Medicare
As your independent health plan consultants, we can compare Medicare Advantage, Supplemental, and Prescription plans from dozens of private health insurance companies.
Colonial Heritage:
- Offers free annual Medicare insurance reviews.
- Helps you by considering premiums, deductibles, co-pays, co-insurance, and available options.
- Ensures you can take fullest advantage of Medicare by choosing the right plan.
New to Medicare?
There are many details of Medicare which can be confusing to many. Health Plans in Oregon is available to help you know if you are eligible to receive Medicare.
- Those 65 and older likely qualify.
- Those younger than 65 with disabilities of 24 months or more may qualify.
- People with end stage renal disease or other chronic conditions may be eligible.
Timeline of Medicare Enrollment Periods:
- Initial Enrollment Period (IEP): 7-month period. Begins 3 months before you are eligible for Medicare (i.e., turning 65), and ends 3 months after your Medicare eligibility begins.
- General Enrollment Period (GEP): Jan 1 to Mar 31.
- Annual Election Period (AEP): Oct 15 to Dec 7.
- Special Enrollment Period (SEP): Anytime during the year.
- Medicare Advantage Disenrollment Period (MADP): Jan 1 to Feb 14.
Medicare Special Election Period
There are special situations where you may qualify to enroll in a plan, or change the plan you may be currently enrolled in, even when enrollment has ended. Some of those situations include the following:
- You are turning 65.
- You moved to a different address.
- You lose your current coverage.
- You no longer eligible for Medicaid.
- You left coverage from your employer or union.
- You involuntary lose other drug coverage.
- You are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid.
- You qualify for extra help with your Medicare prescription drug coverage.
- You have a severe or disabling condition such as Cardiovascular disease or diabetes and there’s a Medicare Chronic Care Special Needs Plan (SNP) available.
- You can switch to a 5-star Medicare Advantage Plan, Medicare Cost Plan, or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan anytime during the year.
If you have Medicare A and B, here are your choices:
- You can change or enroll on a new Medicare Advantage plan.
- You can also go back to Original Medicare and enroll on a stand-alone Prescription drug plan from a Medicare Advantage plan.
- If you have Medicare Advantage, you can also switch to Original Medicare, enroll on a stand-alone prescription drug plan and enroll on a Medicare supplement.
Medicare Penalties:
Medicare Part B Late Enrollment Penalty
If you do not sign up for Part B when you are first eligible, or if you drop Part B but enroll later, you may pay a late enrollment penalty:
- Penalties generally stay in effect as long as you have Medicare.
- Monthly premium for part B may go up 10% each full 12-month period that you did not sign up for Part B but were eligible.
Medicare Part D Late Enrollment Penalty
If you don’t sign up for Part D when you’re first eligible, you may pay a late enrollment penalty:
- Penalties generally stay in effect as long as you have Medicare.
- Penalties are calculated by multiplying 1% of the “national base beneficiary premium” times the number of full, uncovered months you were eligible but didn’t join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan and went without other creditable prescription drug coverage.