Medicare runs on deadlines, and missing one can cost you. Here are the windows that matter most.
Initial Enrollment Period (IEP)
Your first window: the 7 months around your 65th birthday (3 months before, your birthday month, and 3 months after). This is when most people sign up for the first time.
Annual Enrollment Period (AEP): October 15 – December 7
Every fall, anyone on Medicare can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. Changes take effect January 1. This is the big one to circle on your calendar each year.
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: January 1 – March 31
If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one chance early in the year to switch to a different Advantage plan or go back to Original Medicare.
Special Enrollment Periods (SEP)
Life events can open a special window outside the normal dates, for example losing employer coverage, moving out of your plan's area, or other qualifying changes. If your situation changes, ask us, you may have more options than you think.
Medigap Open Enrollment
When you're 65 or older and first enrolled in Part B, you get a 6-month Medigap open enrollment window. During it, insurers can't deny you or charge more for health reasons, which makes it a valuable time to lock in a Supplement.
This guide is general education, not personal advice, and plan details and figures change. For complete information on all your options, contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE. Legend Insurance Solutions is not connected with or endorsed by the government or the federal Medicare program.