Medicare · by Katie Davis
Medicare Annual Enrollment: Dates, Deadlines, and What to Check
Short answer: Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7 every year. Anything you change during it takes effect January 1. It's the one window when everyone on Medicare can switch Medicare Advantage plans or Part D drug plans, or move between Original Medicare and Advantage. If you do nothing, your current plan renews automatically — which is exactly how people end up in a plan that no longer fits.
The dates that matter
October 1 — Plans for next year become public. You can start comparing.
October 15 – December 7 — Annual Enrollment. Change your Medicare Advantage plan, change your Part D plan, switch from Original Medicare to Advantage or back. Whatever you submit last before December 7 is what counts.
January 1 — New coverage begins.
January 1 – March 31 — Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment. If you're in an Advantage plan and it isn't working, you get one switch: to a different Advantage plan or back to Original Medicare. This window doesn't apply to people on Original Medicare.
Read this before you do anything else
Every September, your plan mails you an Annual Notice of Change. It's dull, it looks like junk mail, and it's the single most useful document you'll get all year. It lists exactly what's changing on January 1: premium, deductible, copays, drug tiers, and whether providers are leaving the network.
Most people throw it away. Then in February they discover their inhaler moved from tier 2 to tier 4.
If you can't find yours, we can pull the same information. But if it's on your counter, bring it.
The four things to check
1. Are your doctors still in the plan?
Networks are set annually, and around Sacramento and San Joaquin County the contracts genuinely move. A plan that included your Sutter cardiologist this year may not next year. Check by name, not by system.
2. Are your prescriptions still covered, at the same tier?
This is where the real money hides. A drug moving up two tiers can swing your yearly cost by thousands, and it happens quietly. Have your actual medication list — names and doses — in front of you.
3. Did the out-of-pocket maximum or the copays change?
The premium gets the attention, but a $0-premium plan with higher copays and a higher cap can cost you more in a year you actually use care.
4. Did anything change in your life?
Moved. New diagnosis. Started a medication. Retired. Lost employer coverage. Any of those can change which plan is right, and some of them open a Special Enrollment Period outside of AEP.
The mistakes I see every year
Doing nothing. Auto-renewal isn't a decision, it's the absence of one. Plans change every year; the right plan two years ago may be the wrong one now.
Shopping on premium alone. The monthly number is the easiest to compare and the least predictive of what you'll actually spend.
Believing the mail. Between October and December, seniors get buried in advertising, and a lot of it is designed to look official. Medicare doesn't cold-call you. Neither do I.
Waiting until the first week of December. Everything still works, but you'll be making a consequential decision in a hurry. October and November are calmer.
Assuming a Supplement needs the AEP. It doesn't — Supplements aren't part of Annual Enrollment. But California's birthday rule gives you a separate yearly window to switch Supplements without health questions, and that one runs around your birthday.
What a review actually looks like
Fifteen to thirty minutes. You bring your medication list, your doctors' names, and your Annual Notice of Change if you have it. I check your prescriptions against next year's formularies and your doctors against next year's networks, then show you the two or three plans that actually fit, with the numbers side by side.
Sometimes the answer is "stay where you are." That's a real outcome and it happens often. Either way you'll know why, rather than finding out in March.
There's no cost. Independent agents are paid by the carrier when someone enrolls, and your premium is the same whether you use one or not.
Book before the rush
Katie Davis is an independent Medicare insurance agent based in Acampo, serving Sacramento, Lodi, Stockton, Galt, Elk Grove, and the surrounding counties. Phone, video, or in person.
Book a free review or call or text (916) 619-5212.
Frequently asked questions
When is Medicare Annual Enrollment? October 15 through December 7 each year. Changes take effect January 1.
What if I miss it? Your current plan renews automatically. If you're in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one more chance between January 1 and March 31. Otherwise you generally wait until next October unless a life event opens a Special Enrollment Period.
Can I change my Medicare Supplement during Annual Enrollment? Supplements aren't part of AEP. You can apply anytime, but health questions may apply — except during your initial six-month Medigap open enrollment, or during California's birthday-rule window each year.
Do I have to do anything if I'm happy with my plan? No, but read the Annual Notice of Change first. "Happy with my plan" is about this year's plan, and the January version may be different.
How do I know a call about my Medicare is legitimate? Medicare will not call you out of the blue asking for your number. If someone pressures you, hang up. You can always call or text me directly at (916) 619-5212, or Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE.
Katie Davis is a licensed independent insurance agent (CA). This article is general information, not personalized advice. For free unbiased counseling, contact California's HICAP at 1-800-434-0222 or Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). Plan availability and benefits vary by county and change annually. Not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.
