Everything you need to know for Medicare Open Enrollment

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Wednesday marks the beginning of Medicare Open Enrollment.

Medicare open enrollment runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7. During this time, participants can make changes to their coverage. The Medicare website shares that the changes made during Open Enrollment are effective Jan 1, 2026.

Utah officials shared that the government shutdown is not currently impacting Medicare services.

“[Medicare Open Enrollment] is traditionally a time when people can look at their Medicare coverage and make sure that they have the right coverage for them,” said Anne Schmidt, Medicare options manager for Salt Lake County Aging and Adult Services. “It is always good to do a check-in to make sure that your doctors are still on your plan, that your drugs are still being covered, and just make some changes.”

Chad Waddoups, with Mountain America (MACU) investment services, shared that this year deductibles and costs for Medicare will increase. He shared that because of this; it is important to look through all of the plans and find the best one.

People can receive help through Salt Lake County Aging and Adult Services and Medicare counselors over the state. Counselors can be found by calling 1-800-MEDICARE.

Additionally, MACU hosts Medicare support meetings where people can get personalized guidance.

Scams and fraud with Medicare

Schmidt said that fraud is an issue amongst Medicare beneficiaries.

“What happens is a lot of people use peoples Medicare numbers fraudulently to send them things they didn’t order, like durable medical equipment or genetic counseling tests,” Schmidt said.

Salt Lake County Aging and Adult Services helps Medicare participants look for fraudulent charges and learn how to look for anything suspicious.

For more information on avoiding scams, and other Medicare services, visit the Aging & Adult Services website.

What is Medicare?

Medicare is health insurance for people 65 or older. The Medicare website states that some people may be eligible to get Medicare earlier if they have a disability, End-Stage Renal disease, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. 

According to the website, more than 66 million people in the U.S. get their health coverage from Medicare.

To learn more, visit medicare.gov.