Medicare Open Enrollment Period Starts Soon—Set a Reminder | Medicare

Medicare Open Enrollment runs from October 15 to December 7, but did you know you can get an early look at next year’s health plans and prescription drug plans starting on October 1?

Premiums for Medicare Advantage Plans are dropping to historic lows for 2021. This type of Medicare health plan, offered by a private company that contracts with Medicare, is an all-in-one alternative to Original Medicare. These “bundled” plans include Part A (Hospital Insurance), Part B (Medical Insurance), and usually Part D (prescription drug coverage). Most plans offer extra benefits—like vision, hearing, dental, and more.

Starting on October 1, you can take an early peek at Medicare health plans and drug plans by using the Medicare Plan Finder. If you have a Medicare Number, you can log in or create an account to put together or access a list of your drugs, compare your current Medicare plan to others, and see prices based on any help you get with drug costs.

If you’re among the 1 in 3 people with Medicare who has diabetes, here’s some more good news: starting in 2021, many participating drug plans will offer a 30-day supply of insulin for $35 or less per month. If you take insulin and enroll in one of these plans, you could save an average of $446 per year on your out-of-pocket costs for insulin next year.

Ready to get started? Set a reminder on your phone for October 1 or jot a note on the top of your October calendar, and get ready to compare and save on Medicare health plans and Medicare drug plans.