Why don't more people take advantage of the "5-Star" Medicare plan Special Enrollment Period in 2018?

Because of relatively limited plan availability. In 2018, "5 Star" Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans are available in specific areas across the country.

What is the 5-Star Special Enrollment Period?

Special Enrollment Periods (SEPs) allow you to change Medicare plans outside of the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) (starting October 15th and continuing through December 7th) - and SEPs are granted only for exceptional reasons. The 5-Star Special Enrollment Period allows you to change enrollment once-a-year to a Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plan with a 5-star quality rating (even when you are enrolled in another 5-star Medicare plan).

You can click here to read more about Special Enrollment Periods and you can click here to read about the 5-star Special Enrollment Period.

In 2018, the "5 Star" stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plans (PDPs) are available statewide in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming - and are offered:

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield are available in CT, MA, RI, and VT, and
Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield PDP plans are available in IA, MN, MT, NE, ND, SD, and WY.

The only available 5-Star 2018 Medicare Advantage plans include:

HealthSun HMO Plans in FL.
BCBSGa MediBlue Access (PPO) offered in select counties in GA.
Anthem MediBlue Access (PPO) offered in select counties in KY.
Tufts Plans (HMO) offered in select counties in MA.
Platinum Blue Plans (Cost) offered in select counties in MN.
Gundersen Health HMO Plans offered in select counties in IA and WI.
Optimum HMO, HMO-SNP and HMO-POS plans in select FL counties.
Kaiser Foundation Cost plan available in select counties in DC, MD, VA.
Kaiser Foundation HMO, HMO-SNP and HMO-POS plans in CA, CO, HI, OR and WA.
KS Plan Administrator KelseyCare HMO and HMO-POS plans in TX.
Providence Health HMO and HMO-POS plans offered in select counties in OR and WA.

How many counties have 5-star Medicare Advantage plans?

Medicare Advantage plans (MA and MAPDs) have Service Areas defined geographically by a ZIP Code, county, or partial-county. 5-Star rated 2018 Medicare Advantage plans are available in 332 counties across 17 states. So, a 5-star Medicare Advantage plan may be available to you if you live in a specific county located in:

California (30 counties),
Colorado (17 counties),
the District of Columbia,
Florida (25 counties),
Georgia (41 counties),
Hawaii (3 counties),
Iowa (5 counties),
Kentucky (46 counties),
Massachusetts (10 counties),
Maryland (11 counties),
Minnesota (87 counties),
New Hampshire (5 counties),
Oregon (15 counties),
Texas (4 counties),
Virginia (9 counties),
Washington (6 counties), or
Wisconsin (17 counties).

How many people are able to take advantage of the 2018 5-Star Special Enrollment Period?

Over 6 million people have access to 2018 Medicare Part D plans and Medicare Advantage plans with a 5-Star quality rating. You can click on the following link for more information on this site