Aging Well

Changing One's Medicare Plan Before a Move

Changing one's Medicare plan before a move can be daunting. Here is what you need to know.

Posted Updated
Moving Medicare Plans
By
Liisa Ogburn
According to a recent Pew survey, one in twenty Americans moved this past year due to the coronavirus outbreak and that trend is continuing. While there are many tasks related to any move (which I've written about here), of particular importance for seniors are decisions around their Medicare plan.
While typically, there is an Open Enrollment period once a year (October 15 through December 7) when seniors can change their Medicare plan, seniors who are making a big move outside of this period are allowed to change their plan at the time of the move. To view other circumstances which allow you to change plans outside of open enrollment, visit this page.

If you are helping your parent make a move across state lines or even across zip codes, from home into a residential care community, here are some critical details you should be aware of as you try to avoid any lapse in coverage.

  1. Two weeks before the move, inform Social Security that your parent is moving and give them your parent's new address. It takes 48 hours for your address to register in the system. The change in address must be registered before any changes can be made to one's Medicare plan. If you get SSI, do not have a U.S. mailing address, or are unable to change your address online, you can: Call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; or contact your local Social Security office.
  2. Change your address online, if you get Social Security benefits (retirement, survivors, or disability) or are enrolled in Medicare, by using a My Social Security online account. Go to the My Social Security.
- This will then give you a new Medicare service area and, in many cases, require you to change your Medicare Advantage, Prescription Drug and/or Medicare Supplement plan(s).
  • What are important considerations before making any decisions?
  • The most important considerations are the needs of the insured. Who are their primary care providers and do they accept original Medicare or are they in-network for Medicare Advantage plans? You also want to select a Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan that has a formulary that includes coverage of all, if possible, of the parent's current medications at the lowest prices. You can compare annual plan costs online, including out-of-pocket costs and also see whether preferred pharmacies are in-network.
  • If you are moving to Assisted Living, Memory Care, Skilled Nursing or Family Care Home you are moving to. The providers in some congregate care communities may not take the Medicare plan your parent is on.
  • Remember that coverage begins not on the day you enroll, but the first day of the next month. For example, if your parent moves on October 1 and enrolls in a new plan on October 2, that plan goes into effect on November 1.
  • The Senior Health Insurance Information ProgramNC SHIIP provides free, unbiased information and guidance by phone. They are sponsored by the North Carolina Department of Insurance and run by trained volunteers. You can reach them by calling: 844-932-5700. Before the pandemic, they provided one-hour-long, in-person counseling sessions in select Senior Centers.
  • Insurance brokers/agents are another source of free help, though they may only suggest those plans that they work with.
  • Have this paperwork ready before calling SHIIP or a broker:
  • Medicare card, current providers' names, medications currently being taken, and proof of identification.
  • How long does the process of changing Medicare plans take?
  • Generally, the process takes less than an hour.
  • How much does it cost?
  • Meeting with SHIIP or an insurance broker is free. Keep in mind that the policy, however, may change in cost. For example, if you are moving from a Medicare Advantage plan to Traditional Medicare, you may have an additional cost due to a supplement plan.
  • How soon can you expect to get your new health ID cards?
  • This will depend on when you enrolled vs the effective date of your plan.
  • What number should you call if you don't receive them?
  • 1-800-MEDICARE.

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