Enrollment Periods
There are certain enrollment periods that have fixed calendar dates and are available to all beneficiaries.
Initial Enrollment Period (IEP)
The first enrollment period is the Initial Enrollment Period (IEP). This period is not necessarily a “fixed” enrollment period, instead it is tied to your 65th birth month. An individual has, initially, a total of 7 months to sign up for Medicare Part A and Part B. The first three months prior to your 65th birth month, your birth month, and three months after your birth month. Signing up during this period ensures that you will not get penalized.
There are exceptions to this. For instance, if an individual decides to continue working or if the company has a retiree health plan.
Sign up for a Comprehensive Medicare Solution seminar or a personal meeting at our office to understand if you have to sign up during the IEP or if you will be granted a Special Election period.
Annual Election Period (October 15 – December 7)
During the Annual Election Period beneficiaries:
- May add, drop, or change their drug coverage.
- May enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan or a Medicare Advantage-PD Plan.
- May change Medicare Advantage or a Medicare Advantage -PD Plan.
- May return to Original Medicare.
Medicare Advantage (MA) Open Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31)
During the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period beneficiaries:
- May change MA plans once.
- The ability to make changes to a PDP is limited.
If you need assistance, please call Comprehensive Medicare Solutions at 913-827-8953 for an appointment.