Medicare guide
Medicare Open Enrollment in Tolleson, AZ
Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) runs every year from October 15 to December 7. It is your yearly chance to review your coverage and change it for the year ahead. Our office is at 9163 W Van Buren St in Tolleson, and we help in English and Spanish.
- Oct 15 – Dec 7: Annual Enrollment Period. Changes take effect January 1.
- Jan 1 – Mar 31: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment. If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare.
- Your Initial Enrollment Period: a 7-month window around your 65th birthday (3 months before, the month of, and 3 months after).
- Special Enrollment Periods: certain life events, such as moving or losing other coverage, can open a window outside these dates.
- Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan, or the other way around.
- Change from one Medicare Advantage plan to another.
- Join, switch, or drop a Part D prescription drug plan.
Plans change every year — premiums, deductibles, copays, drug lists, and provider networks. Your plan should send an Annual Notice of Change in the fall that spells out what is different for next year.
- Are your doctors and your pharmacy still in the plan’s network?
- Is each of your medications covered, and at what cost?
- What are the premium, deductible, and yearly out-of-pocket maximum?
- Do you travel or spend part of the year somewhere else?
Medicare Advantage (Part C) is an alternative way to get Medicare. It is offered by private insurers, usually works through a network, and often includes drug coverage.
Medicare Supplement (Medigap) works alongside Original Medicare to help pay costs Medicare does not, and generally lets you see any provider that accepts Medicare. If you are new to Part B, you have a limited Medigap open enrollment window; after it, insurers can often ask health questions before approving you.
- Your Medicare card.
- Your current plan’s Annual Notice of Change, if you have one.
- A list of your medications and doses.
- The names of your doctors and your pharmacy.
When is Medicare open enrollment?
The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 to December 7 every year. Changes you make take effect on January 1.
Can I change my plan after December 7?
Sometimes. If you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can make one change between January 1 and March 31. A Special Enrollment Period, such as moving or losing other coverage, can also open a window.
What is the difference between Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement?
Medicare Advantage is a private-plan alternative to Original Medicare. Medicare Supplement works with Original Medicare to help pay costs it leaves, like deductibles and coinsurance.
I am turning 65. When do I sign up?
Your Initial Enrollment Period is 7 months: the 3 months before your birthday month, the month itself, and the 3 months after. Signing up late can mean lifetime late penalties for some parts of Medicare.
Does Medicare cover the cost of everything?
No. Original Medicare leaves deductibles, coinsurance, and other costs, and does not include prescription drugs unless you add a Part D plan.
For information on all of your Medicare options, visit Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).