In February, Retirees Should Double-Check These Medicare Deadlines

Signing up for Medicare might seem simple. But the program has a number of key deadlines you should know about. Let’s review the important dates you need to know about in February.

Key Medicare dates to keep on your radar

Your initial Medicare enrollment window doesn’t have an official date, since it’s specific to you. That window starts three months before the month of your 65th birthday and ends three months after that month.

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If you don’t enroll during your initial signup window, you can take advantage of Medicare’s general enrollment period. That runs from Jan. 1 through March 31 each year.

Meanwhile, if you’re already on Medicare, there are some key dates to know if you want to make changes to your coverage.

Medicare Advantage has its own open enrollment period that runs from Jan. 1 through March 31. During this time, you can drop your current Advantage plan and replace it with a new one, or dump Medicare Advantage altogether and sign up for original Medicare. This open enrollment period only applies to you if you have a Medicare Advantage plan.

In the fall, Medicare runs an annual open enrollment period from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7. During this time, all current enrollees can change their Medicare coverage. That could mean swapping Part D drug plans, switching Advantage plans, or moving off of Medicare Advantage and onto original Medicare.

These dates might seem like a lot to keep up with, so mark them on your calendar so you don’t forget. Knowing when to enroll in Medicare or switch plans could help you make the most of your coverage and keep your costs down.