Medicare Open Enrollment runs from October 15 – December 7. During this time, eligible Medicare enrollees can make changes to their coverage. The effective date for changes is January 1 if the enrollment request is received by December 7.
Active or retired federal employees may be covered by both the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program and Medicare.
READ: How Federal Employees Qualify For Medicare
“Mission-critical activities and updates related to Medicare Open Enrollment will continue during the government shutdown,” according to a statement on Medicare.gov. “Your Medicare benefits and coverage will continue as before, and you can go to your doctor and access the health care services you need.”
Medicare Open Enrollment Options
What Medicare enrollees can do during the open enrollment period varies on what kind of coverage they have.
Generally, the options are:
Change your Medicare Advantage Plan
Join, drop, or switch to another Medicare Advantage Plan with or without drug coverage (or add or drop drug coverage).
Change how you get coverage
Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan or from a Medicare Advantage Plan to Original Medicare.
Change your drug plan
Join, drop, or switch to another Medicare drug plan if you’re in Original Medicare.
Those who switch to Original Medicare may may need to join a separate drug plan and may want to add Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap). Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) is extra insurance that can be bought from a private health insurance company to help pay of out-of-pocket costs in Original Medicare. Click here to understand your Medicare coverage options.
More information on how Medicare and FEHB work together is here.
More information on the Medicare Open Enrollment is here.