Avoid These 4 Medicare Open Enrollment Mistakes

Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period begins this week. Seniors should avoid these biggest mistakes.Photo byImage by Pete Linforth from Pixabay

Jesse Slome is director of the American Association for Medicare Supplement Insurance (AAMSI) a national advocacy organization that supports insurance professionals who market Medicare solutions. This post may include affiliate links. If you purchase anything through these links neither the author nor the Association earn a commission. However, agents who sell Medicare plans do.

Medicare's annual enrollment period (AEP), often called Medicare Open Enrollment, begins Tuesday.

The 53 day window provides millions of seniors with an opportunity to find better coverage for the coming year. And, because millions will find that their 2025 plan will have changes, there are important things to do now.

Here are the 4 biggst mistakes that you want to avoid during Medicare AEP.

1. Failing to read the Annual Notice of Change which was mailed to you. These are mailed to all covered by Medicare Advantage (Part C) or Medicare drug plans (Part D). If you didn't receive a copy, or threw it out, call now to request one be mailed asap.

2. Not considering changes to your health that happened during 2024. Maybe you started taking new medications. Or maybe you started experiencing symptoms that you'll want to get addressed in 2025. Too many seniors only look back and not ahead. Will the plan you have still serve you best in the coming year?

3. Failing to explore new options even if you are happy. Plans change every year. Your drug plan may not have raised costs, but a different plan has lowered theirs which now makes them a far better deal. It's very easy today to find information about plans available. The mistake is not taking an hour during AEP to see if you can get better coverage or pay les.

4. Not understanding that all Medicare plan options are local. Medicare is a national program but your options are local. In addition to speaking with agents located in remote call centers, it would be a mistake not to at least find and connect with one Medicare insurance agent located in your immediate area. They often have knowledge that can more specifically benefit your decision.

Jesse Slome frequently shares tips and tactics, especially for seniors. Please "Like" this article and "Follow" Slome to be notified of other helpful information.