Colliton

during open enrollment? Not necessarily. If you have coverage and are content with what you have, you can just ride out the period until next year. Open enrollment just gives you a chance to review your coverages and decide whether you want to change.

6. Is there anything I need to know about changing plans? When you are first enrolling in Medicare, you have the right and the ability to choose to enroll for a Medicare Supplement plan without regard to health. Medicare Supplement plans are typically more expensive and sometimes, to save money, enrollees might initially sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan.

If they do, and later experience poor health, they can be denied the ability to switch to a Medicare Supplement for better coverage because medical underwriting is involved for the change.

If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch to another Medicare Advantage plan without medical underwriting. If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan and want to switch to a Medicare Supplement you would need to undergo medical underwriting with the insurance company to be approved.

7. What kinds of Medicare Advantage plans are there? Not all Medicare Advantage plans are the same. A Medicare Advantage HMO might or might not limit your providers. It is less likely to be “portable” that is to provide coverage if you move to another

If you have a Medicare Supplement plan, you do not need to be concerned about open enrollment unless you want to change to a Medicare Advantage or change or add your Medicare D (prescription drug) coverage.

coverage area, another state or another part of the country than, for instance, a PPO. Medicare Supplement plans (not Medicare Advantage) are accepted wherever Medicare is accepted.

If you are confused, get help. The Chester County APPRISE program — staffed by volunteers — is excellent. The program can be contacted at 610-344-6035. Janet Colliton, Esq. is a Certified Elder Law Attorney and limits her practice to elder law, retirement and estate planning, Medicaid, Medicare, life care and special needs at 790 East Market St., Suite 250, West Chester, Pa., 19382, 610-436-6674, colliton@ collitonlaw.com. She is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and, with Jeffrey Jones, CSA, cofounder of Life Transition Services LLC, a service for families with long term care needs. Tune in on Wednesdays at 4 p.m. to radio WCHE 1520, “50+ Planning Ahead,” with Janet Colliton, Colliton Elder Law Associates, and Phil McFadden, Home Instead Senior Care.