If your Medicare Part D prescription drug plan (PDP) or Medicare Advantage plan (
MA or MADP) was discontinued at the end of 2015
(that is, your Medicare plan did not renew its contract for 2016 or the plan had a
service area reduction), you are granted a Special Enrollment Period (or SEP)
to join a 2016 Medicare plan through February 29th. This is known as the Service Area Reduction Special Enrollment Period (
SAR SEP).
Medicare Plan Termination vs. Medicare Plan Consolidation
However, this Special
Enrollment Period is only for people previously enrolled in a “discontinued”
Medicare plans and
is not available to people with Medicare plans that were
“consolidated” or merged into another Medicare plan.
Annual Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plan changes and 2015/2016 Medicare plan "crosswalks" (plan reassignments) can be viewed in our PDP-Compare and MA-Compare
tools.
You can
click
here to read more about 2015 Medicare Part D plans that were discontinued or terminated in
2016.
What happens if you miss the SAR SEP deadline?
Important: If your 2015 Medicare plan was discontinued in 2016 and
you do not join a Medicare plan before the end
of the SAR SEP, you will be without Medicare Part D or Medicare
Advantage plan coverage for the remainder of the year - unless you can
take advantage of some other Special Enrollment Period allowing your to join a 2016 Medicare plan outside the annual Open Enrollment Period.
To learn more ...
You can also see our Frequently Asked Question, "Special Enrollment Period for Service Area Reduction (SAR SEP): When your Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plan is cancelled or not offered next year." here:
https://Q1FAQ.com/613.html or call a Medicare representative at 1-800-633-4227.