Medicare Disenrollment Period 2012

NEW: 5-Star Special Enrollment Period:

New in 2012, you can now join or switch to a 5-star Medicare plan at any time during the year.

You can only switch to a 5-star Medicare plan if one is available in your area.
You can only use this period to switch to a 5-star Medicare plan one time each year.

Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period 2012:

January 1, 2012 – February 14, 2012

During the Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period you can switch from a Medicare private health plan (also known as a Medicare Advantage plan) to Original Medicare. Regardless of whether the Medicare private health plan had drug coverage, you can join a stand-alone prescription drug plan, but you are not required to. Changes made during the MADP go into effect the first day of the following month.

What you can do:

If you are in a Medicare Advantage Plan, you can leave your plan and switch to Original Medicare.
If you switch to Original Medicare during this period, you will have until February 14 to also join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to add drug coverage. Your coverage will begin the first day of the month after the plan gets your enrollment form.
Note: During this period, you can’t do the following:
Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan.
Switch from one Medicare Advantage Plan to another.
Switch from one Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to another.
Join, switch, or drop a Medicare Medical Savings Account Plan.