Can a dual-eligible beneficiary change their plan multiple times in the same quarter?

A dual-eligible beneficiary, who qualifies for both Medicare and Medicaid, has specific enrollment rights under Medicare. While beneficiaries may have certain opportunities to change their plans, there are rules governing how often and under what circumstances these changes can occur.

For instance, there are defined periods during which all Medicare beneficiaries can enroll, switch, or make changes to their Medicare coverage, such as the Annual Enrollment Period. However, dual-eligible beneficiaries are generally restricted to making changes only once per quarter in a calendar year during specific times outlined by Medicare rules.

This restriction ensures that beneficiaries can’t frequently switch plans, which could complicate their care coordination and disrupt the stability of their coverage. This is particularly important for dual-eligibles, who often have complex healthcare needs. Therefore, the correct response is that they can only change their plan once during a designated period, solidifying the idea that there are limitations in place to maintain consistency in their health coverage.