Medicare provides a General Enrollment Period (GEP) every year for people who missed signing up when they were first eligible. It’s like make-up time for Medicare enrollment.
The GEP is January 1 – March 31 every year. Here’s what you need to know:
- You can enroll in Part A, Part B or both during this time.
- Coverage begins on July 1 of the same year.
- You may have to pay a late enrollment penalty.
- You may be eligible enroll in a Medicare Advantage (Part C) or a prescription drug (Part D) plan April 1 – June 30 of the same year.
Changing Plans After Enrolling in Medicare
Once you’re enrolled in Parts A and B, you have a chance to change plans once a year during Medicare Open Enrollment, Oct. 15 – Dec. 7. You may also qualify for a Medicare Special Enrollment Period (SEP). A SEP allows you to change plans outside of Medicare Open Enrollment in certain situations, such as if you move.