Question: Can I change my plan again since I am on different medication and my best plan is different?

Answer: The Annual Open Enrollment Period (AEP) ends Dec. 7. As we approach the end of this period people are working through their choice and getting their enrollment done. You have until midnight Dec. 7 to make your final insurance change. The medicare.gov and Medicare helpline (800) 633-422 are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is have plenty of time to get your first (or second) enrollment done by Dec. 7.

If you have already made a choice and now have changed your mind, you can do a new enrollment. The last enrollment you do before Dec. 7 is the plan enrollment that you will have.

Doing your enrollment choice at the last minute, will still get your information prior to Jan.1, 2021. If you need to fill a prescription in January before you get your identification card, you can call the company you chose and tits representatives can give you your ID numbers. You can take this information to your pharmacist and he can fill your prescriptions using your new plan. If you don’t get a card, you may need to fill the prescription anyway, pay full price and then the pharmacist can refile a claim with the company when your card arrives.

Most people complete their enrollment through the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), using the medicare.gov website or calling (800) 633-422. This means that Medicare is collecting the enrollment, sending it on to the insurance company to process. This communication takes time.

Medicare will then communicate the disenrollment to your 2020 insurance plan. You may continue to get information from your old company for a number of months. You usually do not need to contact your old plan and disenroll as Medicare does that for you. There are some exceptions to that rule including a PFFS plan, or a Medicare Supplement Plan, or Medigap. These plans are not tied to your prescription drug plan. These plans require you write a letter to cancel this type of insurance, in addition to joining a new plan.

Do not to use your 2020 insurance cards after Jan. 1, 2021. Place 2021 insurance cards in your wallet, so you don’t use the 2020 cards.

You may also have special enrollment periods allowing a switch later this year and 2021. There are Special Enrollment Periods (SEP) available throughout the year, but be sure your choice is the best you can make with the information you have available to you.

This year some people have a SEP because their insurance product is no longer offered in 2021. If you have a plan is not offered in 2021, you have a SEP that lasts until Feb. 28, 2021. If you wait until after Jan. 1, 2021 to enroll in a new plan, you will not have any prescription drug Coverage until your new choice begins. If you don’t make your choice by the Dec. 7 deadline, you can make your choice by the end of December. Using the SEP, if you enroll in a new plan by Dec. 30, your new coverage would begin Jan. 1, 2021, so there would be no gap in coverage at all.

EPIC members have SEPs. EPIC is the New York State Pharmacy Assistance Product that gives you extra coverage for your prescription drugs. This SEP can be used later in December or anytime during 2021.

Senior Life Matters is a community based program sponsored by Lutheran Jamestown. For questions and concerns or to reach Janell Sluga, GCMC, call 720-9797 or e-mail SLM@lutheran-jamestown.org.