Why can't I enroll online on the plan of my choice?

My brother has been in a Medicare Advantage plan for three years and he loves it. I am turning 65 in two months and I want to enroll in that plan. He enrolled online through the Plan Finder but I can’t. What’s going on?

Your brother loves the plan but it’s apparent that not many others do. As of January 1, 2013, you cannot enroll online through the Medicare Plan Finder in low-performing plans. (A low-performing plan is one that has an overall quality rating of less than three stars for at least the past three years.) Medicare disabled that function to guide beneficiaries toward selecting higher-performing plans. If you still want to enroll in this plan, you will need to contact the plan directly. But given this plan’s track record, you may want to reconsider your choice.

Last updated: 12-05-2024

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The Quality of Medicare Advantage Plans

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services evaluates the quality of Medicare Advantage plans using a five-star scale. Here are some facts:

In 2016, the majority of plans will have quality ratings of four or more stars.
Only 4% of plans received five stars.
Over 90% of beneficiaries have access to at least one plan with four or more stars.
About a quarter of the plans are too new or have too few enrollees to be evaluated.
Source: Kaiser Family Foundation Data Spotlight

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Why can't I enroll online on the plan of my choice?

Do you have questions about the Open Enrollment Period?

The Quality of Medicare Advantage Plans