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Learn How to Streamline Your Medicare Enrollment

Medicare Enrollment Periods

It’s very important to identify each of the Medicare enrollments periods to avoid any late enrollment penalties and know when you can make changes to your current enrollment.

1. Initial Enrollment Period (IEP): It’s a 7-month window to enroll in Medicare Part A and Part B the first time when you turn 65. You have 3 months before you turn 65, the month of your 65 birthday, and 3 months after you turn 65 to enroll in Medicare.

2. Annual Election Period (AEP): it runs from October 15th to December 7 th each year, during the annual election period, beneficiaries that already have Medicare Part A and Part B can use this election period to do the following:

  • Change to a Medicare Advantage plan (Part C) from Original Medicare Part A and Part B
  • Change from Medicare Advantage plan (Part C) to Original Medicare Part A and Part B
  • Change from one Medicare Advantage plan (Part C) to another
  •  Enroll in Part D prescription drug plan
  • Change from one Medicare Part D prescription drug to another
  • Disenroll from Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage

 

3. General Enrollment Period (GEP): It runs from January 1 st to March 31 st , during the general enrollment period, you can enroll in Medicare Part B if you missed the IEP and don’t qualify for special enrollment period (SEP). Your coverage will begin on July 1 st , and you may have to pay a Part B late enrollment penalty.

 

4. Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (OEP): it runs from January 1 st to March 31 st , during the Medicare Advantage open enrollment period you can:

  • Enroll in a different Medicare Advantage plan (Part C)
  • Return to Original Medicare and elect a Part D prescription drug plan

 

5. Special Enrollment Period (SEP): After your initial enrollment period is over, you may have a chance to enroll in Medicare Part B, change your current Medicare Advantage plan (Part C) or change your prescription drug plan (Part D) due to lose of your employer sponsor health insurance plan, move, lose of a creditable prescription drug plan, etc.