Who This Page Is For

Medicare can feel like a maze with deadlines. This page gives Florida residents a clear starting point, without fluff. If you’re turning 65, use it to understand when to enroll, what each part covers, and what choices you’ll face. If you’re helping a parent or loved one, it helps you get oriented before you talk about specific plans. If you already have Medicare, use this page during an enrollment window to review your coverage and spot changes that could affect costs, doctors, or prescriptions. If you qualify for Medicare under 65 due to disability, you’ll find a straightforward overview of the same core options.

Most people aren’t looking for “more insurance.” They want to separate good options from bad ones—keep trusted doctors, control costs, and avoid plan traps like the wrong network or drug list. Read this page, then click the Contact Form to request a callback for a licensed Medicare review. We help you compare and filter plans side-by-side so you can choose with confidence.

When Can I Change My Plan?

Medicare has set change windows. Miss them, and you may have to wait.

The main window each year: Annual Enrollment Period (AEP)

Most people change coverage during the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP). It runs October 15 to December 7.

During AEP, you can:

• Move from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage (Part C)
• Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another
• Drop Medicare Advantage and go back to Original Medicare
• Add a stand-alone Part D drug plan (if you return to Original Medicare)
• Change your Part D drug plan if your meds, costs, or pharmacy changed

Timing matters: Changes you make in AEP usually start January 1.

New to Medicare?

If you’re turning 65 (or just became eligible), you get a first-time enrollment window around your eligibility date. That’s separate from AEP.

Outside AEP: Special Enrollment Period (SEP)

Outside AEP, you usually need a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). You may qualify if you:

Have another qualifying life event (rules depend on the event)

Move out of your plan’s service area

Lose certain coverage

Gain eligibility for Extra Help

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA OEP)

If you already have a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan and something feels off—wrong doctors, higher drug costs, surprise copays—this is your early-year fix window.

When it happens

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA OEP) runs January 1 to March 31 each year.

Who it’s for

MA OEP is only for people who are already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan.

What you can do during MA OEP

During MA OEP, you can make one change:

• Switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan (with or without drug coverage), or
• Drop Medicare Advantage and return to Original Medicare
  • If you return to Original Medicare, you can also add a stand-alone Part D drug plan

What you cannot do during MA OEP

• You cannot switch from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage using MA OEP.
  • People usually join Medicare Advantage during Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) (October 15–December 7) or through a qualifying Special Enrollment Period (SEP).

When changes start

Your new coverage usually starts on the first day of the month after the plan gets your request.

Want to know if MA OEP applies to you and what change makes sense? Click the Contact Form to request a callback for a licensed Medicare review and a clear, side-by-side comparison.

Medicare in Plain Language

Medicare is organized into several parts that each focus on different types of care.

Medicare Part A, often called Hospital Insurance, helps cover inpatient hospital stays, care in a skilled nursing facility, hospice care, and some home health services.

Medicare Part B, or Medical Insurance, helps cover doctor visits, outpatient care, lab work, preventive services, and certain types of medical equipment.

Together, Parts A and B are known as Original Medicare. Original Medicare is administered by the federal government and generally allows access to any doctor or facility that accepts Medicare. It does not include a built-in annual maximum on out-of-pocket costs, and it does not typically cover routine dental, vision, or hearing services.

Medicare Advantage (Part C) consists of plans offered by private insurance companies that are approved by Medicare. These plans combine Part A and Part B coverage and often include prescription drug coverage as well. Many Medicare Advantage plans also offer extra benefits such as routine dental, vision, hearing, fitness programs, and over-the-counter (OTC) allowances. These plans usually rely on networks of doctors and hospitals and include an annual maximum on out-of-pocket spending.

Medicare Part D focuses on prescription drug coverage. Some people enroll in stand-alone Part D plans to pair with Original Medicare. Others choose Medicare Advantage plans that include Part D drug coverage as part of the same policy. Plan design affects the monthly premium, the deductible, the copay or coinsurance amounts, and which medications are covered on the plan’s formulary.

Medicare Supplement policies, often called Medigap plans, are offered by private insurance companies and are designed to help pay some of the costs that Original Medicare does not cover. This can include certain deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance. Medigap plans work alongside Original Medicare, not with Medicare Advantage plans.

The most suitable combination of these options depends on several factors, including current health conditions, prescription medications, preferred doctors and hospitals, travel patterns, and budget.

What To Expect From a Medicare Review with Us

A Medicare review should do one job: turn a pile of plans into a short list that makes sense. Our Medicare guidance is practical: we check doctors, prescriptions, pharmacies, and ZIP-code availability, then show the trade-offs in plain English.

Here’s what happens:

1. Medicare status check
   We confirm where you are right now: new to Medicare, already enrolled, or under 65 due to disability.
2. Plans for your ZIP code
   Medicare plan options change by county and ZIP code. We pull the plans available where you live (or where your loved one lives).
3. Doctors and hospitals
   You tell us your primary doctor, specialists, and preferred hospitals. We check which plans include them (when a network applies).
4. Prescriptions and pharmacy
   You list your meds and your pharmacy. We estimate how each plan may cover them and what you may pay.
5. Side-by-side breakdown
   We compare the parts people feel later: monthly premium, deductible, copays/coinsurance, annual out-of-pocket max, and any extras like dental, vision, hearing, fitness, and OTC (over-the-counter) benefits.
6. Next steps, clearly
   If you pick a plan, a licensed agent can help with the application. If you don’t pick one, you still leave with a clear view of your options and why they differ.

Ready for your Medicare Review?

To request a personalized Medicare review, you can complete the secure form. Once submitted, one of our licensed insurance agents will contact you to provide Medicare guidance and answer any questions.

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