Does Medicare Coverage Automatically Renew?
Key takeaways:
Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage (MA) plans automatically renew every year.
Despite automatic renewal, you should review your Medicare coverage during your plan’s annual open enrollment period to make sure it still meets your needs, including covering your medications. Any plan other than original Medicare will send you an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) each fall.
You are only allowed to make changes to your Medicare coverage during annual open enrollment periods, unless you qualify for a special enrollment period.
Even though your Medicare plan automatically renews each year, it doesn’t mean you can set it and forget it. Automatic renewal just means that you won’t lose your Medicare coverage. It does not mean that the coverage you have is the best possible plan for you — or that you don’t have the option to make changes.
If you have any plan other than original Medicare, you should receive an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC). This annual notice arrives around September and informs you of any changes to your plan for the coming year.
You only have a few months to examine your ANOC and make changes to your coverage if needed. Review your plan carefully and make sure your essential prescription medications are covered. If you compare your coverage to other plans, you may also find new benefits that will help with your specific medical needs — and decide to change plans.
Search and compare options
If you have original Medicare, you should review your Part A (hospital), Part B (medical), and Part D (prescriptions) coverage annually, as well. You may also want to do some research to see if your healthcare needs would be better served by switching to a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan.
Does Medicare coverage automatically renew each year?
Yes, as mentioned earlier, Medicare coverage automatically renews each year. If you have original Medicare, your open enrollment period is October 15 to December 7. During this time, you can make changes to your plan.
Open enrollment for MA plans is from January 1 to March 31. During that time, you have many options, including switching to original Medicare.
How can you keep your Medicare Advantage plan from automatically renewing?
There are three ways to stop your MA plan from renewing automatically:
Update your preferences online during the open enrollment period from January 1 to March 31.
Call your plan and request a disenrollment form.
Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) and ask them to help you disenroll from your plan.
As of 2022, you can no longer file MA disenrollments with the Social Security Administration.
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When are the open enrollment periods for Medicare?
Medicare plan changes happen on a regular schedule. If you want to adjust your Medicare plan you will have to do it during the official enrollment periods.
| Part A (hospital insurance) |
Part B (medical insurance) |
Part C (Medicare Advantage) |
Part D (prescription drug coverage) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open enrollment period | October 15 to December 7 | October 15 to December 7 | January 1 to March 31 |
|
| When do changes go into effect? | Changes are effective on January 1 of the following year. | Changes are effective on January 1 of the following year. | Coverage begins the first day of the month after the plan receives your request. |
|
| Are special enrollment periods available? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
What are the special enrollment periods for Medicare?
Special enrollment periods are triggered by qualifying life events that occur outside of an open enrollment period. You can make immediate changes to your Medicare coverage — including a Part D plan — in any of the following situations:
You move into (or out of) your current Medicare plan’s coverage area.
You move to a part of your current coverage area where there are plan options from additional Medicare plan providers.
You move into (or out of) an assisted living facility, mental health facility, or prison.
You previously qualified for Medicaid but are no longer eligible.
You lose your job and no longer have employer-provider health insurance.
You want to switch from a Medicare plan with a low quality rating to one with a five-star quality rating.
You are enrolled in a Special Needs Plan (SNP) and no longer have the condition that made you eligible for coverage.
You think that misleading or unclear information about Medicare plans caused you to make a bad decision. This is true even if you used Medicare’s online plan finder to sign up. In this scenario, you can call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) for help. Medicare representatives will assist you with switching plans.
Is it possible to lose your Medicare coverage?
Yes, it is possible to lose your Medicare coverage if you do not pay your premiums.
“Premium free” Medicare Part A is available to people who have worked and paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years (40 quarters, specifically).
Parts B, C, and D require you to pay premiums to participate. But some people have a premium reduction for Part C (MA plan) and don’t pay anything monthly.
Why else would you lose Medicare benefits?
There are several reasons other than not paying premiums that you might lose your Medicare benefits, including:
You will lose your Medicare benefits if you move outside of your current plan’s coverage area. This will trigger a special enrollment period and you will be allowed to pick a new plan immediately if one is available.
You could lose your benefits if you are younger than 65 and have recovered from a disability.
You could lose your benefits if you lie on your Medicare application, such as falsely representing yourself as a nonsmoker.
You could lose your benefits if you commit any kind of medical fraud.
Sometimes insurance providers stop offering a plan or they end their relationship with Medicare. If that happens, you will receive a non-renewal notice and be allowed to pick a new Medicare plan for the next coverage year.
The bottom line
Your Medicare coverage will automatically renew each year unless you choose to make changes to your plan or disenroll. Use your plan’s annual open enrollment period to update your coverage. You may want to switch between original Medicare and a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan, choose a different MA plan, or change your Part D plan.
Why trust our experts?
Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) if you have questions or need help updating your coverage.
References
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (2022). Five-star quality rating system.
HealthCare.gov. (n.d.). Qualifying life event (QLE).
Medicare.gov. (n.d.). CMS non-renewal reminder notice.
Medicare.gov. (n.d.). Different types of Medicare health plans.
Medicare.gov. (n.d.). How to drop your Medicare drug plan.
Medicare.gov. (n.d.). Joining a health or drug plan.
Medicare.gov. (n.d.). Joining a plan.
Medicare.gov. (n.d.). Plan annual notice of change (ANOC).
Medicare.gov. (n.d.). Special circumstances (special enrollment periods).
Medicare.gov. (n.d.). Special needs plans (SNP).
Medicare.gov. (n.d.). When does Medicare coverage start?
U.S. Social Security Administration. (2022). Program operations manual system (POMS).
