What happens to Fitzgerald's stand-alone prescription drug plan when he moves out of its service area?

When an individual like Fitzgerald is enrolled in a stand-alone prescription drug plan (PDP) and moves out of its service area, the plan's coverage is no longer valid in his new location. This leads to automatic disenrollment from the plan, meaning that the individual does not need to take any additional steps to cancel the coverage; it will be done by the plan itself as a result of the change in residence.

Insurance plans are required to have specific geographic areas where they offer their services, and if a member moves outside that area, their plan cannot provide the same level of benefits or access. This is particularly important in Medicare-related plans, which are regulated to ensure that beneficiaries have access to the necessary prescription drugs in their new location.

Therefore, the automatic disenrollment aligns with the policies governing these stand-alone plans, effectively protecting both the enrollee and the plan from situations where benefits would not match the location's availability.