Some people believe they can enroll in Medicare anytime they want to. This is a misconception. You can enroll in Medicare when you turn 65; when you have been on Social Security Disability Income for 24 months; when you have been diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) or End Stage Renal Disease; during certain times of the year; or when special circumstances allow you to do so. What follows are seven important enrollment periods.
You may want to review ‘Medicare’ under Services, and my blog ‘Original Medicare Costs for 2026’ before reading this blog.
Initial Enrollment Period (IEP). This period allows you to enroll in Original Medicare. It begins three months before you turn 65 years of age, your birthday month, and ends three months after your birthday month. This enrollment period is also used by beneficiaries who are under 65 years of age, have received 24 months of disability through Social Security Disability Income (SSDI), and are now eligible for Medicare
Medicare Advantage Initial Coverage Enrollment Period (MA ICEP). This period allows you to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan. In most cases, the ICEP runs alongside the IEP. It begins three months before your birthday, it includes your birthday month, and ends three months after your birthday month. This said, if your Part A effective date is different than your Part B effective date, your ICEP begins three months before the effective date of Part B and ends on the last day of the month before Part B begins. People who delay Part B due to employer coverage use the ICEP in this way.
Medicare Supplement Enrollment Period. This period begins when you become 65 and are enrolled in Part B. From the effective date of Part B, you have six months to enroll in a Medigap plan without having to undergo medical underwriting. This is the best time to enroll in a Medigap plan. There may be other circumstances that allow you to enroll without medical underwriting. Check with your state. You can enroll in a Medicare Supplement plan year round but expect your application to undergo medical underwriting.
General Enrollment Period (GEP). This enrollment period is for people who did not enroll in Part A and/or Part B when they were first eligible. The GEP runs from January 1 to March 31 every year. If you enroll during the GEP, you may end up with a lifetime penalty for Part B or Part A or both. Most likely, Part B. This shouldn’t discourage you from enrolling, because the longer you wait to enroll in Part A and B, the greater the penalty. Information on late penalties can be found by going to www.medicare.gov.
Annual Election Period (AEP). This occurs every year from October 15 and December 7. You can enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan (Part C) from Original Medicare. You can switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another. You can add a stand-alone prescription plan to Original Medicare. You can drop a Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare. If you are happy with your Medicare Advantage plan, you can do nothing. Your plan will automatically roll over into the first of the new year.
Open Enrollment Period (MA-OEP). This enrollment period is for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries only. From January 1 to March 31, you can make one plan change. Once this change is made, you are locked into your new plan for the rest of the year. You can use this enrollment period to return to Original Medicare. You cannot use this enrollment period to switch prescription plans; move from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage; or purchase a stand-alone prescription plan if you have Original Medicare.
Special Enrollment Period (SEP). This period is set aside for Medicare beneficiaries who have a special circumstance in their lives. Special circumstances allow beneficiaries to make plan changes any time during the year. Some examples are moving to a new state, or a different part of the same state; changes in Medicaid coverage; changes with Extra Help; a diagnosis with certain chronic medical conditions; enrolling in a five-star Medicare Advantage plan; and returning to the United States from a foreign country. For a complete list of special circumstances, and what changes you can make, please to www.medicare.gov, go to ‘Search’ and type in ‘Medicare Special Enrollment Periods.’
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For a complete list of enrollment periods, what plans you can enroll in, and the special circumstances which allow you to change, go to www.medicare.gov. Call 725-227-6795, email ken@deserthealthandlife.com or fill out a contact sheet on this website. I am a licensed insurance broker.
