There seems to be an endless number of scenarios for which a Medicare member is entitled to a special election, enabling them to enroll into a Medicare Advantage Plan outside of the Annual Election Period. We will address one of the more common occurrences that all active agents will come across at some point: the client moving into (or out of) a new service area.
If you have a client that will be moving to a new service area, meaning an area where their current plan will no longer be effective, they will be eligible to enroll into a new Medicare Advantage Plan one month prior to their permanent move and for 2 months following the move. Note: if your client is moving to a state where you are not licensed to sell, you are welcome to contact us, so that we can put your client in contact with a quality, licensed agent near their new home.
If you happen to meet a Medicare member who has recently moved and is unaware of what their options are, you can inform them that they are eligible to enroll in a new Medicare Advantage Plan in their new area beginning the month the member notifies the plan of their move and for two months following the notification. This can be reassuring for some weary Medicare members that were too busy moving to worry about their health insurance status.
Make sure your clients are aware that once they use this special election, they must keep their plan through the end of the year. Be sure to use code SEP on the enrollment application and note “change in residence” as the reason. If you have any questions, please contact us. You can also find a helpful election period help guide here.
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