Every fall, Medicare plans change. Open enrollment runs from October 15 to December 7, and anything you change starts on January 1. It's also the season when the phone starts ringing with "Medicare" calls that aren't from Medicare.
Why it's worth checking every year
Your plan can change even if you never touch it. The monthly price can go up, a drug you take can cost more or drop off the list, and your pharmacy or doctor can leave the plan. Your plan mails a letter each fall called the Annual Notice of Change that lists what's different. If it went into the recycling, checking online covers the same ground.
Look at the total for the year
Don't pick a plan by its monthly price alone. Add up the monthly price for twelve months plus what you'll pay for your drugs. In a made-up example, a $0-a-month plan with $1,800 in drug costs is a worse deal than a $35-a-month plan with $600 in drug costs. The second plan saves about $780 a year.
Compare plans on Medicare.gov
Before you start, have your Medicare card, a list of your drugs with the dose, your pharmacy, and your doctors' names. The label on a pill bottle has everything you need for the drug list.
- Type medicare.gov into your browser yourself. Don't click a link from an email or text.
- Choose Find health & drug plans.
- Log in if you have a Medicare account (it can save your drug list), or just enter your ZIP code.
- Add each of your drugs and pick your pharmacy.
- Sort the list by Lowest drug + premium cost. That puts the lowest total for the year at the top.
- Before you switch, call the plan or your doctor's office to make sure your doctors are in its network.
Hang up on Medicare scam calls
Here's the rule to remember: Medicare won't call, text, or email you out of the blue to ask for your Medicare number or a payment. Medicare already knows your number. Caller ID can be faked, so don't trust it even if it says "Medicare."
Free help if you'd rather not do it alone
Every state has a free counseling program called SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program). They don't sell insurance, and they'll go through your options with you. Find yours at shiphelp.org. If you help a parent, this is a good job to do together at the kitchen table.
Common questions
Do I have to do anything if I'm happy with my plan?
No. As long as your plan is still offered next year, it renews on its own. It is still worth a quick check, because prices and covered drugs can change.
Is it safe to give my Medicare number to someone who calls me?
No. Medicare won't call, text, or email you out of the blue to ask for your number or a payment. Hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) yourself.
Sources
FTC Medicare open enrollment scam guidance, KFF on the Medicare Plan Finder, and SHIP national technical assistance center.