Will You Lose Coverage If You Missed the Deadline?

Absolutely not. Regardless of whether you are in original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan, your coverage continues uninterrupted into the new year. You will not find yourself suddenly unable to visit your doctor or fill a prescription simply because you missed the December 7 deadline.

Medicare automatically renews your existing coverage unless you made a change during the enrollment period. The main consequence of missing the deadline is simply that your ability to change coverage becomes more limited—not that you lose coverage altogether.