The Three Enrollment Periods.

 

• Initial Enrollment Period (IEP): This is the 7-month period that begins 3 months before the month you turn 65 and ends 3 months after the month you turn 65. During this period, you can enroll in Original Medicare (Parts A and B) and most Medicare Advantage plans.
• Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) This enrollment period begins October 15 to December 7th. During this time You can make changes to your coverage without penalty. During the AEP, you can make changes to your Medicare coverage without having to pay a late enrollment penalty. This is not the case during other times of the year, such as during the General Enrollment Period (GEP).
• General Enrollment Period (GEP): This is the 3-month period that runs from January 1 to March 31 each year. During this period, you can enroll in Medicare Part A and Part B, if you are not already enrolled, and most Medicare Advantage plans. You can also make changes to your existing Medicare coverage, such as switching plans or adding a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.
• Special Enrollment Period (SEP): There are a number of special enrollment periods that you may qualify for if you have certain life events, such as moving to a new area, losing your job, or becoming eligible for Medicaid. During a SEP, you can enroll in Medicare Part A and Part B, if you are not already enrolled, and most Medicare Advantage plans. You can also make changes to your existing Medicare coverage.

It is important to note that you may have to pay a late enrollment penalty if you do not enroll in Medicare during your initial enrollment period or a special enrollment period. The late enrollment penalty is a monthly surcharge that is added to your Medicare Part B premium. If you would like to learn how to avoid the penalty and to see if you qualify for a SEP fill out the Permission to Contact form and a licensed agent will be in contact