Moving is not easy. It can be due to job, family, or studies. You will need to take care of various things before you shift yourself from one state to another. Medicare is one of those multiple things. If you are a Medicare beneficiary, you have the eligibility for Special Enrollment Period (SEP) to alter few things.
What To Do With Medicare When You Move?
Medicare part A and part B work for you when you travel to some new place, but we can’t say the same about Medicare part C, part D, and Advantage plans. To get part C and part D prescription coverage, you will have to register yourself again into a new plan as the previous one will be of no use whatsoever.
What Happens to Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage Plans When You Shift to a New Place?
Medicare has a network in which they have included the list of cities that allow you to keep your Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans and the others that don’t.
Here’s what you can do if the city you are moving to is within the limit of Medicare’s network:
- You can have your existing Medicare Part D or Advantage plans.
- Register for a new Medicare Part D or Advantage plan.
- You can abandon your Advantage plan and register yourself in original Medicare. While enrolling, don’t forget to register yourself in Medicare part D.
Traveling to a city that is not enlisted in the list of Medicare’s network means that your Medicare Part D and Advantage plans will become useless. To get your coverage again, you will need to enrol in Original Medicare.
Enrol yourself in the new Medicare Advantage and Medicare part D plan when moving to such a city.
New Medicare Plan Enrollment
Before you enrol yourself in Medicare in a new city, you should look at what their plan offers. Collect all the information and choose wisely. Furthermore, you can seek help from their help center as well.
In some cases, a person is eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. In such a situation, the person should get in touch with the state to inquire about your Medicaid benefit opportunities.
Furthermore, there is also a special needs program for such people. In this plan, all the Medicaid and Medicare features are blended, and they also offer more services like dental and vision coverage. Get in touch with the help center or the plan provider to get more details.
Special Enrollment Period Registration
A Special Enrollment Period (SEP) is a massive help to people who move from one city to another. The SEP provides a beneficiary with enough time to change or enroll in a Medicare Part D prescription plan and Medicare Advantage plan.
The Special Enrollment Period Initiation
The Special Enrolment Period starts as soon as you inform your insurance provider about your moving plans. The SEP’s initiation depends on when you tell your plan provider about your moving plans. There are two scenarios when informing them about your moving plan:
- When you inform your plan provider before moving, your Special Enrollment Period will initiate before the month you plan on moving. Furthermore, you will still have extra two months when you have moved.
- In case you inform your plan provider late, when you have already moved, your Special Enrollment Period starts in the same month and finishes after additional two months.
Initiation of your new coverage is up to you. You can either start it on the first day when you have moved or after three months when you have completed the enrolment application for Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D prescription.
If you face any trouble or have any queries regarding Medicare plans, get in touch with your Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).
To avoid any hassle, always clear your Medicare issues first before you start moving. Furthermore, get all information about the plans offered in the city you are moving to.
