When you are incarcerated, you should disenroll from your stand-alone prescription drug plan (Part D) or Medicare Advantage Plan. This is because you are ineligible for these plans for the duration of your time in jail, prison, or otherwise in the custody of penal authorities.
When you are released, you have a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) Special Enrollment Periods (SEPs) are periods of time outside normal enrollment periods when you can enroll in Medicare or change your health and/or drug coverage. One example is the Part B SEP, which allows you to enroll in Part B without penalty while you have job-based insurance and for eight months after you lose the insurance or stop working. SEPs triggered by specific circumstances may also allow you to switch or disenroll from Part D and Medicare Advantage Plans. For example, if you moved out of your plan’s service area, you would receive an SEP to switch to another plan. to join a Part D plan or a Medicare Advantage Plan. Your SEP begins as early as the month before your release and lasts up to two months after you are released. For example, if you are scheduled for release April 1, your SEP is March 1 through May 31. You should choose a plan that works best for your drug and health care needs. You must inform the plan you choose of your address so they can confirm you are in their coverage area and eligible to enroll in that plan.
If you need help finding Medicare Advantage or Part D plans, use Medicare’s Plan Finder tool.