The 2002 Medicare+Choice Plan Lock-In: Should It Be Delayed?

The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (BBA) revamped Medicare managed care policies when it created the Medicare+Choice program. Presently, Medicare beneficiaries can, with few exceptions, enroll in or withdraw from a Medicare+Choice plan at any time. Beginning 2002, however, a new system modeled after the open-enrollment practices of employer-based health insurance policies will, for the first time, lock Medicare+Choice enrollees into their health plan for a specified period. The BBA also expanded the ability of Medicare enrollees to purchase a Medigap policy after leaving a Medicare+Choice plan under certain circumstances.