What Is the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period?

Every year from October 15 through December 7, Medicare beneficiaries get a chance to review and change their coverage. This window is called the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), and it’s the most important date on every Medicare enrollee’s calendar.

Changes made during AEP take effect January 1 of the following year.

⏰ Key Dates: AEP runs October 15 – December 7 every year. If you miss it, you’ll generally have to wait until next year to make changes (with limited exceptions).

What Can You Change During AEP?

During the Annual Enrollment Period, you can make any of the following changes:

✅ Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan
✅ Switch from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare
✅ Change from one Medicare Advantage plan to another MA plan
✅ Join a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan
✅ Switch from one Part D plan to another Part D plan
✅ Drop your Part D coverage entirely (not usually recommended)

Why You Should Review Your Plan Every Year

Even if you’re happy with your current plan, you should review it every year. Here’s why:

💊 Formularies change — your medication might cost more (or not be covered) next year
🏥 Provider networks shift — your doctor might leave the network
💰 Premiums and copays change — plan costs are updated annually
⭐ New plans become available — better options may exist in your area
📋 Your health needs evolve — what worked last year might not fit now

💡 Pro Tip: Your plan sends an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) letter every September. Read it carefully — it outlines every change coming to your plan next year.

5 Common AEP Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake	Why It Matters
Doing nothing	Your plan changes even if you don’t — costs, networks, and formularies all update
Choosing based on premium alone	A $0 premium plan can cost more in copays and deductibles
Not checking your medications	Drug formularies change every year — verify your meds are still covered
Ignoring provider networks	Your doctor leaving a network means higher costs or finding a new provider
Waiting until the last minute	Rushed decisions lead to poor plan choices — start reviewing in October

AEP vs. OEP: What's the Difference?

Medicare has two enrollment periods at the start of each year that are often confused:

	Annual Enrollment (AEP)	Open Enrollment (OEP)
Dates	Oct 15 – Dec 7	Jan 1 – Mar 31
Who can use it	All Medicare beneficiaries	Only those already in MA plans
What you can do	Switch between MA, Original Medicare, Part D	Switch MA plans or go back to Original Medicare + Part D
Changes take effect	January 1	1st of the month after enrollment

The OEP (January 1 – March 31) is a safety net for people who enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan during AEP and want to make one more change. It’s not a full redo — it’s more limited.

How Senior Benefits Hub Helps During AEP

Reviewing your Medicare plan doesn’t have to be stressful. Here’s how we make AEP simple:

Free Plan Review — We compare your current plan against every option in your ZIP code
Medication Analysis — We check your exact prescriptions against each plan’s formulary
Doctor Verification — We confirm your providers are in-network before you switch
Cost Comparison — We estimate your total annual cost, not just premiums
Enrollment Assistance — We handle the paperwork and confirm everything is set

And it’s 100% free — we’re paid by the insurance carriers, never by you.

Ready for Your Free AEP Plan Review?

Don’t wait until December — start your review today.

Senior Benefits Hub is a service of Triangle Life & Health®

Tagged AEP, Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Open Enrollment, Part D