How does moving (different city, county, region, state) affect your Medicare Coverage?
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How will moving affect Medicare Coverage?
We recommend you start researching how moving will affect your Medicare coverage in advance of moving to ensure you make the right decisions.
*** Medicare Part A (hospitalization) – moving within the United States (including the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands) does not affect your benefits from Medicare Part A. You do not have to do anything if you move, except provide changes of address.
*** Medicare Part B (medical) – moving within the United States (including the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands) does not affect your benefits from Medicare Part B. You do not have to do anything if you move, except provide changes of address.
*** Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Plan – moving with a Medicare Supplement may not require a change in your plan, but will require additional research to find out.
If you’re enrolled in a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan and move to another state, you may be able to keep the same policy. You need to contact your Medicare Supplement (Medigap) insurance company to see what, if anything, needs to be done when you move.
There are 10 standardized Medigap plans* available in 47 states (Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Wisconsin have their own standardized plans). Because the plans are standardized in most states, you may be able to remain with the same plan. But be aware that you might have to pay more for the Medigap plan in your new state, and you might have to answer some questions about your health history. In addition, Massachusetts, California, Missouri, Oregon, and New York and maybe other states have unique rules for buying and switching Medigap plans. Contact your Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan provider and your State Insurance Department before moving to find out about the plan coverage at your new location and to find out if your state offers more opportunities for you to change your Medigap policy
Here is a good publication from Medicare covering Medicare Supplement plans (Medigap).
2024 Choosing a Medigap Policy – A Guide to Health Insurance for People with Medicare.
There is no comparable 2025 document to be found for Choosing a Medigap Policy.
You can also go to the Medicare “How to compare Medigap policies“ website for information.
You can also review the “I’m moving out of state” topic on the Switching Medigap Policies page. Scroll down to the “I’m moving out-of-state” box. Answer the questions. Select Yes or No in response to the question regarding Medicare Select. It is always recommended you contact your Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan provider before moving to find out about the plan coverage at your new location. NOTE: This information only applies to your federal rights. Remember, in most cases, you won’t be able to switch your Medigap policy outside your 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period except in specific situations when you have a guaranteed issue right. Contact your State Insurance Department to find out if your state offers more opportunities for you to change your Medigap policy.
Medicare Select Plans. Most Medicare Supplement plans let you see any doctor who accepts Medicare assignment, but one type of Medigap plan – called Medicare SELECT – may require you to use providers within its network.
If you have a Medicare SELECT policy and you move out of the plan’s service area:
- You can sign up for a standardized Medigap policy from your current Medigap policy insurance company that includes the same, or fewer, benefits as your current Medicare SELECT policy.
- Generally, you can sign up to buy any Medigap Plan A, B, D, G, K, L, M, or N that’s available in the area where you live.
- You won’t have to undergo medical underwriting if you’ve had your Medicare SELECT policy for more than six months. Otherwise, the insurance company may review your health history and may charge you more (or choose not to sell you a policy) if you have a health condition.
- You must apply for a new Medigap policy either:
– 60 days before your Medicare SELECT coverage ends.
– No more than 63 days after your Medicare SELECT coverage ends. - It is important for you to contact the Medicare SELECT company for more information about your options before you move.
* Two of the standardized Medigap plans (C & F) were dropped January 1, 2020. Therefore, there are now only 8 standardized Medicare Medigap plans. If you already have a Medigap plan C or F, you will be able to keep the plan but it may get more expensive.
*** Medicare Part D (Prescription drug coverage)
We recommend you start researching how moving will affect your Medicare coverage in advance of moving to ensure you make the right decisions.
Here is a document from Medicare for “Understanding Medicare Part C & Part D Enrollment Periods”. It has a lot of good information including how to change your Medicare Coverage when there are changes in where you live.
Part D Prescription Plans can vary from State to State and therefore may not work for you if you move to another State.
If you move to a new address that isn’t in your plan’s service area or if you move to a new address that’s still in your plan’s service area, but you have new plan options in your new location, you can switch to a new Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan. If you tell your plan before you move, your chance to switch plans begins the month before the month you move and continues for 2 full months after you move. If you tell your plan after you move, your chance to switch plans begins the month you tell your plan, plus 2 more full months.
*** Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage)
We recommend you start researching how moving will affect your Medicare coverage in advance of moving to ensure you make the right decisions.
Here is a document from Medicare for “Understanding Medicare Part C & Part D Enrollment Periods”. It has a lot of good information including how to change your Medicare Coverage when there are changes in where you live.
If you are on a Medicare Advantage plan, you should know that Medicare Advantage plans can vary from County to County and there is the possibility that your plan may not work for you if you move to another County.
There are two open enrollment periods for Medicare Advantage (Part C). Most people are aware of the Open Enrollment Period (also known as Annual Enrollment Period) for Medicare Advantage Plan every year (currently from October 15 to December 7). There is a Secondary Open Enrollment Period from January 1 – March 31. This secondary open enrollment period is more limited on changes that are allowed.
However if you move to a new State or County and your plan is not serviced there, you are eligible for a Special Enrollment Period and do not have to wait until the Open/Annual Enrollment Periods to change plans.
If you move to a new address that isn’t in your plan’s service area* or if you move to a new address that’s still in your plan’s service area, but you have new plan options in your new location, you can switch to a new Medicare Advantage Plan. If you tell your plan before you move, your chance to switch plans begins the month before the month you move and continues for 2 full months after you move. If you tell your plan after you move, your chance to switch plans begins the month you tell your plan, plus 2 more full months.
* Note: If you’re in a Medicare Advantage Plan and you move outside your plan’s service area, you can also choose to return to Original Medicare. If you don’t enroll in a new Medicare Advantage Plan during this Special Enrollment Period, you’ll be enrolled in Original Medicare when you’re disenrolled from your old Medicare Advantage Plan.
When changing plans during a move, you are not required to stay with the same insurance company. This is important because plan benefits and doctor networks can vary geographically, even with the same insurance company. So a company may have plans that perform better in some locations than others. Do not assume that simply because you choose to remain with the same company that your benefits will remain the same or comparable as they were on the plan at your former residence. Also, do not assume that you will access to the same size of provider network as you did at your previous home.