month you get a notice of the error from Medicare or your plan.
Join a Medicare Advantage Plan with drug coverage or a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
When?
Your chance to join lasts for 2 full months after the month you get a notice of the error from Medicare or your plan.