Medicare Advantage Enrollment Periods
There are only certain periods of the year when you are able to enroll into a Medicare Advantage plan. These are broken down between Enrollment Periods and Special Election Periods (SEPs).
Medicare Advantage Enrollment Windows
Initial Enrollment Period (IEP): 7-month time frame
Initial Enrollment Period (IEP): 7-month time frame
When you start Medicare Part B, you’ll have an Initial Enrollment Period where you can sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan. 3 Months before your 65th
birthday, the month of your 65th
birthday and 3 months after your 65th birthday.
Annual Election Period (AEP): October 15 – December 7
For most enrollees, this is their only time of the year to make a change to their Medicare Advantage plan for the next calendar year. Plans for the following year are released on October 1st, but enrollment applications cannot be accepted until October 15. All plans submitted during this period using the AEP enrollment period will start January 1st. If you are switching from one Medicare Advantage plan to another, there is no need to cancel your current coverage. The act of submitting one Medicare Advantage plan will replace the other automatically on whichever date you requested the new plan to begin.
Most Common Special Election Periods
Another benefit of being eligible for this is that you also get an SEP to make changes to your Medicare Advantage plan outside of the main enrollment periods. Enrollees with LIS can make one change to their Medicare Advantage plan during each of the first 3 quarters of the year: January-March, April-June, July-September.
Moving Out Of Plan Service Area
This includes change counties, zip codes, or states. If you are moving, check with one of our agents to see if your plan will work in your new location or if you need to look for a new policy.
Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) also known as “Extra Help”
If your income & assets are below a certain
threshold, you may qualify for the Low-Income Subsidy program that helps cover Part D prescription drug plans premiums and co-pays.