Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment ends March 31

Key Takeaways

• During Q1 open enrollment, you can switch Medicare Advantage plans once—but only to another Medicare Advantage plan, not multiple times like during the annual election period (which ended December 7)
• If your doctor leaves your Medicare Advantage network or you need different benefits, document this as your reason before contacting a representative, since financial advisors cannot initiate contact about plan changes
• Switch plans early in the quarter (January rather than March) because deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums reset when you change carriers
• You can use this period to cancel Medicare Advantage entirely and switch back to Original Medicare plus enroll in a Medigap plan and Part D prescription coverage
• Special enrollment periods and 5-star plan enrollments have additional flexibilities beyond the standard once-per-quarter rule—verify which applies to your situation