Moving? Don't Forget to Pack Your Medicare!
Moving can be exciting. A new home, a new neighborhood, maybe even a new adventure.
But let's be honest...moving is also a LOT of work. There are boxes everywhere, your kitchen seems to disappear into cardboard, and somehow you can never find the one thing you actually need. And while you're busy changing your address and figuring out where you packed the coffee maker, there's one thing you don't want to forget:
Your Medicare.
What is one of the biggest mistakes people make when they move? They call their insurance company but forget to update Medicare.
And honestly, I understand why. Your insurance company is the name you see on your card, so that's usually the first place you think to call. But there's a little more to it.
Your Medicare plan may not move with you
If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, your plan has a specific service area. If you move outside that service area, your current plan may not be available at your new address.
Just because your insurance company operates in your new area doesn't mean your current plan does.
The same insurance company may offer completely different plans depending on where you live. That can mean different doctors, different pharmacies, different costs, different benefits and potentially different prescription coverage. So don't assume your Medicare plan is going to follow you just because your insurance company's name is still on the card.
Who needs to know you've moved?
There are two important pieces here.
First, make sure your address is updated with Social Security, because Medicare gets your official address information through Social Security.
Second, you'll also want to notify your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan that you've moved.
Think of it this way:
- Social Security needs to know where you live.
- Your insurance plan needs to know where you live.
- And you need to know what Medicare options are available where you're going.
That's already a lot to remember when you're trying to figure out which box contains your silverware.
Here's the good news
If you move outside your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan's service area, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). And this is important because it means you may not have to wait for the Annual Enrollment Period to make a change.
Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to:
- Choose a new Medicare Advantage Plan
- Choose a new Part D prescription drug plan
- Return to Original Medicare if you're currently enrolled in Medicare Advantage
The timing of your Special Enrollment Period depends on your situation, including when you move and when you notify your plan.
A move can give you an opportunity to make changes to your Medicare coverage, but there are deadlines to keep in mind.
What life events qualify me for a Medicare Special Enrollment Period?
A Special Enrollment Period may be available when you:- Move to a new address or out of your plan’s service area
- Move back to the United States
- Lose employer or union health coverage
- Leave employment and lose employer coverage
- Lose Medicaid eligibility
- Lose Extra Help with prescription drug costs
- Lose other creditable prescription drug coverage
- Enter or leave a nursing home or other institution
- Are released from incarceration
- Become eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid
- Qualify for or lose eligibility for a Special Needs Plan
- Qualify for a Chronic Care Special Needs Plan
- Have an opportunity to enroll in employer or union coverage
- Enroll in or lose eligibility for certain state pharmaceutical assistance programs
- Are affected by a Medicare plan ending, leaving the Medicare program, or being non-renewed
- Have an exceptional circumstance, such as a natural disaster or certain errors by a plan or government agency
- Enroll in a 5-star Medicare Advantage or Part D plan when eligible
- Qualify for certain Medicare Advantage trial rights
Important: The length of the SEP and what changes you are allowed to make depend on the specific situation.
So, what should you do?
If you're getting ready to move, this is a good time to take a look at your Medicare coverage.
You'll want to find out:
- Is your current plan available at your new address?
- Are your doctors still in-network?
- Are your prescriptions covered?
- What will your premiums, copays, deductibles, and benefits look like?
- Do you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period?
And this is where a Medicare agent can make life a whole lot easier. Let's be honest, Medicare can be confusing enough when you're not moving. Add a moving truck, a new address, a new doctor, and 47 boxes labeled "miscellaneous," and it can feel like a lot.
You don't have to figure it all out on your own. A Medicare agent can help you look at your new address, determine whether your current plan is still available, explain what other options may be available, and help you understand whether your move gives you a Special Enrollment Period. And please don't feel like you need to have everything figured out before you call. You don't.
That's what we are here for.
Bring us your questions. Tell us where you're moving. Because moving is already enough work. We'll help you figure out what, if anything, needs to change.
Your Medicare should not have to be another box you have to unpack.
About the Author: Anna Ptak is a Medicare and health insurance agent based in Arizona. Anna got into the insurance business after helping her mom and Aunt Elsie navigate Medicare and seeing firsthand how confusing the process can be. Today, she enjoys helping individuals and families understand their Medicare options without all the insurance-speak and stress. When she's not talking Medicare, Anna is a wife and mom of seven who loves the outdoors, football, and dreaming about one day retiring somewhere warm in Puerto Rico. Anna's goal is simple: make Medicare a little easier to understand and a lot less overwhelming.