The time to make changes in Medicare and the time to sign up for ObamaCare overlap. One Medicare expert warns seniors not to be confused by the two.

Open enrollment for Medicare is Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. During that time, Medicare recipients can make changes to their Medicare coverage. That includes anyone on original Medicare, Medicare Advantage or the Part D prescription drug plans, says Allsup Medicare Advisor, a Medicare plan selection service near St. Louis for individuals and financial advisors.

Medicare has traditionally had an open enrollment period in the fall. This year, the first enrollment for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as ObamaCare, overlaps the Medicare open enrollment dates. Enrollment for the ObamaCare federal and state health exchanges is Oct. 1 through March 31.

During that time, adults who do not have health insurance or who cannot afford insurance will be able to get coverage through an exchange. Some people will be eligible for subsidies to make the insurance more affordable.

Every adult will be required to have insurance or pay a fee. States that do not set up their own exchanges will be part of a federal exchange.

The potentially confusing part is that the 50 million people covered by Medicare do not have to consider an exchange, says Allsup.

“Because the federal and state-run health insurance exchanges open for business just two weeks prior to Medicare enrollment, some people may be confused,” says Paula Muschler, manager of the Allsup Medicare Advisor. “Medicare beneficiaries may falsely think they need to enroll in an exchange plan to avoid penalties.

“Or they may be so flustered that they don’t carefully evaluate their Medicare plan options for 2014, which could be detrimental if their plan or their needs have changed,” she adds.

Anyone receiving Medicare is covered by insurance, therefore they do not have to consider a health-care exchange. However, some changes are being made to Medicare coverage, so recipients will need to review their plans as soon as the benefits packages arrive in the mail, Muschler says.

First-time Medicare enrollees have from three months before their birthday until three months after their birth month to select Medicare coverage.