Medicare Annual Enrollment Period: Key Dates and What to Know

The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) comes around every autumn, and if you're a Medicare beneficiary it's your yearly window to make sure your coverage still fits. AEP runs from October 15 to December 7, and the decisions you make during it determine your Medicare coverage starting January 1 of the following year.

Whether you're happy with your current plan or want to look around, a little preparation goes a long way. Here are the key dates, what you can change, and how to get ready.

Key dates to remember

• October 1 — Medicare Advantage and Part D plans publish their details for the coming year. You can start reviewing options and decide whether your current plan still works.
• October 15 — AEP officially opens. This is when you can change your coverage: switching between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, moving between Advantage plans, or updating your Part D drug coverage.
• December 7 — the deadline. If you don't act by this date, you'll generally stay in your current plan for the next year.

What you can change during AEP

• Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan
• Change from one Medicare Advantage plan to another
• Join, switch, or drop a Part D prescription drug plan
• Return to Original Medicare if you're currently in a Medicare Advantage plan

Preparing for the year ahead

Choosing coverage can feel like a lot. A few steps make it manageable:

• Review your health needs. Any new diagnoses this year? New prescriptions? Make sure next year's plan covers what you actually use now — especially your medication list.
• Assess how your current plan performed. Did you struggle to find in-network doctors? Were drug costs higher than you expected? Those answers point straight at what to change.
• Check what's changing in your plan. Advantage and Part D plans can adjust premiums, copays, deductibles, provider networks, and covered services every year. Even if you love your plan today, read the notice they send you — the version you're in next year may not be the same one.

One more thing worth knowing: since 2025, Part D includes a cap on what you pay out of pocket for covered drugs in a year, which changed the math for anyone with high prescription costs. If you skipped drug coverage because it wasn't worth it before, it's worth another look.

Why act early

Missing December 7 can leave you in a plan that no longer fits for a full year. Acting early in the window also means you're not competing for appointment slots in the first week of December.

Need help reviewing your options?

If you'd like a second pair of eyes on your Medicare Advantage or Part D options, that's exactly what we do — free, and with no pressure. Give us a call or book a consultation, and we'll compare what's available where you live against the prescriptions and doctors you actually use.