Every fall, Medicare opens one wide window for change. The Annual Enrollment Period runs from October 15 to December 7. During those weeks you can review your coverage and pick something different. Any change you make starts on January 1.
Who this is for
- Your red, white, and blue Medicare card, plus your current plan card.
- A current list of every medication, with the dose and how often you take it.
- The names of the doctors and specialists you want to keep.
- Your preferred pharmacy, including whether you use mail order.
- The Annual Notice of Change letter from your carrier.
What you get
Join a Medicare Advantage plan
You keep Parts A and B, but a private plan manages your benefits. See how these work on our Medicare Advantage page.
Go back to Original Medicare
You can leave your Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare. Most people add a drug plan, and some add a Medigap policy.
Switch to a different Advantage plan
If your doctor left the network or your costs jumped, you can move. The new plan takes over on January 1.
Join, switch, or drop a Part D drug plan
Drug lists change every year, so this deserves a close look. See how pricing works on our Part D page.
What Is the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period?
Every fall, Medicare opens one wide window for change. The Annual Enrollment Period runs from October 15 to December 7. During those weeks you can review your coverage and pick something different. Any change you make starts on January 1.
The short version
AEP runs October 15 through December 7 every year.
You can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.
New coverage begins January 1.
Do nothing and your current plan renews with its new costs and rules.
This window matters because Medicare plans do not stay the same. Carriers adjust premiums, drug lists, and doctor networks each year. A plan that fit you last year may not fit you now. AEP is your yearly chance to check that and correct it.
Orange County has a crowded plan market, which is both good news and bad news. You get real choice, but the list is long. Sorting it well takes a little preparation. That is what the rest of this page walks you through.
What Can You Change During Annual Enrollment?
AEP covers the parts of Medicare that private carriers run. That means Medicare Advantage plans and Part D drug plans. Here is what you are allowed to do.
Your four options during AEP
Join a Medicare Advantage plan
You keep Parts A and B, but a private plan manages your benefits. See how these work on our Medicare Advantage page.
Go back to Original Medicare
You can leave your Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare. Most people add a drug plan, and some add a Medigap policy.
Switch to a different Advantage plan
If your doctor left the network or your costs jumped, you can move. The new plan takes over on January 1.
Join, switch, or drop a Part D drug plan
Drug lists change every year, so this deserves a close look. See how pricing works on our Part D page.
Medigap follows different rules
Medigap, also called Medicare Supplement, is not part of AEP.
You may apply for a Medigap policy at any time of year.
Outside of certain protected windows, the carrier may review your health history first.
California also has a birthday rule that gives current Medigap members a yearly window to switch.
What Happens If You Do Nothing?
Nothing dramatic happens on December 8. In most cases your plan simply renews for the next year. That sounds safe, and sometimes it is. The risk is renewing into changes you never read.
- Your monthly premium may go up.
- Your deductible or your copays may change.
- A drug you take may move to a higher tier, or leave the drug list.
- Your doctor or your preferred pharmacy may drop out of the network.
- Extra benefits such as dental, vision, or hearing may shrink.
- Your plan may leave your county entirely, which forces a change.
Read the Annual Notice of Change
Your carrier mails an Annual Notice of Change, or ANOC, in late September.
It lists every cost and coverage change for the coming year.
It is dense, but the summary pages near the front do most of the work.
Set it aside instead of tossing it, then bring it to your review.
If your plan is leaving your area, you do get a special window to move. Even so, waiting is stressful and good appointment times fill up fast. Acting during AEP keeps the timing in your hands.
How Do You Get Ready Before October 15?
Gather these first
Your Annual Enrollment prep folder
- Your red, white, and blue Medicare card, plus your current plan card.
- A current list of every medication, with the dose and how often you take it.
- The names of the doctors and specialists you want to keep.
- Your preferred pharmacy, including whether you use mail order.
- The Annual Notice of Change letter from your carrier.
- A rough sense of what you spent on care and drugs this year.
That list looks long, but most people build it in about twenty minutes. Accuracy matters more than speed. One missing medication can flip which plan is cheapest for you.
When you are ready, we compare your renewing plan against the options you qualify for. There is no cost to you for that review. You can meet us in person in Orange, or by video or phone. Our annual review page explains the process.
Your Annual Enrollment Timeline, Week by Week
How the season unfolds
- 01
Late September: your mail arrives
Watch for the Annual Notice of Change from your current plan. Read the cost summary and the drug list changes.
- 02
October 1: next year's plans go public
Carriers may begin sharing details for the coming year. You can start comparing before the window opens.
- 03
October 15: the window opens
Enrollment officially begins. There is no prize for going first, but early comparison beats a rushed decision.
- 04
Late October to mid-November: decide
This is the calm middle of the season. Appointments are easier to get, and you have room to ask questions.
- 05
December 7: the deadline
The last change you make by this date is the one that counts. Later requests need a qualifying reason.
- 06
January 1: coverage starts
Your new card and member packet should arrive first. Confirm your doctors and pharmacy before your first visit.
Do not wait for the first week of December
The final days are the busiest of the whole season.
Phone lines get long and appointment slots disappear.
Starting in late October leaves time to check details and change your mind.
What Are the Most Common Annual Enrollment Mistakes?
Most AEP regret traces back to a short list of repeat mistakes. Each one is easy to avoid once you know it is coming.
Six mistakes worth avoiding
Shopping on premium alone
A low premium can hide high copays or a thin network. Compare what you would actually spend across the year.
Skipping the drug check
Every plan has its own formulary, which is the plan's list of covered drugs. Price your exact medications, not a general estimate.
Assuming your doctor is still in network
Networks change every January. Confirm each doctor for the new plan year, not for last year.
Trusting a mailer or a TV ad
Ads show the benefits that sell, not the trade-offs. A licensed agent can walk you through the whole picture.
Waiting until December 6
Rushed choices and busy phone lines make mistakes more likely. Give yourself a few unhurried weeks.
Never confirming the change went through
Keep your confirmation number and watch for your new card. Call if the packet has not arrived by late December.
The best Annual Enrollment decision is rarely the loudest one. It is the one built from your own doctors, drugs, and budget.
How Is AEP Different From the Open Enrollment Period?
These two windows get mixed up constantly. AEP comes first, and it is open to everyone with Medicare. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period follows in the new year. It is narrower, and only for people already in an Advantage plan.
Annual Enrollment compared with Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment
Annual Enrollment Period (AEP)
The main fall window, open to everyone with Medicare.
- When
- October 15 to December 7
- Who can use it
- Anyone with Medicare Part A and Part B
- What you can do
- Join, switch, or drop Medicare Advantage and Part D plans
- Number of changes
- As many as you like, and the last one counts
- Coverage starts
- January 1
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment (OEP)
A shorter cleanup window early in the new year.
- When
- January 1 to March 31
- Who can use it
- Only people already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan
- What you can do
- Switch to one other Advantage plan, or return to Original Medicare and add Part D
- Number of changes
- One change only
- Coverage starts
- The first day of the following month
Think of AEP as the season for real decisions. OEP is the safety net if a new plan turns out wrong. You cannot use OEP to leave Original Medicare for an Advantage plan.
If you are approaching 65, our Turning 65 guide covers your very first enrollment. When you want a person beside you, reach out to our team at (714) 922-0043. We are an independent agency in Orange, and we work with many carriers.