Key takeaways

  • Most Medicare plans, including Original Medicare (Parts A and B), Medicare Advantage (Part C), and prescription drug (Part D) plans, typically renew automatically each year.
  • You may need to re-enroll if your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan changes its contract with Medicare or is terminated. In that case, you’ll receive an annual notice of change (ANOC) explaining how to enroll in a new plan.
  • If you previously had Medicare but your coverage lapsed, you won’t be automatically re-enrolled and will need to manually re-enroll during an open enrollment period (OEP) or qualify for a special enrollment period (SEP) under certain circumstances.

Many people take a “set it and forget it” approach to Medicare enrollment.

Generally, once you enroll in Medicare, you don’t need to reenroll each year. As long as you’re satisfied with your current coverage, you usually won’t have to complete any annual paperwork or take further action.

That said, there are a few factors to keep in mind.

As long as you pay your premium for Medicare Part B, as well as your premium for Medicare Part A if you have to pay it, Original Medicare (parts A and B) will renew automatically.

That said, you may find it useful to review your options before the annual open enrollment period (OEP), which occurs from October 15 to December 7, in case you decide to change your coverage.

Similar to Original Medicare, your Advantage plan will usually renew automatically every year unless you actively make changes. You would typically make changes during the Medicare Advantage OEP, which occurs from January 1 to March 31.

Do I have to renew Medicare Part D every year?

Similar to Medicare Advantage, your Part D plan will usually renew automatically unless you actively make changes during the annual OEP.

That said, for both Medicare Advantage and Part D, your plan may not renew annually if your current plan changes its contract with Medicare or if Medicare terminates the plan for underperformance.

Your annual notice of change (ANOC) will explain what happened and how to enroll in a new plan. For example:

  • If your plan no longer offers services, you can enroll in a new plan as soon as 2 months before your policy ends.
  • If Medicare doesn’t renew your plan’s contract, you can enroll in a new plan between December 8 and the last day of February.

If your Advantage or Part D plan provider ends its Medicare contract, you can switch to a new plan starting two months before and up to one month after the contract ends as part of a special enrollment period. It’s important to sign up for a new Part D plan or an Advantage plan with lumped-in drug coverage to avoid a late enrollment penalty.

If you don’t select a new Advantage plan, you’ll automatically return to Original Medicare.

If you were previously enrolled in a Medicare plan but do not currently have Medicare coverage, you will not be automatically re-enrolled in the future.

For example, you may lose your Medicare coverage if you don’t pay your plan premiums, move abroad or outside your Advantage plan’s service area, or you’re not 65 years old or older and no longer qualify based on disability.

If you are not sure whether you currently have Medicare, you can take the following steps to confirm your coverage:

  • Check your plan card: Locate your red, white, and blue Original Medicare card or any separate cards for Medicare Advantage (Part C), Part D, or Medigap. Each card lists plan details and coverage dates.
  • Use online accounts: To review your plan information, log into your MyMedicare account or your insurer’s member portal.
  • Call directly: Contact 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-800-633-4227) or your plan’s customer service line for assistance.
  • Review financial records: Look for Medicare Part B premium deductions on your Social Security statements or private plan payments on bank or credit card statements.
  • Ask your pharmacist: When filling a prescription, your pharmacist can confirm your Part D drug coverage.

If you find out that you no longer have Medicare, you will have to confirm whether you’re still eligible and manually re-enroll in Medicare coverage during an OEP. In some cases, you may be eligible for a special enrollment period (SEP).

For example, if you move back to the United States, you can reinstate your previous Medicare coverage in a SEP.

If you were disenrolled from Medicare for nonpayment of premiums, you may be able to reinstate your coverage under the Good Cause policy. To qualify, you must pay your outstanding balance within 3 months of disenrollment. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait until the next OEP.

With a few exceptions, Medicare plans generally renew automatically every year. You typically do not have to re-enroll in an Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, or prescription drug plan, unless you lost coverage or your plan was terminated.