How to End Your Membership in Our Plan

Most people with Medicare can end their membership during certain times of the year. Since you have Medi-Cal, you may be able to end your membership with our plan or switch to a different plan one time during each of the following Special Enrollment Periods:

January to March
April to June
July to September

In addition to these three Special Enrollment periods, you may end your membership in our plan during the following periods each year:

The Annual Enrollment Period, which lasts from October 15 to December 7. If you choose a new plan during this period, your membership in our plan ends on December 31 and your membership in the new plan starts on January 1.
The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, which lasts from January 1 to March 31. If you choose a new plan during this period, your membership in the new plan starts the first day of the next month.

There may be other situations when you are eligible to make a change to your enrollment. For example, when:

You moved out of our service area,
Your eligibility for Medi-Cal or Extra Help changed, or
If you recently moved into, currently are getting care in, or just moved out of a nursing home or a long-term care hospital.

Your membership ends on the last day of the month that we get your request to change your plan. For example, if we get your request on January 18, your coverage with our plan ends on January 31. Your new coverage begins the first day of the next month (February 1, in this example).

If you decide to end your membership with us, you have the following options:

Call LA Care Medicare Plus: at 1.833.LAC.DSNP (1-833-522-3767) (TTY: 711), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Call Medicare: at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.
Enrolling in another Medicare Advantage Plan by calling Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24 hours a day,7 days a week. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048. For PACE inquiries, call 1-855-921-PACE (7223).

How you will get your medical services and drugs until your membership in our plan ends

If you leave our plan, it may take time before your membership ends and your new Medicare and Medi-Cal coverage begins. During this time, you keep getting your prescription drugs and health care through our plan until your new plan begins.

Use our network pharmacies including through our mail-order pharmacy services to get your prescriptions filled.
If you are hospitalized on the day that your membership in L.A. Care Medicare Plus ends, our plan will cover your hospital stay until you are discharged.

How you will get Medi-Cal services

If you leave our L.A. Care Medicare Plus plan, you will continue to get your Medi-Cal services through L.A. Care Health Plan unless you select a different plan for your Medi-Cal services. Your Medi-Cal services include most long-term services and supports and behavioral health care.

How you will get Medicare services when you leave our plan

You have three options for getting your Medicare services. By choosing one of these options, you will automatically end your membership in L.A. Care Medicare Plus Plan. You can change to:

1. Another Medicare health plan

You can change to another Medicare health plan, such as a Medicare Advantage plan or Programs of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE).

Here is what to do:

Call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.
For PACE inquiries, call 1-855-921-PACE (1-855-921-7223).

If you need help or more information call the California Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) at 1-800-434-0222, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information or to find a local HICAP office in your area, please visit the California Department of Aging website.

You can enroll in a new Medicare plan.

You are automatically disenrolled from our Medicare plan when your new plan’s coverage begins.

Unless you have moved out of your county, your Medi-Cal membership will continue with L.A. Care Medicare Plus.

2. Original Medicare with a separate Medicare prescription drug plan

Here is what to do:

Call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.

Enroll in a new Medicare prescription drug plan.

You are automatically disenrolled from our plan when your Original Medicare coverage begins.

Your Medi-Cal plan will not change.

3. Original Medicare without a separate Medicare prescription drug plan

Here is what to do:

Call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.

You are automatically disenrolled from our plan when your Original Medicare coverage begins.

Your Medi-Cal plan will not change.

NOTE: If you switch to Original Medicare and do not enroll in a separate Medicare prescription drug plan, Medicare may enroll you in a drug plan, unless you tell Medicare you do not want to join.

You should only drop prescription drug coverage if you have drug coverage from another source, such as an employer or union.

If you have questions about whether you need drug coverage, call the California Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) at 1-800-434-0222, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information or to find a local HICAP office in your area, please visit the California Department of Aging website.