Countdown until Medicare Annual Enrollment opens
Until AEP opens October 15, 2026
This counts down to when the federal review window opens. It is not a sales deadline. You can review and stay.
Most of the confusion I untangle is someone using the wrong calendar.
IEP is Initial Enrollment: three months before your 65th birthday month, the birthday month, and three months after. Miss it without other creditable coverage and Part B can add 10% for each full year you were late, for as long as you have Part B.
AEP is Annual Enrollment: October 15 to December 7, for people who already have Medicare and may change Advantage or Part D. Coverage January 1. You can also stay.
SEP is a Special Enrollment Period. Leaving a job with coverage is the common one. There are others. They have their own start and end. They are not “AEP but extra.”
Why mailers blur this
The same mailbox gets IEP pitches, AEP pitches, and “call now” pitches. The sender does not care which clock you are on. You should.
If you are 64, you do not need to treat October 15 like a personal deadline unless your birthday puts you in IEP then. If you are 72 and happy-ish with Medicare, October 15 is a review date, not a new-to-Medicare date. If you are retiring in March, ask about SEP before you force a fall decision.
Tell me your birthday month and whether you (or a spouse) still have job coverage. That is enough to point at the right clock. The wrong clock is how penalties and bad timing get created.
Book a free consult or send a message. Call 702-627-2605. By calling the number above, you will be connected to a licensed insurance agent.
No plan prices, extra benefits, or carrier names on this page. Those belong in a comparison after we know your doctors and drugs.