Physical Address Changes (Moving) Explained
All health insurance is sold based on your physical address. Insurance rates can vary by location because of local demographics, cost of living, and local medical practices. While health insurance changes are not allowed at just any time of the year, moving is one of the life events that triggers a Special Election Period (SEP) to change plans.
Medicare plans also have regional service areas. Most moves outside of your current ZIP Code require a plan change or re-enrollment in the same plan in the new service area. If you have a Medicare Prescription Drug plan, Medicare tracks your payments toward prescription deductibles, out-of-pocket expenses and the payments the plan makes. So your balances apply to your new plan. Medicare Advantage contributions to deductibles and out-of-pocket limits may not follow you mid-year to the new plan unless it's the same type of plan with the same insurance carrier. Deductibles and coinsurance paid under Original Medicare are tracked by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and any amounts paid aren't affected by changing a Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy mid-year.
If you plan to move:
Notify Social Security of your change of address
If you created an online account with Via Benefits, update your address on the website
Call us to discuss if plan changes are needed. A licensed benefit advisor* updates your record and, if you have a reimbursement account, checks to see what notifications are requested for address changes
The benefit advisor determines if you moved out of your service area and helps you notify your current insurance carrier of your address change or assists you in completing a new enrollment
Required evidence of the move often includes the following:
Voter registration card, driver’s license, tax records, utility bills
Application or signed statement indicating you have permanently moved into or out of the previous service area
*Our licensed benefit advisors specialize in health insurance for retirees. They go through annual training and certification to ensure they can help you make an informed and confident decision.
