Annual Enrollment Period (AEP)

Salvador Dali is credited with once saying, “What is important is to spread confusion, not eliminate it.”  If you’ve been on Medicare for more than 10 minutes, you probably think that the Centers for Medicare/Medicaid Services (CMS) came up with this line.  And it’s easy to see why.  The bureaucracy and complexity of Medicare can be overwhelming.  And certain times of the year seem to highlight this feature – like the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP).

The AEP is a timeframe each fall in which you can make changes to your Medicare coverage.  We have found that there is a lot of confusion around what you can and cannot do during this period.  Hopefully the information below will help clear some things up.

What the AEP is:

• AEP begins on October 15th and ends on December 7th.
• During AEP you may enroll into or disenroll from a Prescription Drug Plan.
• During AEP you may enroll into or disenroll from a Medicare Advantage Plan.
• If you already have a Prescription Drug Plan or Medicare Advantage Plan, you may change your plan during AEP if you wish.
• Any changes you make during the AEP will be effective January 1st of the upcoming year.

What the AEP is NOT:

• AEP does not affect a Medicare Supplement (Plan F, G, etc).  If you have a Medicare Supplement, you can change your coverage anytime during the year, and you are not required to do anything during the AEP.
• AEP does not require you to make any changes to your coverage.  If you are happy with your plan, it will continue into the next year with no action required on your part.
• AEP is not the end of the world.  :-)  

Although the AEP may seem very confusing and daunting, we assure you that we can help guide you through it all.  If you have questions about your coverage or your options during this AEP, please feel free to call or email us anytime.