Medicare’s annual enrollment period (AEP) is from October 15th through December 7th. This is your opportunity to change your health plan for the next calendar year.
Additionally, Medicare has a Medicare Advantage (MA) Open Enrollment Period, this is for those who are already in a MA plan, from January 1st through March 31st. During this period you may do the following:
- Switch to another Medicare Advantage Plan
- Drop your Medicare Advantage Plan and go back to Original Medicare
New to Medicare? Attend a meeting
If you are new to Medicare, or would just like more information about all the options you have once you have Medicare, please consider joining us at one of our monthly meeting, Medicare 101 & Your Options. We offer these meetings both on-line as a webinar and in-person.
Medicare 101 & Your Options
Important information for this Medicare enrollment period
For 2026, NorthBay Health will accept the following plans:
- Central Health Plan Medicare Advantage HMO (Hill Physicians Medical Group participating products only. NorthBay doctors will be listed as Hill Physicians)
- Original Medicare
- Medicare Supplemental Plans A–N (such as Mutual of Omaha, USAA, etc.)
- Anthem Dual Advantage 2 (PPO D-SNP)
Keep Your NorthBay Health Primary Care Doctor
Starting November 1, 2025, UnitedHealthcare AARP Medicare Advantage (CA-033 HMO) will move people to a new medical group.
If you want to keep your NorthBay Health primary care doctor, you will need to change to a different Medicare insurance plan that works with NorthBay.
This rule still applies even if you were recently moved to a new NorthBay Health doctor through Hill Physicians Medical Group (HPMG).
To stay with your NorthBay Health Primary Care doctor, you must pick and sign up for a new insurance plan by December 31, 2025.
If you do not make this change, you will not be able to see your NorthBay Health Primary Care doctor beginning January 2026.
If you already have appointments in November and December 2025, don’t worry — NorthBay Health will honor all UnitedHealthcare referrals and authorizations through December 31, 2025. To remain with your NorthBay Health primary care doctor after that you will need to:
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Choose a new plan
For 2026, plans that NorthBay Health accepts includes:- Central Health Plan Medicare Advantage HMO (Hill Physicians Medical Group participating products only. NorthBay doctors will be listed as Hill Physicians)
- Original Medicare
- Medicare Supplemental Plans A–N (such as Mutual of Omaha, USAA, etc.)
- Anthem Blue Cross MediBlue Access (D/SNP)
-
If you choose Central Health Plan Medicare Advantage HMO (Hill Physicians Medical Group participating products only)
NorthBay Health is working with Hill Physicians Medical Group (HPMG). This means that when you look up your doctor’s information, you will see your NorthBay Health doctor’s name, but the medical group will be listed as Hill Physicians Medical Group (HPMG).
Central Health Plan is currently adding our doctors to their on-line directory. This is expected to be completed by November 1, 2025.
Please check back later on their website. Please check the NorthBay Health website for additional updates. -
Have questions?
Please work with the health insurance company directly, your preferred insurance broker, or NorthBay Health’s health plan specialist, Kelly, at AskKelly@NorthBay.org or (707) 646-3280. Please know that due to the volume of calls, either your broker or Kelly will return your call in 2-4 business days. -
Keep these important deadlines in mind:
If you want your new health plan to start on November 1, you need to make your changes now.
Changing your plan before December 31, 2025 will ensure you can keep seeing your NorthBay doctor with no gaps in care. If you wait, your new insurance plan will begin the following month after you finish the paperwork.
For 2025, NorthBay Health will accept the following plans (as of 11/1/2025):
- Central Health Plan Medicare Advantage HMO (Hill Physicians Medical Group participating products only. NorthBay doctors will be listed as Hill Physicians)
- Please note that all NorthBay Health providers will be included, they will be listed as part of the Hill Physicians Medical Group, not under NorthBay Health.
- Original Medicare
- Medicare Supplemental Plans A–N (such as Mutual of Omaha, USAA, etc.)
- Anthem Blue Cross MediBlue Access (D/SNP)
