On August 8, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an updated version of the Medicare plan Enrollment Disenrollment guidance combining two Medicare Manual chapters: the Medicare Advantage plan guidance (CH.2) with the parallel guidance found for Medicare Part D prescription drug plans (CH.3).

The updated 2025 CMS enrollment guidance can be found here:
https://www.cms.gov/files/document/cy2025cdenrollmentanddisenrollmentguidancepdf.pdf

The enrollment disenrollment guidance will become effective January 1, 2025 (however, Medicare plans can voluntarily utilize new model enrollment forms during the 2025 annual Open Enrollment Period (starting October 15, 2024 and continuing through December 7, 2024)).

CMS noted in the agency's accompanying information:

"In an effort to streamline Parts C and D enrollment and disenrollment guidance, we have combined two existing guidance chapters: Chapter 2 of the Medicare Managed Care Manual and Chapter 3 of the Prescription Drug Benefit Manual. In merging these chapters together, we have attempted to provide a more clear, concise, and consolidated tool for the industry to use to comply with our policies and better serve the Medicare population."

Most notably, CMS stressed that the newly combined guidance documents does not change existing enrollment disenrollment guidance noting that:

"This release is intended to be a replacement of our existing enrollment guidance manuals. Outside of content updates related to rulemaking, this new guidance does not change existing policy or propose new policy. Our intent was to clarify existing policy and present it in a new, more concise format." [emphasis added]

Sources include:

https://www.cms.gov/medicare/enrollment-renewal/managed-care-eligibility-enrollment
https://www.cms.gov/medicare/enrollment-renewal/part-d-plans
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2023-04-12/pdf/2023-07115.pdf
https://www.cms.gov/files/document/hpms-memo-cy-2025-enrollment-form.pdf-0