Medicare Annual Enrollment Period: What to Do Before December 7

Every fall, Medicare beneficiaries get a window to review their coverage and make changes for the coming year. That window is the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) — and it closes on December 7. Here's what you need to know before it does.

What is the Annual Enrollment Period?

The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period runs from October 15 through December 7 each year. Any changes you make during this window take effect January 1 of the following year.

AEP is not the same as your Initial Enrollment Period (the one-time window when you first sign up for Medicare at 65). AEP is the annual opportunity for people already on Medicare to review and adjust their coverage.

Who can use AEP?

AEP is available to anyone already enrolled in Medicare. During this period, you can:

• Switch from one Medicare Advantage (MAPD) plan to another — including plans with different networks, premiums, or benefits

• Switch from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare — and add a Part D drug plan or a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy

• Join a Part D prescription drug plan if you don't currently have one

• Switch from one Part D plan to another

• Drop a Part D plan and return to Original Medicare without drug coverage

What you generally cannot do during AEP is enroll in a Medicare Supplement plan with guaranteed issue rights — that typically requires a separate qualifying event. If you're switching from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare and want a Medigap policy, talk to an agent about your options before making the switch.

Why AEP matters even if you're happy with your plan

Plans change every year. Premiums go up. Drug formularies get revised. Doctors leave networks. Benefits that were included last year may not be included next year.

Your plan is required to notify you of these changes in the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC), which arrives by September 30. But most people don't read it carefully — and then discover the changes in January when they're already at the pharmacy or the doctor's office.

AEP is your annual opportunity to catch those changes before they affect you, compare what else is available, and decide whether your current plan is still the right fit.

Even if you decide to stay put, it's worth confirming that decision with a fresh look at the alternatives — not just an assumption that nothing better exists.

What to review before December 7

Your medications. Check whether your current drugs are still on your plan's formulary for next year, and at what tier. A medication that moved from Tier 2 to Tier 4 can mean hundreds of dollars more per year.

Your doctors. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, confirm that your primary care physician and any specialists you see regularly are still in-network for next year. Networks change annually.

Your premium and out-of-pocket costs. Compare your current plan's costs — premium, deductible, copays, and out-of-pocket maximum — against what's available in your area. Sometimes a plan with a slightly higher premium has significantly lower out-of-pocket exposure.

Your benefits. Medicare Advantage plans often include extra benefits like dental, vision, hearing, or fitness programs. These can change year to year — something added last year may be gone, or something new may be available.

Your overall health picture. If your health situation has changed — new diagnoses, new medications, more frequent specialist visits — your coverage needs may have shifted too. A plan that worked well when you were healthy may not be the best fit now.

A note on Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans

If you're on Original Medicare with a Medigap policy, AEP doesn't directly apply to your Medigap coverage — Medigap isn't part of the AEP switching rules. However, you can use AEP to add, switch, or drop a Part D drug plan, which most Original Medicare + Medigap enrollees carry separately.

If you're considering switching to Original Medicare + Medigap from a Medicare Advantage plan, be aware that in most states (including Minnesota), you may need to go through medical underwriting to get a Medigap policy outside of guaranteed issue periods. This is worth understanding before you make the switch.

The December 7 deadline is real

Missing AEP doesn't mean you're stuck forever — there are other enrollment windows throughout the year for specific circumstances. But for most people, AEP is the primary annual opportunity to make changes. If you miss December 7, you're generally locked into your current plan until the following October 15.

There is one additional window worth knowing: the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, which runs January 1 through March 31. During this period, you can switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another, or switch back to Original Medicare. But you cannot use it to switch from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage, or to make Part D changes outside of a Medicare Advantage plan.

How to make the most of AEP

The Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov lets you compare plans available in your zip code. It's a useful starting point — but it doesn't tell you how a plan performs in practice, whether a specific doctor is truly accepting new patients under that plan, or how a plan's customer service holds up when you need it.

That's where a local, independent agent adds value. I review plans with my clients every fall — comparing their current coverage against what's available, checking their specific medications and doctors, and helping them decide whether to stay or switch. There's no cost for this review.

If you'd like to go through your options before December 7, give me a call.

Call Fred: 763.292.9837

For related reading, see Your ANOC Is Coming — Don't Throw It Away and the current IRMAA brackets if income-related premium surcharges are a factor in your planning.