When Can You Sign Up For A Medicare Advantage Plan?

Medicare Advantage is another name for Medicare Part C. Medicare Advantage plans are sold by private insurance companies and offer an alternative way to receive your Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) coverage in addition to some benefits that are not included with Original Medicare.

More than half of all people on Medicare (nearly 31 million beneficiaries) are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan.¹ But when are eligible beneficiaries able to enroll in Medicare Advantage Plan?

Below we highlight the three main enrollment periods in which you may sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan.

Learn more and visit MedicareAdvantage.com or call or call 844-919-3456 today to find out if you’re eligible to enroll and to compare plan benefits and costs where you live.

Initial Enrollment Period (IEP)

When you first become eligible to enroll in Original Medicare, you’ll also begin a 7-month enrollment window during which you can sign up for a Medicare Advantage Plan. This is called your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) and represents your first opportunity to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan.

This enrollment period typically begins three months before your 65th birthday month and continues for three months after your birthday month. For example, if you turn 65 on July 15th, your IEP would begin on April 1st (three months before your birthday month) and end on Oct. 31st (three months after your birthday month).

In most cases, your coverage will take effect on the first day of the following month after signing up for a Medicare Advantage plan during IEP.

Another opportunity for qualified beneficiaries to enroll in Medicare Advantage Plan is during the Annual Enrollment Period, or AEP. This enrollment period takes place every year from Oct. 15th to Dec. 7th.

During AEP, you may:

1. Sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan.
2. Change from one Medicare Advantage plan to another.
3. Disenroll from a Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare.

If you sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan during AEP, your coverage will in most cases begin on Jan. 1st.

Special Enrollment Period (SEP)

If you did not sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan during your Initial Enrollment Period and are outside of the Annual Enrollment Period, you may have an opportunity to sign up during aSpecial Enrollment Period (SEP).

Special Enrollment Periods are granted throughout the year to beneficiaries who experience a qualifying life event. Just some of the circumstances that might make you eligible for a Special Enrollment Period include moving to a new area, losing your employer coverage, gaining or losing Medicaid eligibility or more.

Medicare Advantage Plan Open Enrollment Period

There is a fourth opportunity to enroll in Medicare Advantage Plan, but it pertains only to those who are already currently enrolled in a plan.

The Medicare Advantage Plan Enrollment Period lasts from Jan. 1st to March 31st each year and is a time when Medicare Advantage plan members may switch to a new plan or disenroll from Medicare Advantage.

What happens if you miss an enrollment period?

If you do not sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan during your Initial Enrollment Period, you must wait until the Annual Enrollment Period. And if you fail to sign up then and do not qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, you must wait 10 months until the following AEP.

Going so long without a Medicare Advantage plan may leave you with a coverage gap for some of the extra benefits found in these plans along with potentially higher health care costs until your next eligible enrollment period.

How much does Medicare Advantage cost?

The cost of a Medicare Advantage plan can vary based on a number of factors including carrier choice, plan benefits, location or more. You can see the cost of Medicare Advantage plans available in your area online or by speaking with a licensed insurance agent.

How do you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan?

The easiest way to shop for, compare and enroll in Medicare Advantage plans is to contact a licensed insurance agent. An agent will be able to:

• Gather quotes for Medicare Advantage plans from leading insurance carriers in your area.
• Answer your questions about Medicare Advantage Plans and help you better understand any terms or conditions.
• Help you compare plans to determine which option may be best suited for your specific needs.
• Check your eligibility status.
• Enroll you in the plan of your choice right over the phone.

Working with a licensed insurance agent ensures you get enrolled correctly and completely and adds no cost to you or the plan.

Get your no-obligation quotes today for Medicare Advantage plans available in your area. Call 844-919-3456 to speak to a licensed insurance agent to learn more about your next opportunity to enroll in coverage.

¹Ochieng, N; Fugleston Biniek, J; Freed, M; Damico, A; Neuman, T. Medicare Advantage in 2023: Enrollment Update and Key Trends. Kaiser Foundation (Aug. 9, 2023). https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/medicare-advantage-in-2023-enrollment-update-and-key-trends/#:~:text=More%20than%20half%20of%20eligible,enrolled%20in%20Medicare%20Advantage%20plans.

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TZ Insurance Solutions LLC and TruBridge, Inc. represent Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO and PFFS organizations that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal.

Not all plans offer all of these benefits. Availability of benefits and plans varies by carrier and location. Deductibles, copays, coinsurance, limitations, and exclusions may apply.

Enrollment in the described plan type may be limited to certain times of the year unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.