When a Non-Renewing Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plan reassigns members to another plan does the SEP through February apply?
Special Enrollment Periods (SEPs) · updated Jul 10, 2023
This Special Enrollment Period only applies to Medicare plan members who are not reassigned to a new Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part D plan. However, it is interesting to note that in situations where members of a Medicare Advantage plan are NOT reassigned as well as those situation where members ARE reassigned to a new plan, both receive the Guaranteed Issue Right for Medigap* -- should they wish to return to Original Medicare and a Medicare Supplement.
The Medicare Managed Care Manual in Chapter 2 - Medicare Advantage Enrollment and Disenrollment,
Section 30.4.3 - SEPs for Non-renewals or Terminations states...
"...Non-renewals - A SEP exists for members of MA plans that will be affected by plan or contract non-renewals and plan service area reductions that are effective January 1 of the contract year. In order to provide sufficient time for members to evaluate their options, the SEP begins December 8 and ends on the last day in February of the following year..."
Section 30.4.3 closes with "Note: Approved plan consolidations are neither terminations nor non-renewals. Thus individuals affected by plan consolidations are not eligible for the SEP for non-renewals or terminations."
It is important for people who receive an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) stating that they will be reassigned to a new Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plan for the new plan year review their plan options carefully and if necessary select a new Medicare plan during the annual Open Enrollment Period (October 15th through December 7th).
Annual Medicare plan changes and plan crosswalks (reassignments) can be viewed in our PDP-Compare and MA-Compare tools. These tools highlight changes in Medicare Part D plan features from one plan year to the next. They can be accessed directly at PDP-Compare.com and MA-Compare.com. You can go right to your state by following the link with your state code. Example: PDP-Compare.com/FL. For Medicare Advantage plans, following the link with your ZIP code. Example: MA-Compare.com/90001.
(*noted in a CMS memo dated May 7, 2009)