Medicare Basics

Enrollment periods, decoded — before anyone tries to sell you anything.

Medicare's enrollment windows confuse almost everyone — including plenty of agents. Here's what AEP and OEP actually mean, in plain English.

AEP vs. OEP — What's the difference?

	Annual Enrollment Period (AEP)	Open Enrollment Period (OEP)
When	October 15 – December 7	January 1 – March 31
Who it's for	Anyone with Medicare — new plan, switch plans, or return to Original Medicare	Only people already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan
What you can do	Switch between Medicare Advantage plans, join/drop Part D, switch to/from Original Medicare	Switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan, or drop Advantage for Original Medicare + Part D
How many changes	One final choice takes effect Jan 1	One change allowed, effective the following month
Learn more	AEP.com →	WhatIsOEP.com →

The Medicare Calendar

Jan 1 – Mar 31

Already in a Medicare Advantage plan? You get one do-over — switch plans or move back to Original Medicare.

Turning 65

A 7-month window (3 months before your birthday month, your birthday month, and 3 months after) to enroll for the first time.

Oct 15 – Dec 7

The big one. Everyone with Medicare can change plans for the upcoming year — this is when most switching happens.

Anytime

Certain life events — moving, losing coverage, qualifying for Medicaid — open a special window outside the usual dates.

Common questions

No — if you're happy with your current plan, it will typically continue. AEP is your chance to change, not a requirement to.

You'll generally need to wait for OEP (if you're on Medicare Advantage) or qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.

No — OEP is exclusively for people already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan.

Not with us. We're agency-neutral — our advisors walk through your options across carriers, not just one.

Tell us your situation — we'll tell you exactly what applies and what your options are. No obligation.