Open enrollment for Medicare Advantage plans runs Jan. 1 - March 31

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Medicare's annual Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period started Jan. 1 and runs through March 31. This is the time when people who currently have a Medicare Advantage plan can switch plans. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner's Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) can help you navigate your options and explain your rights. 

• You must currently be enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. 
• If your plan was discontinued, your special enrollment period ends Feb. 28. You can still make a change up to March 31, but if you do so after Feb. 28, you’ll lose some of your special rights. 
• If you have a Medicare Advantage plan through your employer, your open enrollment period has ended. 
• If you have a Medicare Advantage plan through Medicaid Apple Health, you can switch plans any time during the year. 

If you’re currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan and want to make a change, here's how to enroll: 

Before you enroll in a new plan, make sure your doctors are included in the new plan’s provider network, your prescription drugs are covered, and you’ve read the benefit details of the new plan. If you have questions about your coverage or how to make a change, our SHIBA program can help. We provide free, unbiased help in your local community.