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• Annual Enrollment Period– This is the period from October 15 to December 7 when people can switch from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare plus enroll in a Medicare Part D plan and apply for a Medicare supplement policy. Current Medicare supp policyholders do not need to take any action — coverage continues as long as premiums are paid on time.
• General Enrollment Period-Every year from January 1 – March 31, people who didn’t enroll in Medicare during their Initial Enrollment Period and are not eligible for a Special Enrollment Period may enroll in Original Medicare during this time. Please note there will likely be late enrollment penalties.

Individual Enrollment Periods

• Initial Enrollment Period (IEP)– The seven-month period when clients first can enroll in Medicare (three months before they turn 65, the month of their birthday, and the three months afterward).
• Special Enrollment Period (SEP)– A time other than the Annual Enrollment Period or Initial Enrollment Period when people may join, change, or drop a Medicare plan. An SEP can be triggered by certain events such as a change in residence or leaving an employer’s group plan. Rules about when you can make changes and the type of changes you can make are different for each SEP.