Medicare Plans
Switching Your Medicare Plan in Austin, TX
Staying on the same Medicare plan year after year is a choice, not a default setting. Networks, drug tiers and copays shift every January, and a plan that fit you three years ago in Hyde Park or Seminole Heights may quietly be costing you more today.
Switching is usually simple, but only inside a window Medicare allows. Here's how to tell if you can make a change right now, and what to compare before you do.
- Find out whether a window is open for you
- Keep the doctors and prescriptions you already rely on
- No cost to review, no pressure to change anything
- Local help from Austin, not an out-of-state call center
Find out if you can switch, and whether you should
Tell us your current plan, your doctors and your prescriptions. A licensed agent confirms which enrollment window applies to you and calls you back during business hours with a plain answer, including when staying put is the better choice.
What to expect
Free review- A licensed agent calls you back during business hours, Mon-Fri, 8:30am-5:30pm CT
- Your doctors and prescriptions get checked before any plan is suggested
- No fee for our help, and your premium is the same either way
- No obligation to enroll, and no pressure if you'd rather stay put
Reviewed by the licensed Texas agents at Austin Senior Insurance. Last reviewed: October 2026. Office hours: Mon-Fri, 8:30am-5:30pm CT.
Thanks, we have your request.
A licensed agent will call you during business hours, Mon-Fri, 8:30am-5:30pm CT. If you'd rather not wait, call 737-236-2017 now.
Eligibility
Which window applies to you
| Window | Dates | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Open Enrollment | Oct 15 to Dec 7 | Change Advantage plans, change Part D plans, or return to Original Medicare |
| Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment | Jan 1 to Mar 31 | One change allowed if you're already enrolled in an Advantage plan |
| Special Enrollment Period | Triggered by an event | Moving, losing employer coverage, qualifying for Extra Help, or your plan leaving your county |
| Medigap plan change | Any time | Apply to switch Supplement plans, usually subject to medical underwriting outside guaranteed issue rights |
A move within Texas can open a window
A change of address, even something as local as moving from downtown Austin out to Dripping Springs, can open a Special Enrollment Period if it takes you outside your plan's service area. Tell us your move date and we'll check.
Reasons
Good reasons to take a second look
- Your doctor or hospital dropped out of the plan's network
- A prescription jumped to a higher tier or fell off the formulary
- Your Medigap premium climbed again this year
- Copays are running higher than you expected at routine visits
- You now qualify for Extra Help or a Medicare Savings Program
- You've moved, retired, or lost coverage through an employer
A switch isn't always the right move. Sometimes the plan you're already on is still the best one we can offer around Austin, and the honest answer is to leave it alone. We'll tell you that straight, because we'd rather keep you as a client for years than move you around for one season.
Local networks
Switching plans around Austin
Most switching questions around Austin come back to hospitals. Advantage plans sold in Travis, Williamson and Hays counties differ on whether they contract with St. David's, Ascension Seton, Baylor Scott & White or some mix, and those contracts can change at renewal. If you're in cancer treatment, also ask whether the plan covers your oncologist. Veterans who use VA clinics should weigh how VA care fits with any Medicare plan before changing. Not sure your area is covered? See our service areas.
For free, unbiased counseling on every plan sold in your county, you can also call Texas HICAP (Health Information, Counseling and Advocacy Program) at 1-800-252-9240.
Process
How a switch actually happens
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1
Look at what you have now
Have your current plan card, your prescription list and the names of the doctors you want to keep seeing.
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2
Compare the real numbers
Premium, deductible, copays, network status and drug tiers, totaled across the full year rather than the month.
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3
Confirm your window
We verify you're eligible to switch and confirm the effective date before any application gets signed.
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4
Enroll and follow through
We submit the paperwork, watch for confirmation, and make sure your old coverage ends cleanly with no gap in between.
New to Medicare shopping? Start with our Medicare plans overview, weigh Advantage vs. Medigap, or read the mistakes to avoid before you make any moves.
Questions
Common questions about switching plans in Austin
Can I switch Medicare plans any time of year?
What if my doctor left my plan's network?
Does moving within Central Texas open a new window?
Can I go from Medicare Advantage back to a Medigap plan?
Does it cost anything to find out if I can switch?
Before you switch
Annual Open Enrollment
The fall window when most plan changes are allowed.
Read moreMedicare Advantage
Check networks and out-of-pocket caps before moving.
Read moreMedicare Supplement (Medigap)
Switching Medigap plans usually means answering health questions.
Read morePart D Drug Plans
Recheck your drug list every fall, even if nothing else changes.
Read moreNot sure whether you're allowed to switch right now?
One short call tells you which window applies to you and whether changing would save you money.