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Quiz: Medicare Open Enrollment

Test your knowledge so you can be better prepared

Dena Bunis

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9 Questions

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Quiz: Medicare Open Enrollment

[ {
  "question" : "When is Medicare open enrollment this year?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 ",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Oct. 31 to Dec. 15 ",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Nov. 1 to Dec. 31 ",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Nov. 15 to Dec. 31",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "You can change your Medicare drug and health plans between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "What kind of changes can you make to your Medicare coverage during open enrollment?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Switch your current Part D prescription drug plan or Medicare Advantage plan to another",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Change from having original Medicare and a Part D plan to a Medicare Advantage plan that can include medical and drug coverage.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Change from a Medicare Advantage plan to original Medicare (and add a Part D drug plan if you don’t have other prescription drug coverage.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "All of the above",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "You can make any of these changes during open enrollment. Also, if you didn’t sign up for Part D prescription drug coverage when you were first eligible, and you don’t have equivalent drug coverage from an employer, previous employer, union, Veterans Affairs or elsewhere, you can use the annual open enrollment period to sign up for a Part D plan for the first time.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "Why is it a good idea to review your current coverage?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Premiums, deductibles and copays may change",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "New plans may have been added in your area and others may no longer be available",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "You should check to make sure all your prescriptions are still covered in your Part D plan.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, check if the services you need are covered and your providers are part of the plan.",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "All of the above",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Insurers can change the premiums copays and what''s covered in their Part D and Medicare Advantage plans — including the list of drugs they cover — every calendar year and sometimes in the middle of the year. Look at the letter your current plan should send you in September, to see what will be different next year and compare it with other plans available to you by going to the plan comparison tool at Medicare.gov.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "What is the most effective way of comparing Part D drug plans to find your best deal?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Sorting through the drug plan materials you’ve received in the mail",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Asking relatives, friends and neighbors about the plan they prefer",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Identifying the plan in your area with the lowest monthly premium",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Using the plan-comparing tool on Medicare’s website or asking a Medicare customer service representative to use it for you",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "Part D plans charge widely different copays and do not all cover the same drugs. They also have different preferred pharmacies where you can often get the best deal. So, it’s vital to check out which drugs each plan covers, what the plan’s monthly premiums are and what the copays are for the prescriptions you take. The search can be confusing. But the online Medicare plan finder can help. Visit Medicare.gov and click on Find Plans. You can also call the Medicare hotline at 800-633-4227 — 24 hours a day, seven days a week — and ask for help. And during the open enrollment period if you sign on to Medicare.gov you can do an online chat with a Medicare representative. If you’re comparing the prescription drug coverage in Medicare Advantage plans, you should also pay attention to their medical benefits and what doctors participate in the various plans.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "If your current Medicare plan still meets your needs, do you have to reenroll?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Yes",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "No",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Maybe, it depends on the plan you’re enrolled in",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Maybe, if you’ve recently been prescribed different drugs",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "If you want to stay in original Medicare or the Part D prescription drug or Medicare Advantage plan you have, you don’t need to do anything. You will be automatically reenrolled.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "How do you enroll in a different Medicare plan?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "By signing up online at Medicare.gov",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "By calling Medicare at 800-633-4227",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "By calling the plan of your choice or visiting its website",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Any of the above",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "You can use any of these methods to enroll in a new plan. If you enroll online, print out your completed application as proof. You should receive an acknowledgment from the plan soon afterward. If you haven’t heard from the plan within two weeks, call Medicare to confirm that you are, in fact, enrolled.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "If you switch to a different plan during open enrollment, when will your new coverage begin?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Jan. 1",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Immediately after you have enrolled",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "The first day of the month after you enroll",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "The month of your next birthday",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "If you sign up for a different plan at any time during open enrollment, your coverage will begin on Jan. 1. There’s no need to notify your current plan — enrollment in a different plan automatically cancels your current coverage at midnight on Dec. 31. Note that if you change from a Part D drug plan to a Medicare Advantage plan, this automatically cancels your coverage under original Medicare and you will receive your Medicare benefits through the Medicare Advantage plan, also starting Jan. 1.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "What happens if you miss the Dec. 7 deadline for this year’s open enrollment?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "You must wait until next year’s open enrollment to change plans",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "You can switch plans whenever you want",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "You may be able to switch after the deadline but it depends on your plan’s rules",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "You can switch plans after the deadline but only in certain limited circumstances",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "You can switch plans after open enrollment ends only in special circumstances — such as if you move outside of your current plan’s service area or your Medicare Advantage plan is no longer operating. You can also switch Part D prescription drug plans at any time of the year if you qualify for low-cost drug coverage under Part D’s Extra Help program. If you’re in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch MA plans or revert back to original Medicare (and a Part D drug plan) during a special Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period that runs from Jan. 1 to March 31.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
}, {
  "question" : "If you have Medicare supplemental insurance (Medigap), what do you need to do during open enrollment?",
  "answers" : [ {
    "answer" : "Nothing",
    "correctAnswer" : true
  }, {
    "answer" : "Notify your insurer that you will continue your policy next year",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Switch to another Medigap policy sold by the same insurer",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  }, {
    "answer" : "Switch to a Medigap policy sold by a different insurer",
    "correctAnswer" : false
  } ],
  "multiSelect" : false,
  "explanation" : "There is no annual open enrollment period for Medigap plans, which are offered by private insurance companies, not the federal government. Most people who are age 65 or older buy these supplemental plans within six months of enrolling in Medicare Part B. That’s because during this initial six-month period, federal law prohibits insurers from denying individuals coverage or charging them higher premiums on the basis of current or past health problems. It’s possible to switch to a different Medigap policy or a different insurer at a later date, but in most states the plans are allowed to refuse to enroll you or charge you higher premiums.",
  "hint" : "",
  "hintLink" : "",
  "questionImgCaption" : "",
  "questionImgCredit" : ""
} ]

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Quiz: Medicare Open Enrollment

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Dena Bunis covers Medicare, health care, health policy and Congress. She also writes the “Medicare Made Easy” column for the AARP Bulletin. An award-winning journalist, Bunis spent decades working for metropolitan daily newspapers, including as Washington bureau chief for the Orange County Register and as a health policy and workplace writer for Newsday.