Medicare Annual Enrollment Period begins October 15th. What’s Coming, and Are You Prepared?

Medicare Annual Enrollment Checklist

To prepare for Medicare Annual Enrollment, you’ll want to carefully review your current coverage and check for the following:

• Network coverage: Even if you don’t change your coverage, the benefits of each provider shift with every year. You’ll want to be sure that your primary care provider (and any other healthcare providers) are covered under your plan’s network.
• Prescription coverage: As with networks, prescription coverage also changes each year. You’ll want to review your plan and make sure any medications you use will still be covered.
• Increasing costs: Pay close attention to rises in premiums, copays, and deductibles. If prices are higher than you’d like, it might be time to switch providers or look into additional coverage.
• Dental coverage: More Medicare providers are offering allowances, rebates, and coverage for dental care.
• Additional benefits: Each year, Medicare providers offer additional benefits such as vision care, fitness, and even healthy food allowances. Ask your provider about which additional benefits can happen with your plan.

Changes to Medicare in 2023

As more changes are unveiled by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, we’ll continue to update this page. Stay tuned! While the full scope of changes to Medicare won’t be released until later this year, you can expect the following among Medicare insurers:

• Widespread availability of debit cards for home utilities
• Increases in healthy food allowances across more plans
• More plans with over-the-counter benefits and overall increased values
• Augmented in-home care and telehealth coverage
• Medicare Part B giveback benefit offered in more areas
• $0 deductibles and copays more widely available
• More doctors accepting Medicare Advantage plans
• Additional veteran plans and benefits in a larger area

What Changes Can I Make During Medicare Annual Enrollment?

The changes you can make during the Medicare AEP depend on your current coverage.

If you currently have only Original Medicare (Parts A and B), you can:

• Join a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan, with or without prescription drug coverage.
• Join a stand-alone Medicare Prescription Drug (Part D) plan.
• Do nothing, and your current coverage will renew.

If you currently have Original Medicare (Part A or B) in addition to Part D, you can:

• Join a Medicare Advantage plan, with or without built-in drug coverage.
• Switch providers for your Medicare prescription drug plan.
• Drop your Medicare prescription drug coverage.
• Do nothing, and your current coverage will renew.

If you currently have a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan with built-in drug coverage, you can:

• Switch providers for your Medicare Advantage plan.
• Drop your Medicare Advantage plan and go back to Original Medicare.
• Drop your Medicare prescription drug coverage.
• Do nothing, and your current coverage will renew.

If you currently have a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan and a Medicare prescription drug (Part D) plan, you can:

• Switch providers for your Medicare Advantage plan.
• Switch providers for your Medicare prescription drug plan.
• Drop your Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare.
• Drop your Medicare prescription drug coverage.
• Do nothing, and your current coverage will renew.

Getting Started

To learn more about Medicare, what it covers, and how to make the most of your coverage, check out our expert-reviewed guides:

• What Documents Do I Need to Apply for Medicare?
• How to Apply for Medicare
• Medicare vs. Medicaid
• What Is a Medicare Savings Program?
• Medicare Advantage vs. Medigap
• Medicare Dental Coverage