Eligibility and Enrollment

Enrollment periods are time frames when you can enroll in a Medicare plan. There are four enrollment periods for Blue Cross Medicare Advantage plans.

When you first become eligible for Medicare, you can join during this seven-month period:

• It starts three months before the month you turn 65
• It includes the month you turned 65
• It ends three months after the month your turned 65

Anyone can join, switch or drop a Medicare Advantage plan or a Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MAPD) plan between October 15 and December 7. If you apply for a plan during this time, coverage begins on January 1.

The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period is January 1 through March 31 each year. During Open Enrollment:

• Enrollees (those who are already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan) can pick a different Medicare Advantage plan or switch to Original Medicare. You may only make one election, or plan change.
• New Medicare beneficiaries (those who enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan during the first three months that they were eligible – the three months before turning 65) can make a plan change. In this case the Open Enrollment occurs from the month of eligibility to Part A and Part B through the last day of the third month of eligibility.

In most cases, you must stay enrolled in the plan for the calendar year when your coverage began. But, when certain events happen in your life, you may be able to join, switch or drop a Medicare Advantage plan and a Medicare prescription drug plan and return to Original Medicare. This is called a Special Enrollment Period.

Below is a list of some, but not all events that may qualify you for Special Enrollment:

• You move outside of the plan’s approved service area.
• You enter or leave a qualified institution, such as a nursing home.
• You qualify for low-income subsidy assistance (Extra Help).
• You enroll in Medicaid.
• You involuntarily lose creditable prescription drug coverage.
• You leave or lose your employer's health plan.

If any of these situations apply to you, call us at 1-866-286-6159 (TTY: 711).