What stays the same
Original Medicare is a federal program with the same rules in every state and territory. Any doctor or hospital in the U.S. that accepts Medicare can treat you, wherever you live.
Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policies are guaranteed renewable, so you can generally keep yours after you move as long as you pay the premium. The premium may change, because companies set prices by where you live. Plan letters (A through N) mean the same benefits in most states; Massachusetts, Minnesota and Wisconsin standardize Medigap differently.
What changes
Medicare Advantage and Part D plans are approved for specific counties. If you move out of your plan's service area:
- You get a Special Enrollment Period to join a plan where you now live. If you tell your plan before you move, it starts the month before the month you move; either way it lasts 2 full months after the move.
- If you don't pick a new plan, your plan will disenroll you once it learns you moved, and you'll have Original Medicare. If you had drug coverage through that plan, join a Part D plan in time to avoid a gap and a possible late penalty.
- Choose a new plan before the move date if you can, so coverage starts with the move.
Medigap rights when you leave a Medicare Advantage plan
If you're in a Medicare Advantage plan and move out of its service area, federal law and Oregon's rule (OAR 836-052-0142) give you a guaranteed-issue right to buy certain Medigap policies without health questions, generally within 63 days after your plan coverage ends. Outside that window, a company in your new state can usually ask health questions.
Oregon's Medigap birthday rule (OAR 836-052-0143), which lets Oregon policyholders switch to equal or lesser benefits each year around their birthday, is an Oregon rule. Once you live in another state, that state's rules apply. Ask its insurance department what it allows.
Before you move
- Update your address with Social Security. Do it online at ssa.gov or by phone.
- Call your plan. Ask whether your new address is in its service area and, if not, when your plan will end.
- Compare plans in your new county. Use Medicare.gov's Plan Finder or 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
- Move your prescriptions. Make sure your pharmacy and drugs are covered by the new plan.
If you're moving within Oregon, you can request a call from a licensed insurance agent to compare plans where you're headed; see plans by Oregon county.
Related questions
What happens to my Medicare if I move to Oregon?
The same rules, heading the other way.
Can I use my Medicare Advantage plan outside Oregon?
Travel, emergencies and long stays.
What happens if I miss Medicare enrollment?
Penalties and the next window.
Sources
- Medicare.gov — Special Enrollment Periods
- 42 CFR 422.74 — Disenrollment by the MA organization (out-of-area rules)
- OAR 836-052-0142 — Guaranteed issue for eligible persons (Oregon)
- OAR 836-052-0143 — Annual opportunity to select another Medicare supplement policy (Oregon)
- Medicare.gov — Ready to buy Medigap
More questions in this guide
- Can I get Medicare before 65 if I'm on disability in Oregon?
- Do I need Medicare Part B if I'm still working at 65 in Oregon?
- How do I sign up for Medicare in Oregon?
- What happens if I miss Medicare enrollment in Oregon?
- What happens to my Medicare plan if I move to Oregon?
- When should I sign up for Medicare if I'm turning 65 in Oregon?
Part of the guide: Medicare enrollment periods in Oregon · All questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to tell Medicare when I move?
Update your address with Social Security at ssa.gov or 1-800-772-1213; Medicare uses Social Security's records. Tell your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan yourself, since a move can end your plan.
Can I keep seeing my Oregon doctors after I move?
With Original Medicare, you can see any doctor in the U.S. who accepts Medicare, including your Oregon doctors when you visit. With a new Medicare Advantage plan in another state, you'd generally use that plan's local network.
What if I split the year between Oregon and another state?
Medicare plans go by your permanent address. A Medicare Advantage plan must disenroll you if you're out of its service area more than 6 months, unless it has a visitor or travel benefit. Original Medicare works in both places.
Medicare in your Oregon county
Plans, local agents and help, county by county: Multnomah · Washington · Clackamas · Lane · Marion · Jackson · Deschutes · Linn · Douglas · Yamhill · Benton · Polk · Josephine · Umatilla · Klamath · Coos · Columbia · Lincoln · Clatsop · Malheur · All 36 counties →
