What can beneficiaries do if they lose Medicaid eligibility?

When beneficiaries lose Medicaid eligibility, they may qualify for a specific window of time to enroll in a new Medicare plan. This is known as a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). During this period, beneficiaries can enroll in a new Medicare Advantage plan or capitalize on other options tailored to their changed circumstances. Therefore, the opportunity to enroll in a new plan within three months serves to assist individuals in transitioning their healthcare coverage without facing gaps in service.

While beneficiaries can indefinitely delay any changes until the next standard enrollment period, this could leave them without adequate healthcare coverage during that time, similar to making no changes until the next enrollment period. Opting for a new plan anytime is not feasible as there are specific guidelines in place for enrollment, and simply requesting a special enrollment period does not guarantee plan enrollment without the stipulations that accompany the loss of Medicaid status.

Ultimately, being able to enroll in a new plan within three months effectively aids beneficiaries in securing necessary health insurance and helps protect them from having an unprotected healthcare gap following the loss of Medicaid support.