The Medicare Annual Election Period is the time each fall when people with Medicare can review and change their Medicare Advantage or prescription drug coverage for the coming year.
It is also commonly called AEP, Medicare Open Enrollment, or the fall Medicare enrollment period.
The Medicare Annual Election Period runs from October 15 through December 7 each year. Changes submitted by the December 7 deadline generally take effect on January 1.
Not everyone needs to change plans. However, Medicare Advantage and Part D plans can change their premiums, copayments, provider networks, prescription formularies, pharmacy arrangements, and additional benefits from one year to the next.
That makes AEP an important opportunity to confirm that your current coverage will still work well for you in the coming year.
When Is the Medicare Annual Election Period?
The Medicare Annual Election Period begins on October 15 and ends on December 7.
Your plan or enrollment request must generally be received by December 7. Coverage selected during this period normally begins on January 1 of the following year.
For example, a plan selected during the fall Medicare Annual Election Period would ordinarily replace your current coverage on January 1.
You should not wait until the final day to begin comparing plans. Prescription information, provider participation, underwriting concerns, and coordination between different types of coverage can take time to review properly.
What Can You Change During the Medicare Annual Election Period?
The Medicare Annual Election Period primarily applies to Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage.
Depending on your current coverage and eligibility, you may be able to:
- Change from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan
- Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another
- Leave Medicare Advantage and return to Original Medicare
- Join a stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan
- Switch from one Part D plan to another
- Drop Medicare Part D coverage
These options can include Medicare Advantage plans with prescription drug coverage, Medicare Advantage plans without drug coverage when permitted, and stand-alone Part D plans.
Dropping drug coverage should be considered carefully. Going without Medicare drug coverage or other creditable prescription coverage for 63 days or longer may result in a Part D late enrollment penalty if you enroll again later.
What the Medicare Annual Election Period Does Not Do
The Medicare Annual Election Period is not a universal enrollment period for every type of Medicare coverage.
It does not automatically:
- Create a new Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Period
- Guarantee acceptance into a Medicare Supplement plan
- Allow you to switch Medicare Supplement companies without underwriting
- Enroll you in Medicare Part A or Part B
- Require you to change your existing coverage
Medicare Supplement policies follow different enrollment and underwriting rules.
Your six-month Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Period generally begins when you are 65 or older and enrolled in Medicare Part B. It does not repeat every fall. Outside that period, an insurance company may use medical underwriting unless you have a guaranteed issue right or another protected enrollment opportunity.
Review Your Annual Notice of Change During the Medicare Annual Election Period
If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage or Medicare prescription drug plan, your plan should send you an Annual Notice of Change, commonly called an ANOC, each fall.
The ANOC explains changes that will take effect in January, including possible changes to:
- Monthly premiums
- Medical or prescription deductibles
- Copayments and coinsurance
- Covered services
- Prescription drug coverage
- Provider or pharmacy arrangements
- Additional plan benefits
Plans generally send the Annual Notice of Change in September. Medicare recommends reviewing it to decide whether the plan will continue meeting your needs during the coming year.
You may also receive an Evidence of Coverage document. The Evidence of Coverage provides more detailed information about what the plan covers, how the plan works, and what you may be required to pay.
Do not assume your coverage will remain exactly the same merely because the plan name has not changed.
Reviewing Part D During the Medicare Annual Election Period
A Part D plan that worked well this year may not remain the most appropriate choice next year.
When comparing prescription drug plans, review:
- Every prescription you currently take
- The exact dosage and quantity
- Whether each medication remains on the formulary
- The tier assigned to each medication
- Deductibles and copayments
- Prior authorization requirements
- Step therapy requirements
- Quantity limits
- Preferred pharmacies
- Mail-order options
- Estimated annual prescription costs
A low plan premium does not necessarily produce the lowest total cost.
One plan may charge a higher monthly premium but provide significantly lower copayments for your prescriptions. Another may look inexpensive until you discover that your pharmacy is not preferred or one of your medications is on a more expensive tier.
Medicare’s plan-comparison process allows beneficiaries to enter prescriptions and pharmacies to estimate monthly and annual costs. Medicare also recommends confirming that a plan covers your prescriptions and that your preferred pharmacies participate.
Reviewing Medicare Advantage During the Medicare Annual Election Period
Medicare Advantage plans should also be reviewed every year.
Before keeping or changing a plan, confirm:
- Your primary-care physician participates
- Your specialists participate
- Your preferred hospitals are in-network
- Your prescriptions remain covered
- Your pharmacy remains preferred or in-network
- Medical copayments remain affordable
- The annual maximum out-of-pocket amount fits your budget
- Referral requirements are acceptable
- Prior authorization requirements are acceptable
- Dental, vision, hearing, and fitness benefits remain useful
- The plan works with your travel or seasonal-living arrangements
Do not rely solely on an old provider-directory listing. Contact important doctors and medical facilities directly and ask whether they will participate in the exact plan during the coming year.
Medicare also recommends reviewing plan premiums, deductibles, estimated prescription costs, provider networks, pharmacy participation, and coverage away from home before enrolling.
Leaving Medicare Advantage for Original Medicare
The Medicare Annual Election Period may allow you to leave Medicare Advantage and return to Original Medicare.
However, returning to Original Medicare and obtaining a Medicare Supplement are two separate matters.
A person leaving Medicare Advantage may also need to arrange:
- A Medicare Supplement policy, if eligible and desired
- A stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan
- Proper effective dates for all new coverage
You should not assume that leaving Medicare Advantage automatically guarantees approval for a Medicare Supplement.
Outside a Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Period or guaranteed issue situation, an insurance company may review your health history before approving an application. Some people qualify for trial rights or other protections, but those rights depend on the circumstances and deadlines involved.
Confirm your Medicare Supplement eligibility before making a Medicare Advantage change that depends on obtaining supplemental coverage.
Medicare Annual Election Period vs. Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment
The Medicare Annual Election Period is different from the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period.
Medicare Annual Election Period
The Medicare Annual Election Period runs from October 15 through December 7.
During this period, eligible beneficiaries may make several types of Medicare Advantage and Part D changes. Coverage generally begins January 1.
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period
The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs from January 1 through March 31.
It is available only to people who are already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan.
During this period, a person may generally make one change by:
- Switching to another Medicare Advantage plan
- Leaving Medicare Advantage and returning to Original Medicare
Someone returning to Original Medicare may also have an opportunity to enroll in a stand-alone Medicare Part D plan.
The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period cannot ordinarily be used by someone with Original Medicare to join Medicare Advantage. It also is not a general opportunity for someone with a stand-alone Part D plan to switch to another stand-alone Part D plan.
What Happens If You Do Nothing During AEP?
You do not have to change plans merely because the Medicare Annual Election Period has arrived.
If your current plan continues to be offered and you remain eligible, your enrollment will generally continue into the next year. However, the updated costs, benefits, formulary, and rules described in your Annual Notice of Change will normally take effect January 1.
If your plan will no longer be available, you should receive a plan non-renewal notice explaining that you need to select different coverage for the following year.
Doing nothing may be completely reasonable when your plan continues to meet your needs. The important thing is to make that decision after reviewing the changes rather than assuming everything will remain the same.
A Practical Annual Medicare Review Checklist
Before the December 7 deadline, gather:
- Your Medicare card
- Current Medicare Advantage or Part D plan information
- Annual Notice of Change
- Complete prescription list
- Preferred pharmacies
- Primary-care physician information
- Specialist information
- Preferred hospital information
- Expected medical procedures
- Travel or seasonal-residence plans
- Employer, retiree, Medicaid, or veterans’ coverage information
Then compare the total effect of the available choices.
The plan with the lowest premium is not always the plan with the lowest overall cost. Provider access, prescription coverage, medical copayments, annual out-of-pocket exposure, and plan restrictions can matter more than a small difference in monthly premium.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to change my Medicare plan every year?
No. You may keep your current plan if it continues to be offered and still meets your needs. You should still review the Annual Notice of Change before deciding to stay.
When do AEP plan changes take effect?
Changes made during the Medicare Annual Election Period generally take effect on January 1 of the following year.
Can I switch Medicare Advantage plans during AEP?
Yes. You may generally switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another during the Medicare Annual Election Period.
Can I leave Medicare Advantage and return to Original Medicare?
Yes. The Medicare Annual Election Period generally allows you to leave Medicare Advantage and return to Original Medicare. You may also need separate Part D coverage and may want to apply for a Medicare Supplement.
Am I guaranteed a Medicare Supplement during AEP?
No. AEP does not automatically provide guaranteed acceptance into a Medicare Supplement plan. Underwriting may apply unless you have a Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Period, guaranteed issue right, trial right, or another applicable protection.
Can I change only my Part D prescription plan?
Yes. Someone with Original Medicare and a stand-alone Part D plan may generally switch to another Part D plan during the Medicare Annual Election Period.
Is AEP the same as Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment?
No. The Medicare Annual Election Period applies primarily to Medicare Advantage and Part D changes. Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment is a separate six-month period tied to being at least 65 and enrolled in Medicare Part B.
Can I change coverage after December 7?
Possibly. You may qualify for the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period or a Special Enrollment Period, depending on your current coverage and circumstances. Special Enrollment Period rules depend on the event that created the enrollment opportunity.
Related Medicare Topics
- What Is a Medicare Advantage Plan? And Is It Right for You?
- What Does Medicare Part C Cover?
- Can You Switch From Medicare Advantage to Plan G in Pennsylvania?
- Guaranteed Issue Rights Explained
- Why I Usually Recommend Medicare Supplements Instead of Medicare Part C
Schedule Your Medicare Consultation Today
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