Open Enrollment

What You Need to Know

Open Enrollment is Oct. 15 to Dec. 7

Medicare Open Enrollment is your opportunity to make changes or enroll in a Medicare Advantage or Prescription Drug Plan. You can use the plan recommendation tool to help you choose your plan with confidence.

If you're satisfied with your current plan and it's available next year, there's nothing you need to do. Your plan will automatically renew.

Save Time with the Plan Recommendation Tool

Alight provides one-stop shopping for Medicare plans, giving you access to more than 100 insurers nationwide. Our plan recommendation tool will save you time sorting through options. It's built on powerful algorithms that use the information you provide about your doctors, prescriptions and health needs, giving each plan a score that's tailored to you. The higher the score, the better the match.

This tool will also analyze your current coverage and determine if it's still a good fit, or recommend that you explore new plans that might better suit your needs.

Once you choose a plan, you can enroll online. Our secure site walks you through each step of the process.

Go to Plan Recommendation Tool

Medicare Advantage Plans

Alight offers high-quality Medicare Advantage plans with low or zero monthly premiums in many areas. Most Medicare Advantage plans cover both medical and prescription drugs, and many retirees find them to be a great long-term financial choice that helps maximize their health care budget.

You can only enroll in or change a Medicare Advantage plan during Open Enrollment. You must submit your application between October 15 and December 7, and your new plan will start on January 1.

Switching to a New Medicare Advantage plan

If you're currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan and want to switch to a different one, just log in and go to View Plans to see if there's a better fit.

If you decide to switch, simply add the plan to your cart and start the enrollment process.

Changing to a Medicare Supplement Plan

If you switch from Medicare Advantage to a Medicare Supplement plan, you'll need to do it during Open Enrollment, and you'll have to answer health questions on your application (also known as underwriting). There's a possibility you won't be able to get a Medicare Supplement Plan if you don't pass underwriting. However, certain situations, like moving to a different county, may allow you to change to Medicare Supplement without going through underwriting.

Use the plan recommendation tool to compare your Medicare Advantage plan to Medicare Supplement plans. If you decide to switch, add the plan to your cart and go through the application process.

Prescription Drug Plans

You can save time by looking for a new plan with the plan recommendation tool. Just log in, then go to View Plans to compare your current Prescription Drug Plan to others. You can see if your medications are covered, find out how much you can save by using mail order, and compare plans side by side. Add your plan to the shopping cart when you're ready to start the enrollment process.

If you want to enroll in or change your Prescription Drug Plan, you must do so during Open Enrollment. You must submit your application between October 15 and December 7, and your new plan will start on January 1.

Keeping your Prescription Drug Plan

To keep your current Prescription Drug Plan, simply do nothing. As long as it's available, your plan will automatically renew.

Medicare Supplement Plans

Medicare Supplement plans (also called Medigap) help pay for some of the costs Original Medicare doesn't cover, like copays, coinsurance and deductibles. With this option, most people buy two separate plans — a Medicare Supplement plan for medical expenses and a Prescription Drug Plan for medications.

Changing Your Medicare Supplement Plan

If you have a Medicare Supplement plan, you can change plans anytime — you don't have to wait until Open Enrollment. Just keep in mind that when you first got Medicare Supplement, you had a one-time, 6-month window to enroll without health questions (underwriting). If you change your plan after that window, you'll have to answer health questions in most states, and the insurance company can accept or decline your application based on your health.

To avoid becoming uninsured, you can submit an application and end your current coverage only after you've been approved.

Shop for a new Medicare Supplement Plan with our plan recommendation tool. Be sure to check your Prescription Drug Plan to see if it's still the best plan for you, as well. And, it's a good idea to review your Medicare Advantage options to see if that type of plan is a better long-term financial choice for you.

Keeping Your Medicare Supplement Plan

If you like your Medicare Supplement plan and want to keep it, simply do nothing. Your plan will automatically renew.

Other Important Information

When to Consider a New Plan

If you've moved to a different county or state, if your health needs or finances have changed, or if your plan just isn't working for you, it might be time to find a new plan.

If you've moved, you can log in to update your account information online or call us to find new coverage. Always change your plan through Alight, not the insurance company. If you have a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA), you could lose it if you call the insurance company directly.

Register for an Alight Account

Setting up an Alight account makes shopping for a plan easier and will allow you to see notifications, see your current coverage, compare your coverage to other plans, and check your HRA balance if you have an HRA. Create an account now.

Get Personalized Recommendations

Would you like us to send you plan recommendations? With your permission, we can notify you if we find a plan that's a better match for you than your current plan. To authorize us to send you recommendations, log in and go to My Account. Under the My Notifications tab, click the link to sign an authorization to get personalized recommendations.

Shop and Compare Now

If you're thinking about changing plans, time is limited, so don't delay!