Will your Medicare coverage change when you move to a new area? That depends on the type of coverage you have.
Original Medicare’s coverage extends across the United States, which means your coverage won’t be affected if you move anywhere in the country – as long as your new healthcare provider accepts Medicare.
The answer is different for Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, which are tied to geographic service areas – and even a move to a new county or ZIP code within your state can affect your plan options.
If you have Medigap (Medicare Supplement) coverage, your premium may also change based on your new address.
Can I keep my Medicare if I move to another state?
Original Medicare is a federal program, so your Medicare Part A and Part B coverage doesn’t change if you move anywhere in the United States. You will not need to reenroll in Medicare Part A or Part B, and nothing will change about your coverage as long as your new healthcare providers and facilities accept Medicare (and most do nationwide).
You’ll also need to update your address through Social Security, even if you don’t receive Social Security benefits.
| Will you need to change your Medicare plan if you move? |
| If you have … |
What happens if you move |
| Original Medicare |
No changes |
| Medicare Advantage |
May need to buy a new plan |
| Medicare Part D |
May need to buy a new plan |
| Medigap |
Typically can keep plan, but premium may change |
What happens to my Medicare Advantage coverage if I move?
Medicare Advantage plans work within a set service area – usually a specific county or group of counties – and rely on a network of local providers. If you move outside your plan’s service area, coverage won’t extend to your new location.
Before you move, contact your plan to find out if your new address is within its service area. If it isn’t, you’ll qualify for a Medicare Special Enrollment Period (SEP), which gives you two choices:
- Enroll in a new Medicare Advantage plan available at your new location, or
- Switch to Original Medicare
Learn more about Medicare Special Enrollment Periods.
Notify your plan of the move as soon as possible so you can begin arranging new coverage, if needed. Otherwise, the plan may eventually learn of the address change through the Social Security Administration or the U.S. Postal Service, which could delay the process.
Not choosing a new Medicare Advantage plan means your current coverage will end after you move, and you’ll automatically be enrolled in Original Medicare. In this case, you may also need to enroll in a separate Part D plan since Original Medicare doesn’t include prescription drug coverage. Make sure the Part D plan starts when your Medicare Advantage coverage ends to avoid a gap in prescription drug coverage.
If you’re switching to Original Medicare, you’ll also have an opportunity to enroll in a Medigap plan. You’ll be able to select from among any Medigap Plan A, B, C, D, F, G, K, or L that’s available in your new area.
When comparing new Medicare Advantage plans – if that’s the route you choose – look closely at premiums, covered benefits, provider networks, and out-of-pocket maximums before deciding, as these can vary significantly by plan and location.
What happens to my Medicare Part D plan if I move?
Standalone Part D prescription drug coverage is tied to a geographic service area, which means if you move outside that area, you must sign up for a plan offered at your new address. You don’t have to wait for the annual Medicare Open Enrollment Period to switch plans – moving qualifies you for an SEP.
As you look at Part D plans in your new location, review each formulary to confirm your medications are covered. Verify the tier they fall under because that affects your cost sharing and check for any coverage restrictions.
You’ll also want to find an in-network pharmacy near your new home to lower your cost sharing. Arrange an early refill or a 60- or 90-day supply of your prescriptions before moving, if permitted, to avoid running out of medication during the transition.
Can I keep my Medigap plan if I move?
In most cases, yes. A standard Medigap policy can be used anywhere in the United States. But since Medigap pricing varies by state and sometimes by ZIP code, your premium may change based on your new location.
A move by itself doesn’t trigger a right to switch to another guaranteed-issue Medigap policy (unless you have Medicare SELECT, discussed below). Outside your six-month Medigap open enrollment period, an insurer may use medical underwriting unless your circumstances meet one of Medicare’s guaranteed-issue protections, such as losing certain health coverage.
Learn about the Medigap open enrollment period.
Some states provide Medigap protections beyond federal requirements, which may give you more opportunities to buy or switch policies. Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) or state insurance department can help verify your guaranteed-issue right and any additional protections available under state law.
The rules are different for Medicare SELECT, a type of Medigap policy that uses a local provider network. Moving outside the SELECT plan’s service area means the plan may no longer cover you in your new location. In that case, your options include:
- Buying a standard Medigap policy from your current insurer with the same or fewer benefits. After you’ve had Medicare SELECT for more than six months, you won’t have to undergo medical underwriting.
- Using your guaranteed-issue right to buy certain standard Medigap plans from an insurer in your current state or the state you’re relocating to. This window starts 60 days before your Medicare SELECT coverage ends and closes 63 days after the end date.
Before ending your Medicare SELECT coverage, contact your insurer to confirm the end date and your replacement options.
Does moving qualify me for a Medicare Special Enrollment Period?
Yes, if you have Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part D coverage. An SEP is a window – outside the usual enrollment periods – when you can change coverage after certain life events. A permanent move can make you eligible if your new address is outside your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan’s service area. You may also be eligible for an SEP if you remain within the service area but gain access to different plan options.
The timing depends on when you notify your plan:
- Before you move: Your SEP begins on the first day of the month before you move and continues for two months after.
- On or after the move: Your SEP begins on the date you move and continues for two months after.
For example, say you permanently move on October 12. When you notify the plan in advance, your SEP begins September 1 (the first day of the month before you move). Without advance notice, it begins October 12 (the date you move).
Different timing rules apply if your plan disenrolls you after it can’t confirm that you still live in the service area following an extended absence. Contact your plan for help with your SEP dates.
Moving outside a Medicare Advantage plan’s service area also allows you to leave the plan and return to Original Medicare. Notify your plan early to give yourself enough time to compare options and avoid a coverage gap.
Can moving within the same state affect my Medicare plan?
An in-state move won’t affect Original Medicare coverage, nor will it affect stand-alone Medicare Part D coverage, as Part D plans do not vary within a given state. But it can affect Medicare Advantage coverage because plan availability is based on service areas that can encompass only part of a given state.
Moving to a new county or ZIP code could place you outside your current Medicare Advantage plan’s service area, requiring you to choose new coverage. Even when your new address remains within the service area, the move may give you access to different plans. Either situation can qualify you for an SEP.
Notify your Medicare Advantage, Part D, or Medigap insurer before moving. Every Medicare beneficiary should also update their address through Social Security.
What happens to my Medicare if I move overseas?
Original Medicare generally doesn’t cover care received outside the United States, with limited exceptions for certain border situations. This means you will not be able to use your Original Medicare benefits if you move anywhere other than the 50 states of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
You can, however, keep Medicare Part A (which is usually premium-free) and maintain Part B by continuing to pay your monthly premiums. Dropping Part B while living abroad eliminates that monthly premium. But unless you’re covered by a qualifying group health plan based on your or your spouse’s current employment, you may have to wait to reenroll and pay a late enrollment penalty for as long as you have Part B if you move back to the U.S. later.
Medicare Advantage and Part D plans aren’t generally available outside their service areas, meaning those benefits won’t apply overseas. If you have a Medigap plan, check whether it includes the optional foreign travel emergency benefit, which some plans offer for certain circumstances.
Do I need to update my address with Medicare or Social Security when I move?
Yes. If you’re enrolled in Original Medicare, updating your address with Social Security also changes it with Medicare, since the two are linked. This applies even if you don’t receive Social Security benefits. Updating your address before you move, when possible, ensures you will continue receiving plan notices without interruption.
To update your address, you can:
- Log in to your online my Social Security account and update it there
- Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), or
- Visit a local Social Security office in person
You should also advise your Medicare Advantage, Part D, Medigap, or Medicare SELECT insurer of your new address. Updating your address with Social Security doesn’t replace this step.
Medicare moving checklist
Use the below as a guide to stay on top of your coverage as you transition to a new home:
For every Medicare beneficiary:
Update your address with Social Security to ensure Medicare has your current information.
If you have Original Medicare:
Confirm that healthcare providers near your new home accept Medicare.
If you have Medigap, including Medicare SELECT:
- Notify your insurer and ask whether your premium will change at your new address.
- For Medicare SELECT, ask whether the network includes hospitals and other preferred healthcare providers near your new home.
- When ending Medicare SELECT and using a guaranteed-issue right, keep notices showing when your coverage ends in case you need to document that right.
If you have Medicare Advantage:
- Notify your insurer and confirm whether the plan is offered at your new address.
- When choosing another plan, compare premiums, benefits, provider networks, out-of-pocket maximums, formulary, and drug coverage.
- Find in-network healthcare providers near your new home.
- Find an in-network pharmacy near your new address, if your plan includes drug coverage.
- Arrange an early refill or a 60- or 90-day supply of your prescriptions before moving, if your plan includes drug coverage.
If you have a standalone Part D plan:
- Notify your insurer and confirm whether the plan is available at your new address.
- If choosing another plan, compare premiums, formularies, drug tiers, coverage restrictions, and pharmacy networks.
- Find an in-network pharmacy near your new home.
- Arrange an early refill or a 60- or 90-day prescription medication supply before moving, if allowed.
