Every October the traffic on Highway 59 changes character, and my phone starts ringing with a version of the same question: "I'm here from November to April — does my plan actually work down here?"
For a lot of people, the honest answer is: for emergencies, yes. For everything else, not really. That gap is where snowbirds get hurt, and it's entirely avoidable if you set the coverage up right before the season starts.
The core problem
Most cheap health plans — both Medicare Advantage HMOs and ACA Marketplace HMOs — are built around a local provider network. That's how they keep premiums down. The plan negotiates hard with hospitals and doctors in one geographic area and covers essentially nothing outside it except true emergencies.
That design is fine if you live in one place. If you split the year between Gulf Shores and Ohio, it means:
- Your routine follow-up visit down here may not be covered at all
- Your specialist up north may be out of network for six months of the year
- Prescription refills can hit pharmacy network problems across state lines
- "Emergency only" coverage does not include the physical therapy after the emergency
An emergency room visit will be covered anywhere. A twice-yearly cardiology check-up, a refill at a non-network pharmacy, and an outpatient procedure are the things that fall through.
If you're on Medicare
The option that travels best: Original Medicare + Medigap
Original Medicare works with any provider in the country that accepts Medicare — which is the overwhelming majority. Add a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan and your out-of-pocket costs become predictable no matter which state you're standing in. Add a standalone Part D plan for drugs.
This is, for most true snowbirds, the correct answer. You pay a higher monthly premium than a $0 Advantage plan and you buy freedom of movement plus cost predictability. If you see specialists in two states, that trade is almost always worth it.
The catch is timing. Your one guaranteed-issue Medigap window is the six months beginning when you're 65 and enrolled in Part B. Outside that window and a short list of guaranteed-issue situations, Alabama and Florida carriers can medically underwrite and decline you. Never cancel a Supplement until a replacement is approved in writing.
If you want to stay on Advantage
Not everyone can afford Medigap, and some Advantage plans do work for part-year residents. What to look for:
- A PPO, not an HMO — with a genuine out-of-network benefit, not just emergency coverage
- A stated visitor or traveler benefit — some plans cover routine care away from home for a set number of days. Read the day limit; some are 6 months, some are far less.
- National carrier footprint — a plan from a carrier that operates in both states is more likely to have a workable arrangement
- Mail-order pharmacy — solves the refill problem cleanly regardless of where you are
Confirm all of this for the new plan year during AEP (October 15 – December 7). Benefits change annually.
The residency question
Medicare Advantage and Part D plans require you to live in the plan's service area, and plans define that by your permanent address. If you spend more than six months a year in Baldwin County, that may genuinely be your primary residence, which changes which plans you're eligible for. If you're closer to 50/50, the answer depends on where you're registered to vote, file taxes, and hold a driver's license. Get this right — enrolling in a plan outside your service area can result in disenrollment.
If you're under 65
Marketplace plans are tied to your address and your rating area, and Alabama's individual market is dominated by HMO products with narrow networks. Practical guidance:
- Enroll based on where you actually live most of the year, and be honest about it. Your subsidy and plan availability are based on that address.
- Look for the broadest network you can afford rather than the cheapest premium, if you'll spend real time in two places.
- Check the out-of-area benefit specifically — not the emergency benefit, the out-of-area one. Many Alabama plans have none.
- A permanent move opens a Special Enrollment Period. Seasonal movement does not. If you genuinely relocate, you get 60 days.
Households that split between Baldwin County and Escambia County, Florida have an easier time than most — I'm licensed in both states, and a lot of what I do for coastal clients is making sure the plan on one side of the line doesn't strand them on the other.
Talk to a local Medicare agent — free.
No cost to compare every plan in your zip code.
Call (251) 279-7007A short pre-season checklist
Do this in October, before you drive down:
- Confirm your plan's out-of-area and traveler benefits for the coming year, in writing.
- Locate an in-network primary care provider near your Gulf Coast address, and one near your northern address.
- Verify your prescriptions at a pharmacy you can reach from both homes, or set up mail order.
- Confirm which hospital you'd be taken to at each address, and whether it's in network — South Baldwin Regional in Foley, Thomas Hospital in Fairhope, or Baptist and Ascension Sacred Heart in Pensacola if you're closer to the line.
- Keep both ID cards and a current medication list in your wallet, not in a drawer at the other house.
Get it reviewed once, properly
A snowbird plan review takes about half an hour and it's free. I've been doing this on the Alabama Gulf Coast for over twenty years and I represent 50+ carriers, so I have no reason to push one company's product at you.
I work with part-year and full-time residents in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Perdido Key, Foley, Fairhope, Daphne, Elberta, Lillian, Pensacola, and Gulf Breeze.
Lee Akins — 1 Stop Coverage 21105 Live Oak Circle, Gulf Shores, AL 36542 (251) 279-7007 · lee@1stopcoverage.com
See also: Open Enrollment dates, checklist, and deadlines for the Gulf Coast
Frequently asked questions
Does Medicare cover me in both states? Original Medicare does — it works with any provider nationwide that accepts Medicare. Medicare Advantage plans generally do not; most are local HMOs that cover only emergencies away from the service area.
What is the best Medicare setup for a snowbird? For most part-year residents, Original Medicare plus a Medigap plan and a standalone Part D plan. It costs more monthly and removes network restrictions entirely. A PPO Advantage plan with a real out-of-network benefit is the next best option.
Can I have a Marketplace plan at two addresses? No. A Marketplace plan is tied to one permanent address and one rating area. You choose based on where you primarily live, and its network follows that area.
Does moving south for the winter open a Special Enrollment Period? No. Seasonal movement does not qualify. Only a permanent change of residence does, and it requires proof of the new address plus prior coverage.
When should I make changes? Medicare changes happen during the Annual Enrollment Period, October 15 to December 7, effective January 1. Marketplace changes happen November 1 to January 15. Review before you travel, not after.
Ready to compare your Medicare options?
Free, no-obligation comparison from a licensed local agent. We'll match your doctors, medications, and travel pattern to the right plan.
