Eligibility
You can generally join a Medicare Advantage Plan if you meet these conditions:
- You have Part A and Part B
- You live in the plan's service area
- You don't have End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) (permanent kidney failure requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant) except under certain circumstances
Note: to enroll in a Special Needs Plans (SNP), some additional requirements apply such as:
- You have both Medicare and Medicaid
- You are a resident and or agree to reside in a nursing home that has a contract with the plan
- You are living in the community but require the same level of care as someone in a nursing home
When Can You Enroll?
You can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage Plan at these times:
- When you first become eligible for Medicare
- If you have Medicare due to a disability
- Between October 15 - December 7
- Between January 1 through February 14th, you can disenroll from a Medicare Advantage plan and switch to Original Medicare. In this period you may also enroll in a stand-alone Part D plan, regardless of whether or not you had Part D coverage previously
There may be special circumstances that allow you to enroll outside of the time periods listed above, including:
- If you move out of your plan's service area
- If you have both Medicare and Medicaid
- If you qualify for "Extra Help"
- If you live in an institution
- Other special circumstances
