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What is the Annual Enrollment Period for Medicare?

What is the Annual Enrollment Period for Medicare?

Enrollment
Last updated: 
April 10, 2026
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The short answer

The Annual Enrollment Period, or AEP, runs from October 15 to December 7 each year. It's the main window when Medicare beneficiaries can switch, join, or drop Medicare Advantage or Part D drug plans.

The full explanation

The Annual Enrollment Period is the one time each year when most Medicare beneficiaries can make changes to their drug coverage or Medicare Advantage coverage without needing a special qualifying reason. It runs the same dates every year: October 15 through December 7. Any changes you make take effect January 1 of the following year.During AEP, you can switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another, drop Medicare Advantage and return to Original Medicare, join or switch a standalone Part D drug plan, or add a Part D plan if you didn't have one before (though a late enrollment penalty may apply if you went without creditable drug coverage for a while).This is also the period when it pays to actually compare plans rather than just staying put. Plans change their premiums, their drug formularies (approved drug lists), their networks of doctors, and their extra benefits every year. A plan that worked well for you last year might not be the right fit going forward.AEP gets a lot of TV and mail advertising, and it can feel overwhelming. The key is to focus on what matters for your specific situation: which doctors you want to keep, which medications you take, and how much you can reasonably spend out of pocket. A licensed local agent can do a side-by-side comparison without charging you for the help.

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In 

Utah

 specifically

Utah beneficiaries have access to carriers like SelectHealth, Regence BlueCross, UHC, Humana, Aetna, Molina, Devoted Health, Cigna, and Wellcare, though plan availability varies by county. Those in rural areas like Garfield, Kane, or Daggett counties typically have fewer Medicare Advantage options. Utah's ADRC offices offer free, unbiased counseling during AEP if you want help comparing plans.

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What this means for you

For you, this means October 15 through December 7 is when you should review your current coverage, compare available plans, and make any changes before the new year begins.

Related Questions

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

What is a Special Enrollment Period for Medicare?

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

What should I review about my Medicare plan every fall?

Do I need to re-enroll in Medicare every year?

Still have questions about Medicare?

Book a review with a licensed Medicare advisor.

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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