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Medicare Prescription Drug Plans

Eligibility and Enrollment

Find out whether you qualify for a Medicare prescription drug plan and how you can enroll.

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Am I Eligible?

To enroll in a Medicare prescription drug plan, you need to:

  • Have Medicare Part A and/or Medicare Part B

  • Live in the prescription drug plan's service area

  • Not be enrolled in another Medicare prescription drug plan at the same time

If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, you may only receive your Medicare prescription drug benefits through that plan. Check to see if you already have prescription drug coverage as part of that plan.

Plan Star Ratings

Every year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) evaluates Medicare plans based on a 5-star rating system, with 5 stars being the highest score a plan can receive. More stars indicate better performance and quality.

Learn more about star ratings.

Enrollment Periods

There are four enrollment periods for Blue Cross MedicareRx plans. Review them to find which one is right for you.

Initial Enrollment Period (IEP)

When you are first eligible for Medicare, you can join during the seven-month period:

  • It starts three months before the month you turn 65
  • It includes the month you turned 65
  • It ends three months after the month your turned 65

Annual Enrollment Period (AEP)

Anyone can join, switch or drop a Medicare Advantage prescription drug (MAPD) plan between October 15 and December 7. If you apply during this time, coverage begins on January 1.

Open Enrollment Period (OEP)

The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA OEP) is January 1 through March 31 each year. During Open Enrollment:

  • Enrollees (those who are already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan) can pick a different Medicare Advantage plan or switch to Original Medicare with or without Part D. You may only make one election, or plan change.
  • New Medicare beneficiaries (those who enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan during the first three months that they were eligible – the three months before turning 65) can make a plan change. In this case the Open Enrollment occurs from the month of eligibility to Part A and Part B through the last day of the third month of eligibility.

Special Enrollment Period (SEP)

In most cases, you must stay enrolled in the plan for the calendar year when your coverage began. You may be able to join, switch or drop a Medicare prescription drug plan during a Special Enrollment Period.

Below is a list of some, but not all but not all events that may qualify you for Special Enrollment:

  • You move outside of the plan's approved service area
  • You enter or leave a qualified institution, such as a nursing home
  • You qualify for low-income subsidy assistance
  • You enroll in Medicaid
  • You Involuntarily lose creditable prescription drug coverage
  • You leave or lose your employer's health plan

Contact your plan if any of these situations apply to you. For more information, refer to the Medicare & You handbook .

Blue Cross MedicareRx Enrollment

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