Enrollment windows, explained simply
Open Enrollment For Medicare Advantage Plans
Open enrollment is the one window each year when you can change your Medicare Advantage plan without needing a special reason. If you are in Palm Beach County or Broward County and you are not sure whether your current plan still fits, this page explains the dates, what you can do during the window, and how I can help you compare without any charge.
What Open Enrollment Actually Lets You Do
The main window is Medicare Open Enrollment, which runs every year from October 15 through December 7. During those weeks you can join a Medicare Advantage plan, drop one and go back to Original Medicare, or switch from one Advantage plan to another. Whatever you choose takes effect on January 1, so there is a gap between the decision and the change, which gives you time to make sure you are comfortable with it.
There is also a second window worth knowing about: the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, from January 1 through March 31. It is narrower. If you are already in an Advantage plan, you can use it to switch to a different Advantage plan, or to drop the Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare with a separate drug plan. It does not let you join Advantage for the first time if you are on Original Medicare.
Outside those windows, changes are limited to special circumstances, such as moving out of your plan's service area or losing employer coverage. If your situation has changed midyear, call me at (551) 223-3854 and I will check whether you qualify for an exception before we assume you have to wait.
How I Help You Compare During the Window
The window is short, and the brochures are thick, which is why most people who work with me tell me the same thing afterward: they wish they had called sooner. Here is what I actually do. First, I ask for your zip code, because Advantage plans vary by county, and the plans available in Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, or Delray Beach in Palm Beach County are not always the same as the ones in Coral Springs, Fort Lauderdale, or Sunrise in Broward County.
Then I ask about your doctors, your hospital, and your prescriptions. I check which plans list your doctors in network for the coming year, because a plan that drops your cardiologist is not a bargain regardless of the premium. I run your medications through each plan's drug formulary so you can see the copays side by side. And I look at the out-of-pocket maximum, which is the number that protects you most if your health takes a bad turn.
Once we have gone through that, I show you two or three plans that fit, and I tell you plainly what each one does well and where it falls short. You decide, and there is no pressure to choose on the spot. If you want to read a longer comparison first, my page on comparing Medicare Advantage plans and what they cost in Florida walks through the same process in more detail.
If You Are Dual Eligible or Have Both Medicare and Medicaid
Some people qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid, which is called dual eligibility, and the rules for switching work a bit differently for them. If you are dual eligible, you generally have more flexibility throughout the year, not just during open enrollment, because Medicaid and Medicare coordinate in ways that create additional enrollment opportunities. This matters if your income or situation has changed and you need to move into a plan that works better with both programs.
Dual eligible plans, sometimes called special needs plans, are built for people who have both, and they often coordinate benefits in ways that reduce what you pay out of pocket. If you think you may qualify, or you are already on Medicaid and turning 65, call me and we will sort it out together. It is a common situation in Florida and New Jersey, and it is worth getting right rather than guessing.
What If You Miss the Window?
If December 7 passes and you did not make a change, you are not stuck forever, but your options narrow. The January 1 through March 31 window gives you one more chance if you are already in an Advantage plan. Outside of that, you can only change coverage if you qualify for a special enrollment period, and those are tied to specific life events rather than to a calendar date.
This is why I encourage people to call me in September or October, before the window opens, rather than in December when it is closing. There is more time to compare properly, more time to check doctors and drugs, and less pressure to decide quickly. If you are reading this in the middle of the window right now, that is fine too; call me and we will work with the time we have. My page on Medicare Plan G costs in 2026 and Florida Advantage plans is a good place to start if you are weighing a supplement against an Advantage plan.
Common questions
When is open enrollment for Medicare Advantage plans?
The main window runs from October 15 through December 7 every year, with any change taking effect on January 1. There is also a narrower window from January 1 through March 31 for people already in an Advantage plan who want to switch to a different one or go back to Original Medicare. Outside those dates, changes require a qualifying life event.
What can I change during open enrollment?
You can join a Medicare Advantage plan, drop one and return to Original Medicare, or switch from one Advantage plan to another. You can also join, drop, or switch a Part D drug plan during the same window. If you are already in an Advantage plan, the January through March window lets you switch Advantage plans or return to Original Medicare.
What is a dual eligible Medicare Advantage plan?
It is a plan built for people who have both Medicare and Medicaid, often called a special needs plan. These plans coordinate both programs, which can reduce what you pay out of pocket and simplify how claims are handled. If you are dual eligible, you usually have more flexibility to change plans throughout the year than someone with Medicare only.
What does dual eligible for Medicare mean?
It means you qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid at the same time. Medicare covers your hospital and medical care, and Medicaid helps with costs that Medicare leaves behind, such as premiums, copays, or long-term care in some situations. If your income is limited, it is worth checking whether you qualify, because the savings can be significant.
Do I have to change plans every year during open enrollment?
No. If your current plan is still working for you, you can leave it alone. But I recommend a quick review every year, because networks, drug formularies, and copays can change from one January to the next. A plan that covered your doctor and your medications last year may not cover them this year, and a ten minute phone call will tell you.
Is there a charge for your help with enrollment?
No. I am Lourdes Hernandez, an independent agent, and I am paid by the insurance carrier, not by you. Whether you enroll through me or on your own, your premium is the same. I help people in Palm Beach County and Broward County, and I am also licensed in New Jersey and North Carolina. Se habla español.
Speak with Lourdes Hernandez
If you are in Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, Delray Beach, Coral Springs, Fort Lauderdale, Sunrise, or anywhere else in Palm Beach County or Broward County, call me at (551) 223-3854 and we will go through your options together. I am also licensed in New Jersey and North Carolina, so if your family spans those states, I can help there too.
You can send a message through the site, book a time through my online calendar, or simply call. The conversation costs nothing, there is no obligation to change anything, and I will give you straight answers rather than a sales pitch. Se habla español, and I would rather answer your questions twice than have you guess about something this important.
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information I give you is limited to the plans I do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.
LYS Insurance Agency is not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program.
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(551) 223-3854