AmeriLife · Kelly Hood

Medicare Enrollment
Periods

Every window, every acronym — and what you can actually do during each one.

Medicare has six different enrollment windows, each with its own acronym and rules. Most people only need a few of them — but using the wrong one (or missing the right one) is the #1 cause of permanent penalties. Here's the full set, in plain English.

The Six Enrollment Windows
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IEP
Initial Enrollment Period
When
7 months total — the 3 months before your 65th birthday, your birthday month, and the 3 months after.
Do
Sign up for Part A and Part B for the first time. Choose Part D or a Medicare Advantage plan if you want one.
Skip if
You have qualifying employer coverage and want to delay Part B (this is a real exception, but a narrow one).
⚠️ Most important window of your life. Missing it without qualifying employer coverage triggers a Part B late-enrollment penalty that lasts as long as you have Medicare.
📅
GEP
General Enrollment Period
When
January 1 – March 31 each year.
Do
Enroll in Part A or Part B if you missed your IEP and don't qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
Skip if
You already enrolled on time. This is a "second chance" window — not something most people need.
⚠️ Late penalties may still apply. The GEP lets you enroll — but it doesn't erase the penalty for having missed your IEP.
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AEP
Annual Enrollment Period
When
October 15 – December 7 each year. Changes take effect January 1.
Do
Switch Medicare Advantage plans, switch Part D plans, jump from Original Medicare to Advantage (or back), or add/drop drug coverage.
Skip if
Your current plan still fits your doctors, drugs, and budget for next year. Always worth a quick check, though — plans change every year.
💡 This is not for first-time enrollment. AEP is for changing plans once you're already on Medicare. Don't confuse it with IEP.
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OEP
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment
When
January 1 – March 31 each year.
Do
If you're already on a Medicare Advantage plan, switch to a different one — or drop back to Original Medicare and pick up a Part D plan.
Skip if
You're on Original Medicare. OEP is for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan who want a do-over.
💡 One change per OEP. You get a single switch during this window — not unlimited shopping.
🎯
SEP
Special Enrollment Period
When
Triggered by a qualifying life event — not a fixed date on the calendar.
Do
Enroll, switch, or drop plans outside the normal windows when your situation changes.
Triggers
Losing employer coverage, moving out of your plan's service area, qualifying for Medicaid or Extra Help, your plan leaving Medicare, and a number of others.
💡 Tight deadlines. Most SEPs only last 60 days after the qualifying event. If something in your life changes, ask whether it triggered one — quickly.
🛡️
MEDIGAP OEP
Medigap Open Enrollment
When
6 months starting the first day of the month you're both 65+ and enrolled in Part B.
Do
Buy a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policy with guaranteed acceptance — no health questions, no underwriting, no rejection.
Skip if
You're going with Medicare Advantage instead. Medigap and Advantage don't combine.
⚠️ This window does not repeat. After it closes, most carriers can ask health questions and decline you or charge more. For anyone with health conditions, this is often the single most important window.
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Questions on this? Text me at (941) 312-1278 — no pressure. Just here if you want to talk.

The year at a glance

Fixed-date windows on the calendar. (IEP, SEP, and Medigap OEP are personal to you — not shown here.)

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Oct 15 – Dec 7 — AEP. Switch plans for next year.
Jan 1 – Mar 31 — GEP and OEP run together. GEP = late Part A/B enrollment. OEP = one Medicare Advantage switch.

Confusions worth clearing up

Is the AEP when I first sign up for Medicare?
No. AEP is for changing plans after you're already on Medicare. First-time enrollment happens during your IEP, which is built around your birthday.
My birthday is in March — do I have to wait until AEP in October?
No. Your IEP starts in December (3 months before your birthday) and runs through June. You don't wait for anyone's calendar but your own.
Aren't OEP and AEP the same thing?
No. AEP (fall) is broad — any change. OEP (winter/spring) is narrow — only for people already on a Medicare Advantage plan, and only one switch.
If I miss my IEP, can I just wait and enroll in the fall?
No. The fall AEP doesn't enroll new people in Part B. You'd have to wait for the GEP (Jan–Mar) — and likely pay a permanent late penalty.
Does the Medigap window match the IEP?
Close, but not the same. Medigap OEP is 6 months starting when you're both 65 and on Part B. IEP is 7 months built around your birthday. They overlap — but they're separate rules with separate consequences.

Not sure which window applies to you?

I'll look at your situation and tell you exactly which window you're in, what you can do during it, and what the deadlines are — at no cost and no obligation.

💬 Text me to get started 📞 Or call (941) 312-1278
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Kelly Hood
Kelly Hood
Independent Representative
AmeriLife of Polk County, LLC · Sebring, FL
Serving Polk · Highlands · Hardee · Okeechobee
NPN 21391969

As an independent Representative I work with many different plans in your area. Plans can be area specific, so it is important to consult with a professional for advice. You can also contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Kelly Hood is a licensed insurance agent. This is not a solicitation of insurance. It is intended to disseminate important information.