What Is the 5-Star Special Enrollment Period?

Medicare rates every Medicare Advantage and Part D plan from 1 to 5 stars based on quality measures like customer service, member complaints, and how well the plan manages care. New ratings come out each fall. If a plan in your service area earns a 5-star rating, Medicare gives you a special window, from December 8 through November 30 of the following year, to switch into that plan.

That means a 5-star plan is available to you almost all year long, not just during the fall Annual Enrollment Period. Your new coverage generally begins the first day of the month after the plan receives your enrollment request.

You can only use this Special Enrollment Period once per window. If you switch to a 5-star plan in February and change your mind in June, you cannot use it again until the next window opens on December 8.

Not every county has a 5-star plan, and ratings are recalculated every year, so a plan that earns 5 stars for one year may not keep that rating for the next. Star ratings also measure quality, not fit. A 5-star plan can still have a network that excludes your doctor or a formulary that treats your medications differently, so compare the details before you move.

One more caution: if you currently have Original Medicare with a Medigap policy and you use this window to join a 5-star Medicare Advantage plan, you would give up your Medigap coverage. Getting Medigap back later usually requires medical underwriting, which means you could be declined or charged more based on your health.

Star ratings are published on Medicare's Plan Finder, and they can shift each October. Before you switch, confirm the plan's current rating, check that your doctors are in its network, and run your prescription list against its formulary. A licensed independent agent can do all of that for you at no charge.