Medicare enrollment —the dates that matter.
Most Medicare decisions can be revisited. The deadlines cannot. Here are the windows, and who to call if you are not sure which one applies to you.
Medicare enrollment periods
These dates are set by Medicare. Which ones apply to you depends on your age, your employment, and the coverage you have now.
Initial Enrollment Period
Seven months around your 65th birthday: the three months before, your birthday month, and the three months after. Enrolling in the earlier part of that window generally means coverage starts sooner.
Annual Enrollment Period
October 15 to December 7 each year, for coverage starting January 1. This is when you can change Medicare Advantage plans, change Part D plans, or move between Original Medicare and Advantage.
Medigap Open Enrollment
The six-month period beginning the month you turn 65 and are enrolled in Part B. During it you can buy any Medigap plan regardless of health history. See our Medigap page for what happens after it closes.
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment
January 1 to March 31. If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch to a different one or move back to Original Medicare during this window.
Special Enrollment Periods
Certain life events open a window outside the usual dates — moving, losing employer coverage, or a plan leaving your area. Tell us what changed and we will tell you which window it opens.
Still Working at 65
Whether you should enroll or delay depends on the size of your employer and how your coverage is structured. Getting it wrong is costly in both directions, so this is worth a conversation rather than a guess.
Not sure which window applies to you?
That is the most common reason people call us, and it is a short conversation. Tell us your age, whether you are still working, what coverage you have now, and what changed recently. We will tell you which window you are in and what the deadline is.
Our help costs you nothing. Licensed Medicare agents are paid by the carriers, and a plan does not cost more because you bought it through us.
- We confirm which enrollment window applies
- We check your doctors and prescriptions first
- Local Des Moines office — bring your paperwork in
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Call us if:
- You are turning 65 in the next year
- You are still working and covered
- You are retiring or losing group coverage
- Your spouse is on your employer plan
- You have VA or TRICARE coverage
- You received a letter you do not understand
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1–800–MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.
Start the conversation before the deadline, not after.
One call tells you which window you are in and what you need to do.
No cost for our help. Se habla español.