Medicare Advantage: When to Enroll

Medicare Advantage

To enroll in Medicare Advantage, you must be enrolled in Original Medicare. Even after enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan, you are still in the Medicare program and will need to pay your Part B premiums. 

When to Enroll

To enroll in Medicare Advantage, you must be enrolled in Part A and Part B. 

There are different enrollment windows for Medicare Advantage. You can enroll in Part C during your initial enrollment period. The initial enrollment window lasts for seven months; three months before you turn 65 and three months after you turn 65. You can enroll in Medicare Advantage if you have enrolled in Original Medicare during this period.

You can also enroll in a plan every fall during the Annual Election Period. This enrollment period runs through October 15 till December 7 each year.

During this enrollment period, you can enroll in a Part C plan, change from one Part C plan to another, and make other changes to your coverage. In some situations, you may qualify for a special election period to enable you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan.

Before you enroll in a Part C plan, it is important to find out your plan options. Medicare Advantage plans are sold by different providers and they come in different types, such as HMOs, PPOs, PFFS, etc. Ensure you choose one with enough benefits at an affordable price range. Some Medicare Advantage plans restrict care to in-network providers, while others allow you to visit out-of-network providers. Some have high premiums while some have 0$ premiums. Your choice will depend largely on your healthcare needs and your budget.

You can use the plan finder tool on the Medicare website to search for a suitable Medicare Advantage plan. You can also use one of our free agents. The plans cost the same, but you will get to have a one on one consultation with our experienced agents.