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What is the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January to March?

What is the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January to March?

Enrollment
Last updated: 
April 10, 2026
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The short answer

The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 through March 31 each year. During this time, people already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan can switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare.

The full explanation

If you enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan during the fall and then had second thoughts, or if your plan changed in ways that no longer work for you, this period gives you one chance to make a switch. Between January 1 and March 31, you can move from one Medicare Advantage plan to another, or drop your Medicare Advantage plan entirely and go back to Original Medicare. If you go back to Original Medicare during this window, you can also join a standalone Part D plan, which covers prescription drugs. One important distinction: this period is only for people who are already in a Medicare Advantage plan. If you currently have Original Medicare, this period does not allow you to join a Medicare Advantage plan for the first time. That opportunity comes during the fall Open Enrollment Period, which runs October 15 through December 7. Any changes you make during January through March take effect the first of the following month.

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In 

Utah

 specifically

Utah has several Medicare Advantage carriers, including SelectHealth, Regence BlueCross, UHC, Humana, Aetna, Devoted Health, and others. Plan availability varies by county, so if you are considering a switch, confirming which plans are available in your area is an important first step.

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What this means for you

For you, this means if your Medicare Advantage plan is not working out after the new year begins, you have until March 31 to make one change without waiting until fall.

Related Questions

What is the Annual Enrollment Period for Medicare?

What dates are Medicare Annual Enrollment and what can I change?

Can I go back to Original Medicare after being on Medicare Advantage?

Can I switch from Medicare Advantage to a Medigap plan any time?

What is a Special Enrollment Period for Medicare?

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Medicare Advantage Plans in 

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Decision area Tool What it answers
Enrollment Initial Enrollment Period Calculator When your 7-month Medicare eligibility window begins and ends based on your 65th birthday
Enrollment When Should I Sign Up for Medicare? The best time to enroll based on your work status, other coverage, and age
Enrollment Special Enrollment Period Checker Whether a life event qualifies you for enrollment outside the standard windows
Enrollment Late Enrollment Penalty Checker How much extra you'll pay monthly if you missed your enrollment window
Enrollment Part B Penalty Calculator The exact 10%-per-year premium increase for delayed Part B enrollment
Enrollment Part D Penalty Calculator The 1%-per-month premium increase for gaps in creditable drug coverage
Costs Cost Scenario Planner Estimated annual spending across plan types at different health utilization levels
Costs Advantage vs. Medigap Cost Comparison True cost difference between Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare with Medigap
Costs IRMAA Calculator Whether your income triggers higher Part B and Part D premiums
Costs Part A Premium Estimator Your monthly Part A premium based on work history and quarters of coverage
Costs M3P Calculator How the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan smooths your drug costs into monthly payments
Coverage Doctor & Drug Assessment Whether your providers and prescriptions are covered by a specific plan
Coverage Part D Shopping Tool Which Part D plan has the lowest total annual cost for your specific medications
Coverage Travel & Network Risk Assessment How your coverage works outside your home area and which plan types travel best
Employer/COBRA COBRA vs. Medicare Why COBRA can trigger permanent Medicare penalties and how costs compare
Employer/COBRA Employer Coverage vs. Medicare Whether your employer plan or Medicare is primary and when to transition
Employer/COBRA HSA & Medicare Compatibility How Medicare enrollment affects HSA eligibility and what to do before enrolling
Planning Caregiver Readiness Checklist Whether you have everything in place to help a loved one with Medicare decisions
Planning Document Gatherer Which documents you need to have ready before enrolling or changing plans
Planning Medigap Fit Assessment Whether Medigap or Medicare Advantage is the better fit for how you use healthcare
Planning Medigap Open Enrollment Window Whether you're inside your one-time guaranteed issue window for Medigap
Planning Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Whether your income qualifies you for help paying Medicare premiums and cost-sharing

‍CMS TPMO Compliance Disclaimer: We do not offer every plan available in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.

Participating sales agencies represent Medicare Advantage [HMO, PPO, PFFS, and PDP] organizations that are contracted with Medicare. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal.

Not Government Affiliated: Resting Sycamore Advisors is a licensed Medicare insurance agency. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.

‍Data & Methodology for Research Articles: All provider, facility, quality star ratings, and enrollment data is sourced from primary CMS records (cms.gov), including the December 2025 CPSC Enrollment files and the January 2026 Provider Data Catalog. Calculations for patient-to-provider ratios are performed using indexed clinician and facility data. Everything on restingsycamore.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute an endorsement of any specific plan or provider.

Non-CMS Data Sources: Some  specific data was obtained from https://opendata.gov