Medicare’s annual open enrollment period concluded on December 7th, but other enrollment opportunities for Medicare coverage are getting underway. Ohioans on Medicare who did not sign up for Part A (hospital insurance) and or Part B (medical insurance) during their initial enrollment period, and do not qualify for a special enrollment period, can sign up for Medicare during the January 1st to March 31st general enrollment period. Coverage begins on the first day of the month after signing up.

The Medicare Advantage open enrollment period also runs from January 1st to March 31st. During this time, individuals in a Medicare Advantage plan can switch to another Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare. For Ohioans impacted by network disruptions with Medicare Advantage plans, this enrollment period is another opportunity for Medicare Advantage plan enrollees to review their provider networks and determine if their current plan is adequate or if another plan (or Original Medicare) would be a better alternative. Any changes made during this period will take effect on the first day of the month after the new plan receives the request. 

Additionally, starting January 1st, two new special enrollment periods are available. One is for individuals who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, and the other is for those who qualify for Extra Help, a low-income subsidy for prescription drug costs. You can find more information about this on Medicare.gov. Staff from the Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program are available at 800-686-1578, and by email to answer any questions. 

Enrollment options are also available for the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan is a new payment option that works with current drug coverage to help manage out-of-pocket Medicare Part D drug costs by spreading them across the calendar year (January through December). Starting in 2025, anyone with a Medicare drug plan or Medicare health plan with drug coverage (like a Medicare Advantage Plan with drug coverage) can use this payment option. All plans offer this payment option and participation is voluntary.

A pdf is available for download and dissemination that provides more information about the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan for interested parties.

If one has any questions, the Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program hosts a FREE Welcome to Medicare webinar for people nearing Medicare eligibility. The webinar provides an overview of eligibility, enrollment, and coverage options. Webinar dates are as follows: January 14th, 6 PM to 7 PM; February 12th, 4 PM to 5 PM; March 10th, 6 PM to 7 PM; April 23rd, 4 PM to 5 PM; May 12th, 6 PM to 7 PM; June 11th, 4 PM to 5 PM; July 15th, 6 PM to 7 PM; August 5th, 4 PM to 5 PM; September 15th, 6 PM to 7 PM; and October 2nd, 4 PM to 5 PM.  Registration for these webinars is available online.  

You can find more Medicare resources by selecting the “Medicaid & Medicare” category tab on our Social Service “Utilization Library” page.