I have Original Medicare, a Part D prescription drug plan, and a Medigap. I am moving from New York to Arizona in a few months. Do I need to change my Medicare coverage?

Because you have Original Medicare, you will not need to make changes to your Original Medicare when moving within the U.S. Original Medicare does not have provider networks, so you can visit any doctor or facility in the country that accepts Medicare.

Medicare Advantage Plans and your Part D plan, on the other hand, have coverage areas, so when moving within the U.S. you may need to switch plans. You will have a Special Enrollment Period, or SEP, if you move out of your plan’s service area, or if you move to an area that is still covered by your plan but where more plans are also now available to you. To ensure you have coverage in your new place of residence, you should notify your plan in advance and select a new Medicare Advantage or Part D plan if applicable. For help comparing plans, you can use Medicare’s Plan Finder tool or call 1-800-MEDICARE.

Whether you have Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage, you should update your information with the Social Security Administration to ensure that you receive important communications.

If you have a supplemental policy known as a Medigap, you do not need to change your plan. Contact the plan see if the premium will change. Note that enrollment rules vary by state, in case you plan to make future changes to your Medigap coverage. To learn more about Medigaps in your new state, call your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). To locate your SHIP, call 877-839-2675 or visit www.shiptacenter.org.

And finally, let’s discuss moving if you are enrolled in any Medicare cost assistance programs. Medicare Savings Program, or MSP, eligibility and enrollment are state-specific, so your MSP will not follow you if you move to another state. You will need to disenroll from your MSP and see if you are eligible for an MSP in the state to which you are moving.

Even when moving to a new state, your Extra Help benefits will not be affected, as eligibility requirements do not differ by state. It is important to note, however, that if you were automatically enrolled in Extra Help because you had Medicaid or an MSP, but then you lose Medicaid coverage or the MSP because of your move to a different state, you will need to enroll in that coverage in your new state or actively enroll in Extra Help to keep those benefits past the end of this year (or next year, depending on when you move).

For help with Medicare cost assistance programs in your state, you can contact your SHIP by calling 877-839-2675 or visiting www.shiptacenter.org.

I hope this information helps you think about your Medicare coverage as you plan your upcoming move!

-Marci

Dear Marci is a free e-newsletter from the Medicare Rights Center (www.medicarerights.org), the nation’s largest independent source of information and assistance for people with Medicare. For more free answers to your Medicare questions, visit Medicare Interactive (MI) at www.medicareinteractive.org. Subscribe to Dear Marci by registering for your free account on Medicare Interactive.  

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