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Enrollment Periods

Initial Enrollment Period

For most people, the first time you can enroll in Medicare is around your 65th birthday. You can also qualify to enroll in Medicare with a qualifying disability after you’ve received disability benefits for 24 months or have a qualifying medical condition.

Make a selection to see more details and timeframe:

You can: Sign up for a Medicare Advantage Plan (with or without prescription drug coverage) or a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.

Timeframe: During the 7-month period that starts 3 months before the month you turn 65, includes the month you turn 65, and ends 3 months after the month you turn 65.

You can: Sign up for a Medicare Advantage Plan (with or without prescription drug coverage) or a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.

Timeframe: Starting 21 months after you get Social Security or RRB benefits. Your Medicare coverage begins 24 months after you get Social Security or Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) disability benefits.

Your chance to sign up lasts through the 27th month after you get Social Security or RRB benefits.

You can:

  • Sign up for a Medicare Advantage Plan (with or without prescription drug coverage) or a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
  • Switch from your current Medicare Advantage or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to another plan.
  • Drop a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan completely.

Timeframe: During the 7-month period that starts 3 months before the month you turn 65, includes the month you turn 65, and ends 3 months after the month you turn 65.

If you sign up for a Medicare Advantage Plan during this time, you can drop that plan at any time during the next 12 months and go back to original Medicare.

You can: Sign up for a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.

Timeframe: Between April 1–June 30.

You can: Sign up for a Medicare Advantage Plan (with or without prescription drug coverage) or a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.

Timeframe: Between April 1–June 30. Your effective date will be July 1st.

Annual Election Periods

Annual Enrollment Period

October 15–December 7

What you can do:

  • Change from original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan.
  • Change from a Medicare Advantage Plan back to original Medicare.
  • Switch from one Medicare Advantage Plan to another Medicare Advantage Plan.
  • Switch from a Medicare Advantage Plan that doesn’t offer drug coverage to a Medicare Advantage Plan that offers drug coverage.
  • Switch from a Medicare Advantage Plan that offers drug coverage to a Medicare Advantage Plan that doesn’t offer drug coverage.
  • Join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
  • Switch from one Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to another Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
  • Drop your Medicare prescription drug coverage completely.

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment

January 1 – March 31

What you can do:

If you’re enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan:

  • You can switch to a different Medicare Advantage Plan. Your new plan will begin the first day of the following month.
  • You can leave your plan and switch to original Medicare. Your original Medicare coverage will begin the first day of the following month.
  • If you switch to original Medicare during this period, you will have until March 31 to also join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to add drug coverage. Your prescription drug coverage will begin the first day of the month after the plan receives your enrollment form.
  • You may only make one election change during this time period.

NOTE: During this time period, you can’t:

  • Switch from original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan
  • Join or switch a Prescription Drug Plan if enrolled in Original Medicare
  • Join, switch, or drop a Medicare Medical Savings Account Plan

Special Enrollment Period

You may be eligible to enroll in or make changes to Medicare coverage when certain events happen in your life.

Make a selection to see more details and timeframe:

You can: Switch to a new Medicare Advantage or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.

Timeframe: If you tell your plan before you move, your chance to switch plans begins the month before the month you move and continues for 2 full months after you move.

If you tell your plan after you move, your chance to switch plans begins the month you tell your plan, plus 2 more full months. If you tell your plan after you move, your chance to switch plans begins the month you tell your plan, plus 2 more full months.

You can: Join a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.

Timeframe: Your chance to join lasts for 2 full months after the month you move back to the U.S.

You can:

  • Join a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
  • Switch from your current plan to another Medicare Advantage or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
  • Drop your Medicare Advantage Plan and return to original Medicare.
  • Drop your Medicare prescription drug coverage.

Timeframe: Your chance to join, switch, or drop coverage lasts as long as you live in the institution and for 2 full months after the month you move out of the institution.

You can: Join a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.

Timeframe: Your chance to join lasts for 2 full months after the month you’re released from jail.

You can:

  • Join a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
  • Switch from your current plan to another Medicare Advantage or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
  • Drop your Medicare Advantage Plan and return to original Medicare.
  • Drop your Medicare prescription drug coverage.

Timeframe: Your chance to change lasts for 2 full months after the month you find out you’re no longer eligible for Medicaid.

You can:

  • Join a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
  • Switch from your current plan to another Medicare Advantage or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
  • Drop your Medicare Advantage Plan and return to original Medicare.
  • Drop your Medicare prescription drug coverage.

Timeframe: Your chance to change is between January 1–March 31.

You can: Join a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.

Timeframe: Your chance to join lasts for 2 full months after the month your coverage ends.

You can: Join a Medicare Advantage Plan with drug coverage or a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.

Timeframe: Your chance to join lasts for 2 full months after the month you lose your creditable coverage or are notified of the loss of creditable coverage, whichever is later.

You can: Join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.

Timeframe: Your chance to join lasts for 2 full months after the month you drop your Medicare Cost Plan.

You can: Join a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.

Timeframe: Your chance to join lasts for 2 full months after the month you drop your PACE plan.

You can: Drop your current Medicare Advantage or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to enroll in the private plan offered by your employer or union.

Timeframe: Whenever your employer or union allows you to make changes in your plan.

You can:  Drop your current Medicare Advantage or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.

Timeframe: Anytime

You can: Switch from your Medicare Advantage or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to another plan.

Timeframe: Your chance to switch is determined by Medicare on a case-by-case basis.

You can: Switch from your Medicare Advantage or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to another plan.

Timeframe: Your chance to switch starts 2 months before and ends 1 full month after the contract ends.

You can: Join another Medicare Advantage or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.

Timeframe: Your chance to switch begins December 8th and ends on the last day in February of the following year.

You can: Join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage Plan or Medicare prescription drug coverage.

Timeframe: Once per quarter, for the first 3 quarters of the year.

You can: Join, switch, or drop Medicare prescription drug coverage.

Timeframe: Once per quarter, for the first 3 quarters of the year.

You can: Join either a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan or a Medicare Advantage Plan with prescription drug coverage.

Timeframe: Once during the calendar year.

You can: Drop your Medicare Advantage Plan and enroll in original Medicare. You’ll have special rights to buy a Medigap policy.

Timeframe: Your chance to drop your Medicare Advantage Plan lasts for 12 months after you join the Medicare Advantage Plan for the first time.

You can: Join a Medicare Chronic Care Special Needs Plan (SNP) that serves people with your condition.

Timeframe: You can join anytime, but once you join, your chance to make changes using this SEP ends.

You can: 

  • Join a Medicare Advantage Plan with drug coverage or a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
  • Switch from your current plan to another Medicare Advantage Plan with drug coverage or a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.
  • Drop your Medicare Advantage Plan with drug coverage and return to original Medicare.
  • Drop your Medicare prescription drug coverage.

Timeframe: Your chance to change coverage lasts for 2 full months after the month you get a notice of the error from Medicare.

You can: Join a Medicare Advantage Plan with drug coverage or a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.

Timeframe: Your chance to join lasts for 2 full months after the month you get a notice of the error from Medicare.

You can: Join a Medicare Advantage Plan with drug coverage or a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.

Timeframe: Your chance to join lasts for 2 full months after the month you get a notice of the error from Medicare.

A Special Election Period (SEP) for individuals affected by an emergency or disaster who need to enroll in, disenroll from or switch Medicare health or prescription drug plans and missed other election periods is available in areas where an emergency or disaster has been declared by a Federal, state or local government entity. It is available for the duration of the emergency or disaster plus an additional two months following the end date of the emergency or disaster as identified in the declaration or, if different, the date the end of the incident is announced, whichever is later. Elections are effective the first of the month after the plan receives your election request.

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