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Medicare Annual Enrollment: What You Can Change Before December 7

By Brent De Paris ·
Doctor in a white coat holding a stethoscope

Short answer: Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) runs every year from October 15 to December 7. During that window you can switch Medicare Advantage plans, move between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, and join, drop or change a Part D drug plan. Changes take effect January 1.

Why this window matters

Plans change every year. Premiums, copays, drug lists (formularies) and provider networks can all shift, even if you never touched your plan. If you do nothing, most plans renew automatically, with whatever changes the carrier made.

Your plan should have mailed you an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) by the end of September. That letter is the single most useful thing to read before December 7.

What you can do during AEP

  • Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan, or the other way around
  • Change from one Medicare Advantage plan to another
  • Join, switch or drop a Part D prescription drug plan
  • Add drug coverage if you didn't have it before (a late enrollment penalty may apply if you went without creditable coverage)

What to review before you decide

  1. Your doctors. Are they still in the plan's network for next year?
  2. Your prescriptions. Is each drug still on the formulary, and at what tier?
  3. Total cost, not just premium. A $0 premium plan can still cost more if your copays and deductibles are higher for the care you actually use.
  4. The drug cost cap. Part D now has an annual out-of-pocket cap on covered drugs. It started at $2,000 in 2025 and is adjusted each year.
  5. Extra benefits. Dental, vision, hearing and over-the-counter allowances vary a lot between Advantage plans.

What AEP does not cover

Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans are not tied to AEP. You can apply for a Medigap policy any time, but outside your initial Medigap open enrollment period or a guaranteed issue situation, carriers can use medical underwriting.

If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan and change your mind after January 1, there is a separate Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1 to March 31 that allows one change.

Common mistakes

  • Picking a plan based on a TV ad instead of your own doctors and drugs
  • Letting a plan auto-renew without reading the ANOC
  • Waiting until the first week of December, when appointments fill up fast

Have a question before you call?

Start with Jarvis, a free AI concierge open to the general public, and get answers in plain English. You can ask what's changing for you this enrollment season, right from your phone, with no app to download. When you're ready, a licensed Moving Mountains advisor takes it from there. Prefer a person right away? Call (813) 739-9877.

Frequently asked questions

When is Medicare Annual Enrollment?+
It runs from October 15 to December 7 every year. Changes you make take effect January 1.
Do I have to do anything during AEP?+
No. If you're happy with your plan, it usually renews automatically. It's still smart to read your Annual Notice of Change to see what's different next year.
Can I change my Medigap plan during AEP?+
Medigap isn't tied to AEP. You can apply any time, but outside guaranteed issue situations the carrier may ask health questions.
What if I miss December 7?+
If you're in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one change between January 1 and March 31. Otherwise you may need a Special Enrollment Period, which requires a qualifying event.
Brent De Paris headshot

Brent De Paris

Licensed Insurance Agent (License 215). President of Moving Mountains Advisors, a boutique independent agency serving Florida and beyond.

Want a human to walk you through this?

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This article is for general education only. Moving Mountains Advisors is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. 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 (TTY 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to get information on all of your options. Moving Mountains Advisors, licensed insurance agents. Call (813) 739-9877.