Medicare Advantage Part C enrollment is available to any eligible Medicare beneficiary enrolled in Original Medicare regardless of preexisting health conditions. Health conditions that may prevent someone from approval for a Medigap plan would not be a consideration for Medicare Advantage approval.

There are different dates and corresponding enrollment periods for Medicare eligibility as well as different periods and times for enrollment into a Medicare Advantage plan. We’ll be discussing when Medicare Advantage enrollments may occur.

• ICEP – Initial Coverage Enrollment Period – This is your initial opportunity when you are turning 65 and enrolling into Medicare, to participate in a Medicare Drug plan or Medicare Advantage Plan with or without drug coverage. This unique enrollment period provides a wide range of plan options under Medicare Part C. ICEP represents a starting period 3 months before your 65th birth month, includes your birth month and ends 3 months later than birth month. The total is a 7- month window or period. Plan effective date will start no sooner than your Part A and/or B effective date or the first of the month following your application date.
• Annual Enrollment Period – allows for enrollment for a January 1st effective date when making application from Oct 15th – Dec 7th of each prior year, into a Medicare Advantage plan with/without drug plan. Enrollments can be for those who have never previously joined a Medicare Advantage plan or independent Medicare Rx plan or those wishing to change from one Medicare Advantage plan to a different MAPD plan. This period allows for flexibility to disenroll from their current Part C Medicare plan and return to Original Medicare. All changes made will be effective January 1st of the following year.
• Open Enrollment Period begins January 1 – March 31st of each year. This is a period of time that allows Medicare Advantage plan beneficiaries an opportunity to reevaluate their current plans and make the decision to either change to a different Medicare Advantage Plan, or go back to Original Medicare with or without a drug plan. If you make a switch or change to another plan or revert back to Original Medicare your new plan will begin the first day of the upcoming month. 
• General Enrollment – This period occurs between January 1 and March 31. If you enroll during this period, your coverage will start on July 1. On July 1st you would then have a Special Enrollment period allowing you to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan, Supplement and or an individual Rx drug plan.
• Special Enrollment Periods – These periods of enrollment are only granted to people with specific qualifying life circumstances. Life happens and changes do occur whether it is income, resources, health conditions, move to a new area, gain/ loss Medicaid or one of many other events most people need immediate help. When a life changing, or predominant event occurs this will often trigger a special enrollment that would allow you to make a change into a plan that would best fit your needs. To determine what life circumstances are required to get a Special Enrollment Period, please contact you qualified Medicare specialist. We are here to help.

• 5- Star Special Enrollment – Medicare tracks plan performance through member and provider surveys to get a plan star rating from 1 -5 stars. A superior excellent rating would be considered 5 stars. When a plan achieves this level, they can offer their Medicare Advantage or Rx Drug plan year-round to consumers who qualify based on service area and Medicare eligibility. Individuals can use this 5 Star Special Enrollment to switch from their current Medicare plan to the 5-star plan. This Special Enrollment Period is Medicare Company Plan driven and not driven by consumer circumstances.