People With Medicare

I have a Medicare Advantage Plan.

There are two types of Medicare Advantage plans:

• Medicare Advantage-Prescription Drug plans (MA-PD) cover prescription drugs.
• Medicare Advantage plans (MA) don’t cover prescription drugs.

This page tells you what your options are related to drug coverage if you have a Medicare Advantage plan.

I have a Medicare Advantage-Prescription Drug (MA-PD) plan, and I want to switch to another MA-PD plan.

Simply enroll in the new MA-PD plan.

I want to switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan that doesn’t have drug coverage (an MA plan).

If you do this, you won’t have drug coverage. Generally, you won’t be able to enroll in a stand-alone Medicare Prescription Drug Plan. If you change your mind and want to get Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage later on, you will have to pay a higher premium (see Penalty for Enrolling Later. )

I want to switch to Original Medicare Part A or B.

To do this, you need to leave your Medicare Advantage plan and join a separate Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.

I’m in a Medicare Cost Plan or Private Fee for Service Plan without drug coverage, but I want drug coverage.

To get drug coverage, you will need to join a stand-alone Medicare Prescription Drug Plan for drug coverage, in addition to your existing plan.

I’m in a Medicare Advantage plan, and I want to sign up for a stand-alone Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.

IMPORTANT: If you sign up for a stand-alone Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, you will lose your Medicare Advantage Plan. You will automatically be dropped from that plan. If that happens, you will still have Medicare Parts A and B for your health insurance, but you will have to pay all the costs for Parts A and B yourself. You would get your drug coverage from the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan you joined.

CAUTION:

• Be careful about anything you sign.
• Keep a copy of anything you sign or mail in.
• If you aren't sure what a form is for, call your Medicare Advantage plan, your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) or Medicare at 1-800 MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users, call 1-877-486-2048.  Lines at 1-800-MEDICARE are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.