New York, NY—Medicare Open Enrollment occurs from October 15 to December 7 of every year and is the time of year when people with Medicare can make unrestricted changes to their coverage options. To assist the press in their Medicare coverage, the Medicare Rights Center has developed Medicare Open Enrollment: A Resource for Journalists, which includes a list of upcoming changes, expert advice, and related issues of interest to people with Medicare. Also included are consumer-friendly resources that can be shared with readers.

The Medicare Rights Center, a national nonprofit consumer service organization that works to ensure access to affordable health care for older adults and people with disabilities, expects journalists to find the resource helpful as they prepare coverage for this year’s Medicare enrollment season.

A few notable updates for 2023 to consider during Medicare Open Enrollment include the following:

• Most people with Medicare will see a decrease in their Part B premium and deductible. The standard monthly Part B premium in 2023 will be $164.90, down from $170.10 in 2022. The annual Part B deductible decreases to $226, down from $233 in 2022.
• The base premium for a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan will be $32.74 per month, down from $33.37 in 2022. However, premiums for specific plans and regions vary from year to year and may be higher or lower than this amount. It is important for people with Medicare to examine their Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) carefully to determine if and how their plan’s costs or benefits are changing and if it makes sense to explore other options.
• Medicare beneficiaries will enter the coverage gap(Español) after their total drug costs reach $4,660 (up from $4,430 in 2022). Once in the coverage gap, beneficiaries have a 75% discount on the cost of their brand-name and generic drugs. They will reach catastrophic coverage after paying $7,400 out of pocket on drugs (up from $7,050 in 2022). During this period, beneficiaries pay significantly lower copayments or coinsurance for covered drugs. 
• Copays for insulin for all beneficiaries will be limited to $35 per month. This applies to all insulin covered by a beneficiary’s Part D plan or under Medicare Part B.
• People with Medicare will pay no copays or deductibles for vaccines covered by their Part D plan, including the shingles vaccine.
• There is a new, limited Medicare benefit called the immunosuppressive drug benefit, or the Part B-ID benefit. It provides Part B coverage of immunosuppressant drugs for people whose ESRD Medicare benefits have ended 36 months after their transplant and who do not have other health insurance.

The complete Medicare Open Enrollment: A Resource for Journalists is available on the Medicare Rights Center’s website at: https://www.medicarerights.org/pdf/fall-open-enrollment-resource-for-journalists.pdf.

Developed by the Medicare Rights Center, Medicare Interactive (MI) is a free and independent online reference tool thoughtfully designed to help older adults and people with disabilities navigate the complex world of health insurance.