Moving With Medicare? Here’s What You Actually Need to Change

Moving is stressful enough without wondering if your health coverage is about to fall apart. The good news is that Medicare doesn’t always require you to change plans when you relocate but it depends entirely on what type of Medicare coverage you have.

Some parts of Medicare are permanent and follow you anywhere. Others are tied to your ZIP code, meaning a move can trigger a required plan change and a strict enrollment deadline.

Here’s the clean breakdown of what happens when you move, what you need to update, and how to avoid the mistakes that cause coverage gaps, higher costs, or missed deadlines.

1) Medicare Part A & Part B: You don’t “change” it you update your address

If you’re enrolled in Original Medicare (Part A and Part B), moving does not cancel your coverage.

Medicare A & B enrollment is essentially lifelong once you’re enrolled. When you move, the main task is simple: update your address so your records, notices, and billing stay accurate.

What to do:

• Update your address with Social Security (or Medicare, depending on how you enrolled)
• Confirm your banking info is correct if premiums are auto-drafted (especially for Part B)

This step matters more than people think. A missed premium draft because of a banking mix-up can cause unnecessary issues and nobody wants to troubleshoot Medicare billing while unpacking boxes.

2) Medicare Supplement (Medigap): Portable across all 50 states

If you have a Medicare Supplement plan (also called Medigap), such as:

• Plan F
• Plan G
• Plan N

…you’re in the best situation when moving.

Why?

Because Medigap plans are portable. That means they follow you to your new state and you do not need to “re-enroll” just because you changed ZIP codes.

Key things to know:

• The insurance company cannot cancel your plan due to age or medical claims
• The plan only gets canceled if you stop paying premiums
• Your plan still works nationwide anywhere that accepts Medicare

One important catch:

Even though your plan is portable, your premium may change after you move, because pricing is influenced by the state you live in and the healthcare costs in that area.

What to do:

• Update your address directly with your Medigap insurance company
• Confirm your premium payment method stays active

3) Medicare Part D (Prescription Drug Plans): NOT portable

This is where moving starts to matter.

Part D drug plans are tied to service areas, and those service areas are based on where you live. If you move outside the plan’s coverage region, you may need to pick a new plan.

The rule that matters most:

Moving triggers a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) for Part D.

You can typically change your drug plan:

• Up to 30 days before your move
• And up to 60 days after your move

That window is your opportunity to switch plans without waiting for the Annual Enrollment Period.

Why it’s important:

Your prescriptions may still be covered after moving but the costs can change fast depending on:

• whether your medications are on the new plan’s formulary
• whether your pharmacy is preferred or out-of-network
• whether your deductible and copays change

What to do:

• Notify Medicare that you moved (this is where the “mover code” process comes in)
• Shop Part D plans based on your actual medications and pharmacy

4) Medicare Advantage (Part C): Usually requires changes when you move

Medicare Advantage plans are the most sensitive to location because they are built on networks (doctors, hospitals, pharmacies) and service areas.

Just like Part D, Advantage plans are tied to where you live, meaning a move can force you into a plan change.

Even if your current Advantage plan exists in your new area, the network may be completely different so you still need to confirm whether your doctors and hospitals are in-network.

Your moving SEP applies here too:

You generally have:

• 30 days before the move
• 60 days after the move
  to switch Medicare Advantage plans.

What to do:

• Confirm whether your current plan is offered in the new ZIP code
• Check provider networks (not just plan names)
• Use the SEP to enroll in a new Advantage plan if needed

5) The biggest mistake people make when moving with Medicare

The most common moving mistake isn’t forgetting to switch plans.

It’s assuming everything “just transfers automatically,” especially for:

• Part D drug coverage
• Medicare Advantage networks

This is how people end up with:

• higher medication costs
• a pharmacy that suddenly becomes out-of-network
• doctors no longer covered
• unexpected bills because the plan doesn’t work the same in the new location

6) A simple moving checklist for Medicare

Here’s the practical checklist to stay covered and avoid surprises: If you have Original Medicare (A & B)

• Update address
• Confirm premium payment method

If you have a Medicare Supplement (Plan G / N / F)

• Update address with the insurance carrier
• Confirm premium amount and billing method

If you have Part D

• Compare plans in the new service area
• Switch during SEP (30 days before / 60 days after move)

If you have Medicare Advantage

• Confirm plan availability in the new ZIP code
• Confirm doctors/hospitals are in-network
• Switch during SEP if needed

Bottom line: Medicare doesn’t “break” when you move but some plans do change

Moving doesn’t mean starting over with Medicare, but it does mean knowing what kind of Medicare coverage you have.

• Part A & B stays the same
• Medigap stays the same
• Part D usually changes
• Advantage often changes

If the move is handled correctly, coverage stays smooth. If it’s ignored, the consequences show up later as higher costs, denied prescriptions, and avoidable confusion.