Don't let that Medicare window close

Fo r Medicare beneficiaries, the window to change plans comes earlier and stays open longer this year. But be aware it closes earlier, too. This year's open enrollment period to choose a Medicare Advantage or Part D drug plan for 2012 begins today and ends Dec. 7.

A main reason for the change was because some beneficiaries waited until the last week of 2010 to make their choices. This sometimes caused confusion if they needed to fill a prescription during the first few days of the new year but hadn't received their new member card.

But there's a potential problem lurking this year. With many people accustomed to waiting until the last three weeks of the year before making their choices, they may miss the new deadline. If you do not choose a new plan by Dec. 7, you will automatically be re-enrolled in your current Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plan for 2012. If your plan is no longer offered, you will likely be placed in a similar but different plan offered by the same insurance company.

David Lipschutz, a policy attorney with the not-for-profit Center for Medicare Advocacy, says that even those satisfied with their current coverage should look over their plans' details for 2012. In some cases, plans have changed in what they cover or their prices have increased. And there's always the chance your health has changed, so a new plan may afford better coverage at a lower price.

Fortunately, there shouldn't be many surprises this year. "It looks like premiums and benefits are somewhat stable both in Part D and Medicare Advantage," Lipschutz says. As for Part D, there are fewer plans offered this year, mainly because the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services urged each insurer to consolidate its offerings if they were too similar. "Choices between plans should be more meaningful," Lipschutz says.

You can compare plans at www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan. Q1Medicare.com has the same basic information, but some beneficiaries like its interface better than the official Medicare site. And the Center for Medicare Advocacy offers many resources at medicareadvocacy.org.

If you need help, call the state's Health Insurance Information Counseling and Assistance Program at 800-701-0501. After you enter your ZIP code, you'll be connected to an office. You can also speak to a counselor at the government's Medicare Service Center by calling 800-633-4227.