Medicare open enrollment begins Tuesday, Oct. 15

The open enrollment period for Medicare begins Tuesday, Oct. 15. This is the period in which Medicare beneficiaries can select new health-insurance plans and adapt to changes in costs and coverage and their health-care needs. If they do nothing, their current coverage will continue in 2020.

The new year will see the end of the Medicare Part D “donut hole.” Beneficiaries will pay no more than 25 percent of the cost of brand-name and generic prescription drugs after any deductible, until they reach the limit on out-of-pocket spending. Also, some Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans will offer nontraditional services, such as transportation to a doctor’s office, home safety improvements, or services of nutritionists.