Posted by J. Garrett Ball, Medicare specialist on August 10, 2010 under Uncategorized | 
Answering questions is a big part of my job. Many people on Medicare have the same general questions. In this section, I answer a question that I’ve recently been asked, for everyone’s benefit:
What are the enrollment periods for the various types of Medicare plans?
This is a very common question that can be easily answered; however, there is a lot of misinformation out about this (through other agents) and just through misconceptions. The easiest way to look at it is to break it down by type of plan:
Medicare Supplement (Medigap): There are NO set enrollment periods. You can enroll/disenroll at any time, as long as you have Medicare A & B.
Medicare Advantage: Medicare Advantage has a set enrollment period of Nov. 15-Dec. 31 each year. Then, you can also make some changes between Jan. 1-Mar. 31 (some restrictions apply - each case is different).
Part D: Part D is the same as Medicare Advantage. The annual enrollment period is Nov. 15-Dec. 31 then there is an additional enrollment period Jan 1-Mar. 31. During that additional period, you can neither drop or add coverage, only switch Part D plans.
Tags: medicare advantage plans, medicare advantage quotes, medicare enrollment periods, medicare enrollment questions, medicare insurance, medicare open enrollment, Medicare Part D, medicare part d quotes, medicare supplement enrollment, Medicare Supplement plans, Medicare supplement quotes, medigap enrollment, medigap plans, medigap quotes, Open Enrollment
Posted by J. Garrett Ball, Medicare specialist on August 28, 2009 under Medicare insurance news, South Carolina Medicare Advantage plans, South Carolina Medicare Supplements |
South Carolina Medicare Supplement policyholders often ask me about the Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment period, thinking that it takes place at the end of the year (November-December). However, Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment is not a once-a-year occurrence. It occurs only when someone is turning 65 or first signing up for Medicare Part B - NOT each year on an annual basis.
In other words, you can change or add a Medicare Supplement plan at any time during the year, not just during a once-a-year period. Many people do elect to evaluate their options once a year at the end of the year; however, this is not the only time that you can do it. In fact, you are likely to get more attention from the company or broker you are dealing with if you evaluate/change plans in the middle of the year.
Many people get confused about this, in part, because South Carolina Medicare Part D does have a once-a-year Annual Election Period (AEP), and it is November 15-December 31 each year. Also, the Medicare Advantage plans, the privatized version of Medicare, do also have enrollment/disenrollment restrictions, which include a certain times of the year for you to enroll or disenroll from those plans.
Maybe the best time of all to review your South Carolina Medicare Supplements coverage is whenever your rates change. Since coverage is Federally-standardized, there is never any reason to pay more than the bottom-line price for your supplement insurance.
Posted by J. Garrett Ball, Medicare specialist on August 17, 2009 under South Carolina Medicare Supplements |
The South Carolina Medicare Supplement through Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina is a great option for some Medicare-enrollees. Although the Blue Cross Blue Shield rates are typically higher than other standardized Medicare Supplement plans in the state, they are a great fit for those who are not in Open Enrollment or Guaranteed Issue periods and can not qualify medically for other lower-priced plans.
BCBS has more lenient underwriting questions, which allows some individuals who would not qualify for other plans to qualify for a BCBS Medicare Supplement in South Carolina.
Keep in mind that, if you ARE in an Open Enrollment (just turning 65 or signing up for Medicare Part B) OR Guaranteed Issue (several situations including moving to a new state, or retiring and losing employer coverage), you have the opportunity to sign up for a plan from any company without being subject to underwriting (i.e. health questions). In that case, it is imperative that you do a full, unbiased rate quote comparison and choose the plan with the lowest (or one of the lowest rates). Since all companies provide the exact same coverage plans and pay claims the same way, rate is, and should be, the primary comparison factor.
For more information about this or to get a South Carolina Medicare Insurance Supplement Quotes, visit Secure Medicare Solutions at South Carolina Medicare Insurance - Medicare in SC.
