The six-week open enrollment period for 2025 Medicare coverage comes to an end on Saturday, December 7.

Shelly Gulbranson, a sales director at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, says that for the hundreds of thousands of Minnesota seniors who select a Medicare plan from Blue Cross, enrollment typically has two peak times – one right at the start, and then again near the end.

“We typically see two enrollment bumps, one in mid-October and then another big wave right after Thanksgiving,” said Gulbranson. “For both waves we see people who are aging into Medicare for the first time, and also seniors who are switching to Blue Cross from another carrier. Some seniors do their research early and get their enrollment done right away. Others need more time to explore their options, so they wait to enroll until after the holiday.”

Gulbranson explains this “Thanksgiving effect” is rooted in the nature of the holiday itself – a day dedicated to spending time with family and friends. For many retirees, conversations over Thanksgiving dinner include asking their loved ones for advice on what Medicare option to choose for the New Year.

With Blue Cross remaining as the top Medicare plan chosen by Minnesotans, Gulbranson says those conversations reflect the trust and confidence people place in the company.

“We have an incredible responsibility to care for more than 350,000 seniors across the state and we are proud to do so year after year,” she said. “We find that seniors are very reassured by the fact that 99 percent of hospitals and 97 percent of doctors in the state are in our network.”

For Medicare-eligible seniors, there are a few things to keep in mind when making an enrollment decision for Medicare coverage in 2025:

• Most Blue Cross Medicare plan premiums were reduced or stayed the same for the upcoming year.
• Changes to “Part D” prescription drug plans:
• As a result of the Inflation Reduction Act, starting in 2025 there will be a new $2,000 out-of-pocket cap on all formulary drugs (the prescription drugs covered by insurance). Once members hit the $2,000 cap, prescriptions are covered at 100% through the end of the plan year.
• The “donut hole” benefit will be gone in 2025. This benefit made it challenging for seniors to track their costs as they were moved into different categories of coverage based on their medicine usage.

Medicare customer service lines

Medicare customer service lines are open the Friday after Thanksgiving as well as Saturday, November 30 and the last day of enrollment, Saturday December 7. To reach a Blue Cross Medicare customer service member, call (877)-662-2583.