Quick answer: If you move to Florida and your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan does not serve your new address, you get a Special Enrollment Period to pick a new plan. If you tell your plan before you move, the window starts the month before the move and runs two months after it. If you tell them after, it runs from the month you tell them plus two more months. Original Medicare works anywhere in the U.S., so only your private plans need to change.
Welcome to Volusia County. Whether you are settling in Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach, Port Orange, Deltona, DeLand or New Smyrna Beach, the first few weeks are the best time to sort out your Medicare so you are not stuck with a plan that has no local doctors.
First steps after you move
- Update your address with Social Security (which handles Medicare records) online, by phone, or at a local office.
- Call your current plan and ask whether your new Florida ZIP code is in its service area.
- Keep your old plan card until your new coverage starts.
The move Special Enrollment Period
You can usually join, switch or drop a Medicare Advantage plan or a Part D plan when you move out of your plan’s service area, or when you move to an area with new plan options. Because the window is short, start shopping as soon as you have a move date.
This is different from the fall Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 to December 7) and the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 to March 31). See our Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment guide for that window.
Check your local network
Make a list of the doctors, specialists, hospitals and pharmacy you want to use here, then check each against the plan’s provider directory. Networks are set by county and ZIP code, so the same insurance company can have very different networks in different parts of Florida.
Stay on Advantage or switch to a Supplement?
Medicare Advantage plans in Volusia County often have low premiums, a local network and an out of pocket limit. Original Medicare with a Medicare Supplement lets you see any doctor in the U.S. that accepts Medicare, which many part time residents prefer.
If you are leaving a Medicare Advantage plan because you moved out of its service area, you may have a guaranteed issue right to buy certain Supplement plans without health questions. Otherwise, Florida Supplement companies can usually ask health questions and may decline you. Compare both paths on our Medicare Advantage vs Supplement in Florida page.
Snowbirds and part time residents
If you split the year between Florida and another state, most Advantage HMOs only cover routine care in their local area. A Supplement, or a PPO with travel benefits, may fit better. Tell us where you spend each season and we will compare options.
New to Medicare and moving?
If you are turning 65 around the same time as your move, your Initial Enrollment Period is usually the window to use. See our turning 65 in Volusia County guide.
How we help newcomers
USA Benefits Group (HealthBrokerFL) is an independent agency at 913 Big Tree Road in South Daytona. I have been licensed for 14 years, and we are appointed with 80+ insurance companies and licensed in 30+ states. We check your doctors and drugs against every plan in your new ZIP code. There is no cost to you because the insurance company pays us.
Bring: your Medicare card, your current plan card, your new address, and your doctor and medication lists.
Call or text 386-401-5644 or email ncurry@healthbrokerfl.com. Office hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm, and Saturday by appointment.
Frequently asked questions
If I move to Florida, can I change my Medicare Advantage plan?
Yes. A permanent move out of your plan’s service area, or to an area with new plan options, opens a Special Enrollment Period.
How long do I have to change plans after moving?
If you tell your plan before you move, from the month before the move through two months after. If you tell them after, the month you tell them plus two more months.
Will my old Medicare Advantage plan still cover me here?
Only if your new address is in its service area. Call the plan to confirm.
Can I switch to a Medicare Supplement after moving?
Often yes. Leaving an Advantage plan because you moved out of its service area can give you a guaranteed issue right. Otherwise, health questions may apply.
Does it cost extra to use your agency?
No. There is no cost to you because the insurance company pays us.
We represent all of the Medicare plan organizations available in Volusia County. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.