Eligibility and Enrollment for Aetna Medicare Advantage Plans in Delaware
To be eligible and enroll in Aetna’s Medicare Advantage Plans in Delaware, potential enrollees must have existing enrollment in both Medicare Part A and Part B. Concurrent enrollment in Medigap is not permissible for these individuals.
Who is Eligible?
Eligibility for Aetna’s Medicare Advantage Plans is straightforward. If you’re a resident of Delaware and aged 65 years or older, you’re eligible to enroll.
But what if you’re younger than 65? Individuals with disabilities can also sign up for Aetna’s Medicare Advantage Plans. However, they must have received at least 24 Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board Disability Insurance payments.
When to Enroll
Enrollment in Aetna’s Medicare Advantage Plans requires careful timing. The Initial Coverage Election Period is a seven-month period surrounding your 65th birthday: three months before, the month of, and three months after.
For individuals with disabilities, the Initial Enrollment Period is the seven-month period centered around their 25th month of receiving disability benefits.
However, there are other windows for enrollment as well. The Annual Election Period, from October 15 to December 7, is when Delaware residents can enroll in, or switch, Aetna Medicare Advantage plans.
Moreover, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, from January 1 to March 31, allows beneficiaries to switch Aetna Medicare Advantage plans or return to Original Medicare, possibly with the addition of a separate Medicare drug plan, under a Medicare contract.
Special Enrollment Periods also exist, allowing changes to Medicare Advantage plans or switching to a different Medicare plan outside the standard enrollment periods, typically triggered by specific life events such as relocating, losing job-based health insurance, or a contract renewal with state Medicaid programs.