When Is Medicare Open Enrollment and What Can You Change?

Medicare Open Enrollment—officially the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP)—runs from October 15 to December 7 every year. During these weeks, beneficiaries can switch between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, change Medicare Advantage plans, or join, drop, or switch Part D prescription drug coverage. Changes take effect January 1.

What changes can you make during AEP?

Beneficiaries can switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan (or vice versa), move from one Advantage plan to another, join or drop Part D prescription drug coverage, or switch Part D plans.

Beneficiaries can switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan (or vice versa), move from one Advantage plan to another, join or drop Part D prescription drug coverage, or switch Part D plans. They may also add or drop coverage for prescription drugs if their current plan no longer meets their needs. Each election replaces the prior coverage effective January 1.

Agents should confirm that prospects understand disenrollment is automatic when a new election is submitted—double enrollments do not occur. For agents managing high-volume AEP floors, securing exclusive leads early ensures you reach buyers before competitors do.

When do new plan choices take effect?

All elections made during the Annual Enrollment Period take effect on January 1 of the following year, regardless of when the beneficiary submitted the application between October 15 and December 7.

All elections made during the Annual Enrollment Period take effect on January 1 of the following year, regardless of when the beneficiary submitted the application between October 15 and December 7. There is no pro-rated or mid-month start; every change begins the first day of the new calendar year.

This uniform effective date creates urgency in November and early December, as prospects recognize they have limited time to compare options and submit paperwork. Agents who plan inventory in advance—particularly Medicare live transfers and call back leads—can convert more prospects before the December 7 deadline.

Change	Allowed During AEP?	Effective Date
Switch from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage	Yes	January 1
Switch from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare	Yes	January 1
Change Medicare Advantage plans	Yes	January 1
Join, drop, or switch Part D prescription drug plan	Yes	January 1
Enroll in a new Medigap policy	No (unless guaranteed-issue rights apply)	N/A
Change Part A or Part B enrollment	No	N/A

What can't you change during AEP?

You cannot enroll in a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy during AEP unless you qualify under a separate Medigap Open Enrollment Period or guaranteed-issue right; AEP applies only to Medicare Advantage and Part D.

You cannot enroll in a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy during AEP unless you qualify under a separate Medigap Open Enrollment Period or guaranteed-issue right; AEP applies only to Medicare Advantage and Part D. Medigap underwriting rules vary by state, and most carriers require medical underwriting outside the beneficiary's initial six-month window.

Agents should also note that you cannot change your Part A or Part B election during AEP—only Medicare Advantage, Part D, and the decision to join or leave an Advantage plan. If a prospect needs to address Original Medicare enrollment or a late-enrollment penalty, refer them to Social Security or direct them to the appropriate Special Enrollment Period if they qualify.

How should agents prepare for the AEP surge?

Agents should lock in lead inventory, confirm state-licensing filters, review TCPA documentation with their vendor, train floor staff on plan changes, and set daily capacity limits that match actual talk time and CRM bandwidth.

Agents should lock in lead inventory, confirm state-licensing filters, review TCPA documentation with their vendor, train floor staff on plan changes, and set daily capacity limits that match actual talk time and CRM bandwidth. October 15 brings an immediate spike in inbound volume, and vendors often allocate inventory to agents who commit earliest.

AEP preparation checklist:

• Reserve exclusive or semi-exclusive lead slots by late September.
• Verify that your dialer has up-to-date consent records for each list.
• Script common AEP objections ("I just enrolled last year," "My doctor isn't in-network").
• Schedule additional closers or set buffer times for complex three-way calls.
• Track daily contact and close rates so you can scale or pause mid-period.

Agents who treat AEP as a sprint—rather than hoping for overflow in December—consistently hit higher commission targets and build larger books for the following year.

How Affordable Medicare Quote handles this

Affordable Medicare Quote works with licensed agents to build AEP pipelines using exclusive live transfers, call back leads, aged inventory, or raw data tailored to your licensed states and daily capacity. Because AEP demand is seasonal and inventory moves quickly, the team recommends that agents request inventory or schedule a planning call before mid-September.

Affordable Medicare Quote works with licensed agents to build AEP pipelines using exclusive live transfers, call back leads, aged inventory, or raw data tailored to your licensed states and daily capacity. Because AEP demand is seasonal and inventory moves quickly, the team recommends that agents request inventory or schedule a planning call before mid-September.

Every lead type can be filtered by geography, and the company coordinates delivery schedules to match your floor's talk-time windows. Whether you need a small number of live transfers per day or a batch of aged data for a predictive dialer, the goal is to deliver prospects who are actively shopping during the October 15 to December 7 window—so you convert before the deadline and competitors do not. Agents who commit early typically secure better inventory allocation and avoid last-minute shortages as December approaches.

Frequently asked questions

Can I change my mind after I enroll during AEP?

Once AEP closes on December 7, you generally cannot make another change until the next AEP or a qualifying Special Enrollment Period. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1–March 31) allows one additional change if you are already enrolled in an Advantage plan.

Do I need to re-enroll every year if I like my current plan?

No. If you take no action during AEP, your current Medicare Advantage or Part D plan automatically renews for the following year, though premiums, benefits, and networks may change.

What happens if I miss the December 7 deadline?

You will remain in your current coverage until the next AEP or until you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period triggered by a move, loss of other coverage, or another qualifying life event.

Can agents market to prospects before October 15?

CMS marketing rules permit year-round educational contact, but agents may not accept or submit Advantage or Part D applications before October 15. Always confirm current CMS guidance and maintain compliant consent records.

How do aged Medicare leads perform during AEP?

Aged leads—prospects who submitted information weeks or months earlier—often re-engage during AEP because they know the deadline is near. Contact rates vary by age and source, so test small batches before scaling volume.

Affordable Medicare Quote · affordablemedicarequote.com · (888) 603-5358