April 2021: Medicare and Changes in Residence

Moving within state

  • If you have Original Medicare, notify the Social Security Administration (SSA) of your move to update your address.
  • If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan or Part D plan, notify the plan of your change of address and see if you will still be in your plan’s area of coverage.
    • If not, you will have a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) to change plans. You can call Connexion to use your SEP and change plans.
  • If you have a Medigap, the cost of your premium may change.

Moving out of state

  • If you have Original Medicare, notify SSA of your move.
  • If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan or Part D plan, notify the plan of your change of address and see if you will still be in your plan’s area of coverage.
    • If not, you may have a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) to change plans.
  • If you have a Medigap, learn about your new state’s rules around Medigaps and if the cost of your premium may change.
  • If you have a Medicare Savings Program (MSP), learn about the eligibility rules in the state to which you are moving.
  • If you were automatically enrolled in Extra Help because of your state’s Medicaid or MSP, you may need to actively enroll after your move to another state. You can call SSA to learn about the status of your Extra Help.

Moving abroad

  • If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan or Part D plan, contact your plan to disenroll, since you will no longer be eligible for these plans while living abroad.
    • If you move back to the U.S., you will have an SEP to enroll in a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan again.
  • If you have premium-free Part A, you should keep Part A. If you become eligible for premium-free Part A while abroad, you should enroll. To enroll while abroad, request forms from the U.S. Embassy or Consulate of the country you live in.
  • If you plan to move back to the U.S. or travel back frequently, you may want to enroll in or keep Part B to ensure you have medical coverage during your stays, and to avoid potential gaps in coverage or late enrollment penalties. You might consider delaying or dropping Part B if:
    • You or your spouse work outside the U.S. for a company that provides you with health insurance, or you or your spouse work in a country with a national health system. This will qualify you for a SEP to enroll in Part B without penalty.
    • You volunteer internationally for at least 12 months for a tax-exempt non-profit organization and have health insurance during that time. You will have an SEP to enroll in Medicare without gaps or penalties.
  • If you plan to move abroad permanently and not visit the U.S., you might consider dropping Part B, but be aware of the consequences you could face if you wish to enroll later (gaps in coverage and late enrollment penalties).

Contact Information

1-800-386-6160 (TTY 771) | medicare@asrconnect.com | Monday-Friday 8AM-5PM PT

Disclaimer

This content was created and copyrighted by Medicare Rights Center ©2024. Medicare Rights Center is a national, nonprofit consumer service organization that works to ensure access to affordable health care for older adults and people with disabilities. These material are presented here with support from American Senior Resources (ASR) and may not be distributed, modified or edited without Medicare Rights’ consent.