Enrolling in a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Special Needs plan

Eligibility — Medicare Advantage plans

If you are new to Medicare, turning 65, retiring, moving, qualify for assistance, losing employer coverage, or have another qualifying situation, you may be eligible to enroll now. UnitedHealthcare offers a variety of Medicare Advantage plans — one may be right for you. For all others, the Open Enrollment Period (OEP) is October 15 through December 7. Learn more about eligibility and when to enroll.

Enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan

Most people become eligible for Medicare coverage when they turn 65 or have a qualifying disability or medical condition. If this describes you, read about the Initial Enrollment Period (IEP).

If you already have Medicare coverage and want to enroll in a different plan type, you can change at these times:

The Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), October 15 to December 7
The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA OEP), January 1 to March 31
A Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for qualifying life events; dates vary

See the Changing plans page to learn more about these enrollment periods and their rules.

How can you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan?

There are three different ways to enroll in plans: online, by phone or by mail. Choose the option that works for you.

Online

You can enroll in most plans online. It's easy, secure and available on your schedule. To begin, enter your ZIP code below.

By phone

Call UnitedHealthcare at FED TFN / TTY 711, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 7 days a week to speak to a sales representative who can walk you through the enrollment process.

By mail

To enroll by mail, download and fill out the paper enrollment form, then print it and mail your completed enrollment form to UnitedHealthcare.

To get UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plan enrollment forms (PDF):

Enter your ZIP code below and click the "Find plans" button.
On the next page, you'll see a list of plan types. If there are Medicare Advantage plans available in your area, you'll see a number above the plan type.
Choose one of the available plans in your area and select the "View plan details" link for that plan. If that plan is accepting enrollment, you'll find the form you need in the Plan Documents section near the bottom of the page.

Eligibility - Medicare Special Needs plans

To enroll in a Special Needs plan you must be eligible for Original Medicare Part A (hospital) and Part B (medical) coverage, live in the plan's service area, and meet the plan's specific eligibility requirements, such as one of the following:

Qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid* coverage (also called "dual eligible")
Live in a contracted skilled nursing facility (SNF)
Live in a contracted assisted living facility and need the same kind of care as people who live in a SNF
Have diabetes, chronic heart failure and/or certain cardiovascular disorders

*Dual eligible enrollees are either Full Dual Eligible or Partial Dual Eligible. Full Dual Eligible enrollees qualify for full state Medicaid benefits, including covered medical care. Partial Dual Eligible enrollees don't qualify for medical benefits through their state Medicaid program, but may qualify for additional help. Check eligibility requirements before you start the enrollment process. Some Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) only accept members who are Full Dual Eligible.

Enrollment - Medicare Special Needs plans

You can enroll in some UnitedHealthcare Special Needs plans online. For others you need to enroll by phone.

Online or by phone

Here's one easy way to find out how to enroll in a Special Needs plan:

Enter your ZIP code below and select the "Find plans" button
On the next page, you'll see a list of plan types. If there are Special Needs plans available in your area, you'll see a section on the next page called "Medicare Special Needs Plans" with a number above it
If you see an "Enroll in plan" button for your selected plan, you may enroll online
If you don't see an "Enroll in plan" button for your selected plan, call a UnitedHealthcare sales agent for help with enrollment at 1-888-834-3721 / TTY 711, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., 7 days a week.

What you need to enroll

You will need the information found on your Medicare card, like your Medicare ID and your Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) effective dates.
If you have a Medicaid member number, you may need that, too, especially if you're enrolling in a Dual Special Needs plan (D-SNP).
And if the plan you're enrolling in has a provider network, you will also need your primary care provider's name and ID number. To find this information, you can search for a provider now.

Supporting you through your Medicare journey

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Go to the member site to see your plan benefit information.