Medicare has a small number of enrollment windows, and missing one can mean a late penalty that follows you for as long as you hold coverage. Your Initial Enrollment Period spans seven months, beginning three months before the month you turn 65 and ending three months after it.
The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 to December 7 each year. This is when you can switch between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, change Advantage plans, or join, drop, or change a Part D drug plan for the coming year.
Special Enrollment Periods open when life changes: you move out of your plan's service area, you lose employer coverage, or your plan leaves the market. These windows are short, so the moment you know a change is coming, that is the time to call.
The plan that was right last year is not automatically right this year. Formularies change, networks change, and premiums move. A yearly review takes under an hour and often saves more than it costs in time.
Want this applied to your situation?
The first consultation is free and carries no obligation.