How often can I change plans if I have Medicare and full Medicaid coverage?

It depends on your Medicare plan. If you have Medicare and full Medicaid coverage or are otherwise eligible for the Medicare Part D Extra Help or the Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) program, your ability to change Medicare plans during the plan year will depend on whether your Medicare plan is a stand-alone Part D plan or a Medicare Advantage plan.

Starting in 2025, people enrolled in a stand-alone Medicare Part D plan (PDP) and eligible for the Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) or Extra Help program will have a monthly opportunity to change their PDP.
But, most Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan (MA, MAPD, or SNP), and eligible for Extra Help will no longer be granted a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) to join or change Medicare Advantage plans.

However, an Extra Help recipient will be granted a Special Enrollment Period to drop their Medicare Advantage plan, return to Original Medicare and join a stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.

And, people who are dual-eligible for both Medicare/Medicaid - and enrolled in an integrated Medicare Advantage D-SNP (FIDE D-SNP, HIDE D-SNP, or AIP) - will be able to change each month to another qualifying integrated D-SNP.

Please note that Extra Help or LIS recipients can still use the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MAOEP) or any other Special Enrollment Period to change Medicare Advantage plans.

Question: Where can I see a Medicare Advantage D-SNP’s level of Medicare/Medicaid integration?

The this site Medicare Advantage plan finder coverage details include information on whether a Dual-Eligible Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) is a:

Fully-Integrated Dual-Eligible (FIDE) SNP,
Highly-Integrated Dual-Eligible (HIDE) SNP, or
Coordination-only D-SNPs
and whether the D-SNP is designated as an Applicable Integrated Plan (AIP) and/or a Medicare Zero-Dollar cost-sharing plan.

Example screen from the 2025 Medicare Advantage plan finder (clicking on the D-SNP plan name will show the plan's coverage details).

Q1Medicare Medicare Advantage plan finder showing level of D-SNP integration, AIP FIDE HIDE

Question: How do I use this Special Enrollment Period?

You can use the SEP to change stand-alone Medicare Part D plans (or drop your Medicare Advantage plan or change to a similar HIDE, FIDE, or AIP Medicare Advantage D-SNP) by telephoning a Medicare representative at 1-800-633-4227 (TTY 1-877-486-2048).

Your new Medicare plan coverage will start on the first day of the month after your enrollment. For example, if you decide to use the Extra Help SEP and submit an enrollment application in September, your new Medicare Part D coverage will begin on October 1st.