Medicare Made Simple

Medicare Annual Enrollment Period: October 15 to December 7

Every fall Medicare gives you one window to change your Advantage or Part D plan for the coming year, and we review your coverage against next year's costs before it closes, so a quiet premium increase or formulary change doesn't follow you into January.

Have Us Review Your Plan Before the Deadline

Tell us what you have now and we will compare it against everything available in your county for next year. No cost, no obligation, and no pressure to switch if your current plan still wins.

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The Dates That Matter This Fall

October 1

Carriers publish next year's premiums, formularies, and benefits

October 15

Annual Enrollment Period

opens

December 7

Annual Enrollment Period closes

January 1

Your new coverage takes effect

The window is October 15 through December 7 every year. For coverage starting January 1, 2027, that means October 15 through December 7, 2026.

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What You Can Change Between October 15 and December 7

  • Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan, or from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare.
  • Move from one Medicare Advantage plan to a different one.
  • Join a Part D prescription drug plan, switch to a different one, or drop drug coverage.
  • Change your mind more than once, since the last election on file by December 7 is the one that takes effect.

Medigap works on a different clock. Medicare Supplement plans are not part of the fall window, and in Michigan they generally require medical underwriting once the six-month Medigap open enrollment period tied to your Part B start date has passed. Fall is still a sensible time to look at a Medigap rate increase, but whether you can move depends on your health history rather than the calendar.

What Happens If You Do Nothing?

Your plan renews automatically into the new year, carrying next year's premium, deductible, copays, network, and drug formulary with it. That is the real risk of skipping the review. Plans change every fall, and the plan that covered your medication list most cheaply this year is frequently not the cheapest one next year.


Every carrier mails an Annual Notice of Change in late September spelling out exactly what is changing. If you read one piece of Medicare mail this fall, read that one, then call us with it in front of you.

Which Enrollment Window Actually Applies to You?

Annual Enrollment Period, October 15 to December 7

Open to anyone with Medicare. You can change Advantage plans, change Part D plans, or move between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage. Everything takes effect January 1.

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, January 1 to March 31

Only for people already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, and you get one change. You can switch to a different Advantage plan, or drop back to Original Medicare and pick up a standalone Part D plan.

Special Enrollment Periods, triggered by life events

Moving out of your plan's service area, losing employer coverage, entering a nursing facility, or qualifying for Extra Help can open a window outside the usual dates. Each one has its own deadline, so tell us as soon as something changes.

Initial Enrollment Period, around your 65th birthday

A seven-month window that opens three months before the month you turn 65 and closes three months after it. This one is separate from the fall window and applies whatever the season.

We are an independent brokerage based in Commerce Township, and this annual review is the part of the job that saves our clients the most money.

  • We reach out before the window opens, so the review lands on our calendar instead of your to-do list.
  • We run your full medication list against each plan's formulary, including preferred pharmacy pricing.
  • We confirm your doctors and hospitals are in network before anything changes.
  • Our commission comes from the carrier, so your rate is the same as enrolling on your own.
  • We do it again next fall, and every fall after that.


Whether you are turning 65 this year or you have been on Medicare for a decade, the review takes about half an hour.

Why Michigan Clients Hand Us the Fall Review

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Quick Answers About Medicare Open Enrollment

  • When is Medicare open enrollment this year?

    October 15 through December 7. Those dates hold every year, and any change you make starts January 1. Carriers release next year's plan details around October 1, which gives you roughly two weeks to review before the window opens.

  • What can I change during Medicare AEP?

    Your Medicare Advantage plan and your Part D prescription drug plan, in any combination. You can join, switch, or drop either one, and you can move between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage. Medicare Supplement plans are the exception, since they follow underwriting rules rather than the fall calendar.

  • What happens if I miss the Medicare enrollment deadline?

    Your current plan carries into the new year with next year's costs and rules. Your next opening depends on your situation: if you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, the January 1 to March 31 window gives you one change. Otherwise you generally wait until the following October unless a life event opens a Special Enrollment Period.

  • Is the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period the same as AEP?

    No. The fall window is open to everyone with Medicare and allows unlimited changes until December 7. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 through March 31, applies only to people already in an Advantage plan, and allows a single change.

  • How much will my Medicare cost next year?

    Most people pay no premium for Part A and the standard Part B premium, which is $202.90 a month in 2026 with a $283 annual deductible. What you pay on top of that depends on whether you go with a Medicare Advantage plan or a Medigap plan paired with Part D. We put your actual numbers side by side before you choose.

  • Do I need to do anything if I like my current plan?

    Read your Annual Notice of Change when it arrives in late September and compare it against what else is offered in your county. Liking your plan this year is not the same as it being the best fit next year, particularly if your prescriptions have changed. The review costs nothing and often confirms you should stay put.

Let's Talk Coverage

Ready to Review Your Plan for Next Year?

Bring your Medicare card, your medication list with dosages, and your Annual Notice of Change. We will compare your current coverage against every option in your county and handle the paperwork if a change makes sense. We start scheduling reviews in early October.