Medicare
What you need to know about your Medicare options and Roswell Park.
Nobody expects to get cancer, but one in three of us will have a cancer diagnosis in our lifetime. Whether you are new to Medicare, evaluating your current insurance plan or considering a switch, protect your health and financial future by ensuring the doctors and hospitals you trust are in your insurance network.
Roswell Park participates in Original Medicare. However, enrollees in individual Medicare Advantage plans should pay close attention to plan network changes for 2027.
Key Things to Know for Medicare Annual Enrollment
Every individual Medicare Advantage plan may pick a new list of doctors and hospitals each year. That list is called a network.
For 2027, some plans in our area are changing which hospitals and cancer specialists they cover. Roswell Park may not be in every plan.
If staying with Roswell Park matters to you, check before you enroll or renew your plan. Do not assume this year’s coverage carries over.
What is different this year?
While care at Roswell Park is covered through Original Medicare, private Medicare plans, also referred to as Medicare Advantage plans, set their own rules one year at a time. Every fall they can change their costs, their drug list, and their network of doctors and hospitals.
What is different this year is how much is changing in Western New York. Some plans may make their networks smaller. That means patients may have fewer hospitals and specialists to choose from. Depending on the insurance, if Roswell Park is in that plan’s network, your care goes on as usual. If it is not, your costs could be much higher — or the plan may not pay for care here at all.
Could I lose my access to Roswell Park?
It depends on the plan you have for 2027. If Roswell Park is in that plan’s network, your care goes on as usual. If it is not, your costs could be much higher — or the plan may not pay for care here at all.
Does my Medicare Advantage plan include Roswell Park?
Networks are set by each plan every year, and only the plan can confirm them. Here is how to get a straight answer.
- Call your plan. Use the member services number on the back of your card, or the number in the plan’s materials. Ask about 2027, not 2026. Ask if the plan covers your doctors for 2027.
- Confirm your coverage details. Check that your prescription medications remain covered, and understand any copays, deductibles, or network restrictions that may affect your care.
- Ask for it in writing. Get an email or a letter documenting the plan’s coverage in case questions arise later.
- Get support. Some patients find the resources below helpful in making a decision about their insurance coverage. You can also call our dedicated support team at 716-845-8760.
Roswell Park participates in Original Medicare. The chart below shows which individual Medicare Advantage plans we were in-network with in 2026. 2027 networks are not yet available.
Pay close attention to any notices received by your plan about 2027 network changes.
When can I change my current Medicare plan?
There are two main windows each year. Most changes must happen inside one of them.
Window | Dates | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
Annual Enrollment Period | Oct 15 – Dec 7, 2026 | Everyone with Medicare can make changes during this period. Join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage plan, Original Medicare or Part D drug plan. Your new coverage starts January 1, 2027. |
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment | Jan 1 – Mar 31, 2027 | Only for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan on January 1. You get one change. Switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan, or go back to Original Medicare and add a drug plan. You cannot use this window to join a Medicare Advantage plan for the first time. |
Where you can go for help
You don't have to figure this out alone.
If you want a licensed professional to walk you through it
A licensed insurance agent can explain specific plans and enroll you. There is no charge to you. The agencies below are independent from Roswell Park and provided at a convenience.
Chapter Medicare
Phone: 716-641-2089
Website: askchapter.org
Lawley Insurance
Buffalo: 716-551-7070
Rochester: 585-295-5660
Email: medicare@lawleyinsurance.com
Walsh Insurance
Phone: 716-362-2439
Website: medicare@walshins.com
State and Federal Resources
These services do not sell plans and do not earn commissions.
HIICAP
New York’s official free Medicare counseling program. One-on-one help comparing Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medigap, and Part D. Trained counselors, no sales.
Phone: 1-800-701-0501
Mon-Fri, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Online: aging.ny.gov
1-800-MEDICARE
The official federal source. Compare plans with the Plan Finder, check coverage and confirm your enrollment windows.
Phone:1-800-633-4227
TTY: 1-877-486-2048
Online: Medicare.gov
24 hours a day
NY Dept. of Financial Services
Helps you with Medigap companies and rates in New York State.
Online: dfs.ny.gov
EPIC
A New York program that helps residents 65+ pay for prescription drugs. Works alongside Medicare Part D.
Phone: 1-800-332-3742
TTY: 1-800-290-9138
Still have questions?
We understand Medicare is a very complicated topic. Please consult our list of Frequently Asked Questions below or give us a call at 716-845-8760.
What are the parts of Medicare?
Different parts of Medicare cover different parts of healthcare.
Care in a hospital, your doctor visits, lab tests, outpatient care, and prescription drugs are all covered by different parts of Medicare. You’ll need to choose the parts you need, plus decide whether to go with Original Medicare or opt for a Medicare Advantage plan through a private company.
Part A: Hospital Insurance
Part A covers hospital stays, hospice care, skilled nursing facilities and some home health care.
Care at Roswell Park is covered under Original Medicare Part A
Part B: Medical Insurance
Part B covers doctor visits, preventive care and screening, lab work, and medical supplies.
Care at Roswell Park is covered under Original Medicare Part B
Part C: Medicare Advantage Plan
A Part C plan provides Parts A Hospital and B Medical benefits to people with Medicare. These plans are generally offered by private companies that contract with Medicare.
Every year, all private Medicare Advantage plans determine a new list of doctors and hospitals that are covered in their plan.
If staying with Roswell Park matters to you, confirm this coverage before you renew or enroll in any plan.
Part D: Medicare Drug Advantage
Part D helps pay for the prescription drugs you need. It's optional and offered to everyone with Medicare by insurance companies and other private companies approved by Medicare.
What is a Medigap policy?
A Medigap policy, or Medicare Supplement Insurance is extra insurance you can buy from a private health insurance company to help pay your share of out-of-pocket costs like co-payments, co-insurance and deductibles. In New York State, you can purchase a Medigap policy anytime, year-round.
Generally, you must have Medicare Part A and Part B to buy a Medigap policy.
Are you turning 65 this year?
Choosing Medicare coverage is the biggest health insurance decision most people ever make.
Here is what to do, when to do it, and how to make sure the doctors and hospitals you trust are covered.
You'll get a seven-month window called your Initial Enrollment Period. It covers the three months before your birthday month, your birthday month, and the three months after.
Signing up in the three months before your birthday month is usually best. Your coverage can then start on the first day of your birthday month, with no gap.
Make a list of your doctors, hospitals, and medicines. Ask your employer’s benefits office how your current coverage works with Medicare.
Your window opens. Sign up for Medicare if you need to. Book a free HIICAP appointment — they fill up.
Compare your two roads. Confirm that the hospitals and doctors you want are covered by any plan you are considering.
Now is the time to decide and enroll, so your coverage starts on time.
Every year after, re-check your plan during Annual Enrollment, from October 15 to December 7, as networks and drug lists may change.
Check before you choose
Ask these questions to understand if Roswell Park care is covered in your plan:
- Is Roswell Park in-network for this plan — for both hospital and doctor services?
- Do I need a referral for specialists at Roswell Park with this plan?
- Does this plan require approval for services and treatments? How long does that usually take?
- What is the most I could pay out-of-pocket in 2027?
- What is the monthly premium?
- What are the copays for specialist visits, hospital stays, imaging, and infusions?
- Are all my medicines on the drug list, and what will each one cost?
- What kind of cancer treatments at Roswell Park are not covered by this plan?
Commonly asked questions about Medicare
Roswell Park accepts both Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) and New York State Medicaid. To see which individual Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans include coverage at Roswell Park, check here.
In most cases your plan renews on its own for 2027 — but with 2027’s costs, 2027’s drug list, and 2027’s network. Doing nothing is still a choice. It just means someone else made it for you.
You have time to compare other options between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7. Talk it through with a free counselor or a licensed agent before December 7 to make the best decision for you.
Usually no. This surprises many people. You'll have to wait for the following year's Open Enrollment window. A new diagnosis — including cancer — does not by itself give you the right to leave a Medicare Advantage plan mid-year.
Some life events do open a special window. Moving, losing other coverage, qualifying for Medicaid or Extra Help, and a few others may count. If something in your life has changed, call 1-800-MEDICARE or HIICAP and ask if you qualify.
Not always. Ask three follow-up questions:
- Is it covered in-network?
- Are the Roswell Park doctors in-network, and not just hospital services?
- What cost tier is it in? Two in-network hospitals can cost you very different amounts.
It depends. If you already receive Social Security or other Retirement benefits, you are usually enrolled in Part A and Part B automatically, and a card comes in the mail.
If you are not receiving those benefits yet, no one will do it for you. You must sign up yourself at ssa.gov or by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213.
Many people work past 65. The rules here are easy to get wrong and expensive to fix. Consult with a Medicare expert for personalized guidance.
What is “creditable coverage”?
It means your drug coverage is at least as good as Medicare Part D. Your employer or union must tell you in writing each year whether your coverage is creditable. Keep those letters. They are how you avoid a late penalty later.
Does my spouse get Medicare when I turn 65?
No. Medicare is for one person at a time. Your spouse qualifies on their own 65th birthday, or earlier through disability. If your spouse is on your work plan, find out what happens to their coverage when you leave that plan.
Tell your care team and ask to speak with financial counseling. Then ask your plan about continuity of care — some plans will cover an ongoing course of treatment for a limited time after a network change. Rules vary. Ask early, and get the answer in writing.
Yes. A Medigap policy — also called a Medicare Supplement — works alongside Original Medicare and helps pay the costs Medicare does not. Because it works with Original Medicare, it has no network. You can see any provider in the country that takes Medicare.
New York is one of only two states, along with Connecticut, where Medigap is guaranteed all year. Insurers must sell you a policy no matter your age or your health. There is no medical review. You can apply in any month.
In most other states, you get one short window at age 65. After that, insurers can turn you down or charge you more because of your health. New Yorkers do not face that.
Usually yes, the monthly premium is higher than in many states. In return, New York requires community rating. That means everyone with the same policy pays the same price, and your premium does not go up just because you had a birthday or got sick.
It is a trade-off: a higher monthly cost, in exchange for no network and guaranteed access for life. Whether that is right for you depends on your health, your budget, and how much you travel. A free counselor can help you weigh it.
The New York State Department of Financial Services publishes Medigap companies and rates at dfs.ny.gov. Standardized plans with the same letter cover the same things, so price and service are the main differences.
The choice you make at 65 deserves real thought. While you are not locked in for life, you are generally choosing for a year at a time. A new diagnosis — including cancer — does not by itself let you switch mid-year. You can usually only change Medicare Advantage plans or go back to traditional Medicare at a certain time of year, during Open Enrollment period.