Medicare Advantage Plans in Washington

Medicare Advantage Plan Eligibility and Enrollment in Washington

To be eligible to enroll in Medicare Advantage, you must meet the general Medicare eligibility requirements. Also, you must be enrolled in Part A and Part B before you can enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan.

Medicare is available to people who:

• Are over age 65
• Have end-stage renal disease (ESRD)
• Have  amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• Have disabilities and qualify for Social Security

Medicare has specific enrollment periods to add or switch coverage. If you’re new to Medicare, you can sign up for Medicare in the three months before or after your 65th birthday or after you have received disability benefits from the Social Security Administration for at least 24 months.

If you are interested in enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan, it may be best to consider this option when you first enroll in Medicare. Whether you opt to enroll in Original Medicare and add a Part D prescription plan, or choose a Medicare Advantage plan with prescription coverage, it’s usually a good idea to start prescription drug coverage immediately.

If you wait to sign up for a Part D plan, a late enrollment penalty will be added to your Medicare premium for the rest of your life, and this penalty is based on how long you were eligible for a prescription plan but chose not to enroll.

To avoid penalties and get the most from Medicare benefits, here are important dates to remember for Medicare Advantage enrollment:

• Medicare’s Open Enrollment Period for all Medicare coverage: October 15 to December 7
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period only for Medicare Advantage enrollees: January 1 to March 31

Special enrollment periods are also available based on certain circumstances, like a new disability, changes to your eligibility, or a move to an area where your current plan isn’t offered.