{"id":822122,"date":"2026-09-24T13:30:23","date_gmt":"2026-09-24T13:30:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lasvegasrealestatereview.com\/?p=822122"},"modified":"2026-09-24T14:03:31","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T14:03:31","slug":"clearing-up-confusion-about-medicares-open-enrollment-period","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lasvegasrealestatereview.com\/?p=822122","title":{"rendered":"Clearing up confusion about Medicare\u2019s open enrollment period"},"content":{"rendered":"<div><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lasvegasrealestatereview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/22028844_web1_GettyImages-1497813094.jpg?w=1170&#038;ssl=1\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" alt=\"image\" \/><\/div>\n<p><strong>Dear Toni:<\/strong> This is my first Medicare open enrollment period. I\u2019m still confused about what I need to do.<\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t know anything about the open enrollment process or how I can make a change. How do I find out which options are right for me? I have health problems, and I\u2019m concerned \u2014 which Medicare health plan and prescription drug plan do I choose? \u2014 Phyllis, Denver<\/p>\n<p><strong>Dear Phyllis: <\/strong>It\u2019s important to take your time and research your options. Here are three steps the Toni Says team uses when helping clients during Medicare\u2019s open enrollment period (Oct. 15-Dec. 7).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Step 1: <\/strong>Decide whether you want original Medicare (Parts A and B) or a Medicare Advantage with a prescription drug plan (Part C).<\/p>\n<p>Ask your doctor\u2019s office which plan it recommends. Most doctors accept original Medicare, but not all accept Medicare Advantage plans. If your provider is in a Medicare Advantage plan\u2019s directory, you\u2019ll want to call that specific doctor\u2019s office to ensure they will accept that plan for the upcoming year.<\/p>\n<p>Medicare Advantage plans differ from original Medicare in that they are administered by private insurance companies that are approved by Medicare and are primarily HMO and PPO plans.<\/p>\n<p>If you choose a Medicare Advantage plan, you must use that specific insurance company\u2019s card, not your Medicare card, to pay claims. With original Medicare and a supplemental or Medigap policy, you will use your Medicare (red, white and blue) card to pay claims with the Medicare Supplement paying the Medicare out-of-pocket.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Step 2: <\/strong>Decide if you need to enroll in or change your Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.<\/p>\n<p>If you want prescription drug coverage to go with original Medicare, you must enroll in a stand-alone Medicare Part D plan, and there might be a monthly premium.<\/p>\n<p>If you choose a Medicare Advantage plan, make sure that the plan has Part D drug coverage included to keep you from receiving a penalty for not enrolling in a Medicare drug plan.<\/p>\n<p>Verify that your medications are in the Medicare Advantage or stand-alone Part D plan\u2019s formulary.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Step 3: <\/strong>Don\u2019t miss the deadline. Remember, you have from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 to change your Medicare Advantage plan or stand-alone Medicare Part D coverage, and the change will begin Jan. 1.<\/p>\n<p>If you miss the deadline, you will have to wait until the next year\u2019s open enrollment period.<\/p>\n<p>This window is only for enrolling in or changing Medicare Advantage or Part D plans. Changes to your Medicare supplement, long-term care or dental plans can be made at any time.<\/p>\n<p>Toni King is an author and columnist on Medicare and health insurance issues. If you have a Medicare question, email info@tonisays.com or call 832-519-8664.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Keep these three important steps in mind as we head into this fall\u2019s Medicare open enrollment period.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1248,"featured_media":822124,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-822122","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-housing"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Clearing up confusion about Medicare\u2019s open enrollment period - 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