Medicare: Annual Open Enrollment
It’s Medicare Open Enrollment time! From October 15 to December 7, you can make changes to your Medicare coverage, like signing up, leaving, or switching plans. Need more info? Check out our videos on different Medicare topics here.
Created by DeafHealth with the support of the Patient Advocate Foundation and Pfizer, these videos on Medicare in American Sign Language (ASL) will give you the skills to make informed decisions about your coverage, the benefits offered by Medicare, and how to use your insurance confidently. The videos cover different topics including Medicare Parts A, B, C, D, and Medigap Plans.
- American Sign Language Medicare Guide: https://deafhealthaccess.org/updates/health-insurance/
- English Medicare Guide: https://www.patientadvocate.org/wp-content/uploads/MedicareBenefitsGuide_English-1.pdf
- Medicare Resources Sheet: https://www.patientadvocate.org/wp-content/uploads/Medicare-Resources-Section.pdf
Stay Informed in ASL: We’ve got you covered! Sign up with your email at deafhealthaccess.org/sign-up or follow us on social media for new and current health updates.
Transcript and Video Description
Video Description: The post has a video thumbnail with blue shading overlaid. The top middle has "Annual open enrollment” in white text with light blue background, accompanied by a yellow bubble with “Medicare” in blue. In the video: A young woman with brown curly hair is standing in front of the camera with decorative items behind her. She is wearing a black top and skirt with metallic-framed glasses.
Transcript: When is Medicare’s Annual Open Enrollment period? During this time, you can make changes to your Medicare coverage, such as signing up, leaving, or changing a plan. Medicare’s Open Enrollment takes place from October 15 to December 7. Once you choose a plan during that time period, you must stay in it until the next Open Enrollment period, which starts on October 15 of the following year. Any changes you make during this period will go into effect on January 1. There are different kinds of enrollment periods. For example, Special Enrollment Periods are when you experience specific life changes or events. For example, you move into a nursing home or relocate out of your plan’s coverage area. You may become eligible for an exception to switch, leave, or join plans outside the regular open enrollment period. It's important to understand each enrollment period’s specific dates and conditions to ensure timely enrollment and avoid late enrollment penalties. To sign up or make changes, you can visit online at SSA.gov or contact your local Social Security office. If you have questions, you can contact your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). [The screen fades to show a thumbnail of a faded white background of a doctor holding hands with another individual] Deaf. Healthy. DeafHealth. Learn more at www.deafhealthaccess.org. [The screen fades to show a thumbnail of a blue lighthouse] Paf. Patient Advocate Foundation. www.patientadvocate.org.