Medicare Annual Enrollment Period — Wichita, Kansas
Medicare Open Enrollment: October 15 – December 7
Medicare Open Enrollment runs October 15 – December 7 each year. Changes take effect January 1. Lokal Insurance Group helps Medicare beneficiaries in Wichita review their coverage and decide if any adjustments make sense.
Medicare Open Enrollment generally runs October 15 – December 7. Changes generally take effect January 1.
Your annual Medicare review checklist
Even if you plan to keep your current coverage, reviewing these six things each fall helps you avoid surprises in January.
- Review your doctors and hospitals
- Review your prescriptions
- Review your pharmacies
- Review premiums and out-of-pocket costs
- Read your Annual Notice of Change
- Consider travel and provider-access needs
Your plan generally sends your Annual Notice of Change by September 30. It explains what is changing in your coverage for the coming year. Reviewing it before Open Enrollment opens is one of the most direct ways to know whether your current plan still fits.
What to bring to a Medicare review
You do not need to have everything ready before reaching out. But if you have these items available, a review conversation goes faster.
- Your current Medicare card
- A list of your current prescriptions and dosages
- Names of your primary care doctor and specialists
- Your preferred pharmacy
- Your Annual Notice of Change (if you received one)
- Any questions about your current coverage
If you do not have all of these, that is fine. We can still have a useful conversation.
Ready to review your coverage?
A conversation with our Wichita office is free and carries no obligation.
What can change in your Medicare plan
Even if you do not actively switch plans, your current coverage may change on January 1. Here are the areas most likely to affect you.
Premiums and cost-sharing
Monthly premiums, deductibles, copays, and coinsurance can change from year to year. Review your Annual Notice of Change to see what your plan is charging next year.
Prescription formulary
Your plan's drug list can change. A medication covered this year may be on a different cost tier, require prior authorization, or be removed from the formulary entirely.
Provider and pharmacy networks
Doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies can leave or join a plan's network. Confirming your preferred providers are still in-network before January 1 is a reasonable step.
Extra benefits
Dental, vision, hearing, and fitness benefits offered by Medicare Advantage plans can change or be discontinued. Review your plan's Evidence of Coverage for next year.
Dates
Oct 15 – Dec 7
Annual Enrollment Period
The main window each year when anyone with Medicare can switch, join, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. Changes take effect January 1.
Who can use it: Anyone enrolled in Medicare
Dates
Jan 1 – Mar 31
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period
If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare. You can also add a Part D plan if you return to Original Medicare.
Who can use it: People already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan
Dates
3 months before to 3 months after your 65th birthday month
Initial Enrollment Period
The 7-month window when you first become eligible for Medicare. Enrolling earlier in the window generally results in an earlier coverage start date.
Who can use it: People turning 65 or newly eligible for Medicare
Dates
Varies by qualifying event
Special Enrollment Period
Triggered by qualifying life events such as losing employer coverage, moving out of a plan's service area, or qualifying for Extra Help. The window and eligible changes depend on the specific event.
Who can use it: People who experience a qualifying life event
Enrollment period rules can be complex. If you are unsure which period applies to your situation, a conversation with a licensed agent can help you understand your options before a window closes.
Open Enrollment questions, answered plainly
Medicare Open Enrollment — the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period — generally runs from October 15 through December 7 each year. Changes made during this period generally take effect January 1 of the following year.
No. You are not required to make any changes during Open Enrollment. If you do nothing, your current coverage will generally continue into the next year, subject to any changes your plan has made. However, reviewing your coverage each year is worthwhile because plan features can change even if you do not actively switch.
Prescription drug formularies can change from year to year. A medication that was covered at a favorable cost tier last year may be placed on a different tier, require prior authorization, or be removed from the formulary entirely. Reviewing your prescriptions against your plan's formulary for the coming year can help you avoid unexpected costs.
Yes. Provider and pharmacy networks are determined by each plan and can change annually. A doctor or pharmacy that was in-network this year may not be in-network next year, and vice versa. Confirming that your preferred providers are still participating in your plan before January 1 is a reasonable step.
If you are enrolled in a Medicare plan, your plan generally sends your Annual Notice of Change by September 30. It explains changes in costs, coverage, provider networks, service area and other plan rules that take effect January 1. Reviewing it is one of the most direct ways to understand what is changing in your current coverage.
If you do not make any changes during Open Enrollment, your current Medicare coverage will generally continue into the next year. However, your plan may have made changes to its premiums, formulary, or network that take effect January 1 regardless of whether you actively re-enrolled. Reviewing your Annual Notice of Change can help you understand what to expect.
Yes. A review conversation with Lokal is informational. We can help you look at your current coverage, understand what may have changed, and compare options if that is useful. There is no obligation to change or purchase any coverage, and there is no charge for the conversation.
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