Open Enrollment is your time to review all your options. Compare plans to find the right coverage for you.
It’s time for Open Enrollment.
Medicare Open Enrollment is your chance to review your current plan and compare all the 2025 health and prescription drug options. Your current plan may still work for you, or you may find a plan that’s a better fit.
Comparing benefits makes sense.
Just like your health, Medicare plans may change every year. By comparing your options, you may find a plan that saves you money or offers you better coverage, or both. When you’re ready to review your options side by side, go to the official source for Medicare—Medicare.gov.
Prefer to talk it over?
Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) TTY Users: 1-877-486-2048 We’re here to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Or, find free, personalized health insurance counseling from your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). Visit shiphelp.org for locations near you. Many SHIPs offer virtual counseling.
Get help with drug costs.
If you are struggling with your prescription drug costs, Extra Help is a Medicare program that can help pay for your drug coverage (Part D) premiums, deductibles, and other out-of-pocket costs. If you make less than $23,000 a year, it’s worth it to apply. Visit ssa.gov/extrahelp to complete an application.
Understanding Medicare Advantage & Medicare Drug Plan Enrollment Periods
You can only join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) or Medicare drug plan (Part D) during certain times, called enrollment periods. You need both Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance) to join a Medicare Advantage Plan. You need either Part A or Part B to join a Medicare drug plan. For information about signing up for Medicare Part A and Part B, visit Medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare.
When can I sign up?
There are specific times when you can join a Medicare Advantage or Medicare drug plan, or make changes to your existing Medicare coverage:
| If you… | You can… | Coverage starts… |
| Are newly eligible for Medicare because you’re turning 65. | Join a Medicare Advantage Plan (with or without drug coverage) or a Medicare drug plan. If you join a Medicare Advantage Plan during this time, you can drop that plan at any time during the next 12 months and go back to Original Medicare (Part A and Part B). | If you request to join a plan before your Medicare Part A and/or Part B starts, your plan coverage starts the same day as when your Medicare Part A and/or Part B starts. If you request to join a plan after your Medicare Part A and/or Part B starts, your plan coverage starts the first day of the month after the plan gets your request. |
| Are newly eligible for Medicare because you have a disability and you’re under 65. | Join a Medicare Advantage Plan (with or without drug coverage) or a Medicare drug plan. Your chance to join starts 21 months after you get Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) disability benefits and lasts through the 28th month after you start getting Social Security or RRB benefits. Note: If you’re getting Social Security or RRB disability benefits, you’ll get Medicare automatically after getting disability benefits for 24 months. If you have ALS (also called Lou Gehrig’s disease) you’ll get Medicare automatically as soon as you start getting disability benefits. | If you request to join a plan before your Medicare Part A and/or Part B starts, your plan coverage starts the same day as when your Medicare Part A and/or Part B starts. If you request to join a plan after your Medicare Part A and/or Part B starts, your plan coverage starts the first day of the month after the plan gets your request. |
| Are already eligible for Medicare because of a disability, and you turn 65. | Join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage Plan (with or without drug coverage) or a Medicare drug plan during the 7-month period that includes the 3 months before you turn 65, the month you turn 65, and 3 months after you turn 65. If you drop a Medicare Advantage Plan, you’ll return to Original Medicare (Part A and Part B). | If you request to join a plan before you turn 65, your plan coverage starts the month you turn 65. If you request to join a plan during or after the month you turn 65, your plan coverage starts the first day of the month after the month you made your request. |
| Get Part B after your Part A coverage starts. | Join any Medicare Advantage Plan (with or without drug coverage) 3 months before your Part B starts until the last day of the month before your Part B starts. | If you request to join a plan before your Medicare Part B starts, your plan coverage starts the same day as your Medicare Part B. |
Note: You can join a Medical Savings Account Plan only during Open Enrollment or the Initial Enrollment Period for Medicare Advantage Plans. You can leave a Medical Savings Account plan only during Open Enrollment or a Special Enrollment Period.
Resources:
- Medicare Plan Finder: www.medicare.gov/plan-compare
- Extra Help with Medicare Drug Costs: https://go.medicare.gov/ExtraHelp
- Medicare Drug Coverage $2,000 Out-of-Pocket Cap: https://go.cms.gov/drug-coverage-cap