Your Guide to The Medicare Enrollment Window
Medicare can be made easy to understand and that’s our goal every day for our clients. One aspect of medicare that can lead to confusion is the Medicare Enrollment Deadlines that you should be aware of, since they may very well affect you and your coverage. Below you will find important Medicare enrollment deadlines you should be aware of.
Initial Enrollment Period – IEP
Your initial enrollment period or IEP is one of the most important deadlines to be aware of. It is a 7-month time period that you have to enroll in Medicare Part A and B for the first time. Your IEP begins 3 months before you turn 65, the month of your birthday, and 3 months after turning 65.
During IEP you can enroll in Original Medicare, also known as Medicare Part A and B. If you enroll during your IEP you avoid paying any late fee or Medicare enrollment penalty.
You can also enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan (or Medicare part C) during this period, as well as a Part D (prescription drug coverage).
Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment Period – Medigap
If you were successful in enrolling in Medicare Part A and B during your IEP, great! Another Medicare enrollment deadline to be aware of is your Medicare Supplement Open Enrollment period.
Your Supplement Enrollment Window begins the first day of the month your Part B is in effect and ends 6 months after. An example is if your Part B coverage begins on June 1st, your individual Enrollment Supplement Period window will close on November 30th.
Medicare General Enrollment Periods
If you have missed your Initial Enrollment Period, you can sign up for Original Medicare during the General Enrollment Period (GEP).
Be aware that if you did miss your IEP and enroll during this time. You will be subject to a late Medicare enrollment penalty.
- The Open Enrollment Period for 2022 Medicare coverage will run from October 15 to December 7.
- The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period is January 1 – March 31.
- The Part A / Part B General Enrollment Period is January 1 – March 31.
Need making sense of these deadlines and what yours are? Give us a call today! (914) 633-3333. Our office is located in New Rochelle, NY. We are happy to give you advice in person or over the phone.
I was told that you could apply for many plans during enrollment period, but only the last plan that you applied for during the enrollment period if approved of, would be the plan that you would be enrolled in, correct?
Hi Kenneth, This is accurate ONLY when dealing with Medicare Advantage Plans that include a Part D plan (medication coverage). If you are applying to a stand-alone Medicare Advantage Plan or a Medicare supplement, then it is not the case. Hope this answers your question!