Medicare Part D Enrollment Periods
There are 3 periods in which an individual can enroll or disenroll:
1. Initial Enrollment Period (IEP)
The period when an individual is first eligible to enroll in a Medicare Part D prescription
drug plan. Generally, individuals are first eligible to enroll when they are first
entitled to receive Medicare Part A or first enrolled in Medicare Part B, and live
in the plan's service area.
2. Annual Enrollment Period (AEP)
The period each year that individuals enrolled in a Medicare Part D prescription
drug plan may switch plans - between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7, to take
effect on Jan. 1 of the following year.
3. Special Enrollment Period (SEP)
The period when individuals, in specific circumstances, may change plans outside
of the AEP. SEP examples include: change in residence, loss of employer/group coverage,
recent approval for low-income subsidy assistance, etc.
Turning 65?
You can join a Medicare prescription drug plan beginning 3 months before
you turn 65 to 3 months after you turn 65 (this is your IEP). Generally,
if you are disabled, you can join 3 months before to 3 months after
your 25th month of disability.
Late Enrollment
You may be required to pay a late enrollment penalty if you don't join a Medicare
prescription drug plan when you are first eligible to join (during your IEP) or
there is a period of 63 or more continuous days during which you don't have creditable
prescription drug coverage as good as Medicare's.
If a late enrollment penalty applies, it is calculated by Medicare when you join
a Medicare drug plan. To estimate your penalty, take 1% of the national
average premium for the year you join. (The 2017 national average premium is $35.63)
Multiply it by the number of full months you were eligible to join a Medicare prescription
drug plan but didn't. This is your estimated penalty amount, which is added each
month to your Medicare prescription drug plan's premium, for as long as you have
the plan.
If you qualify for Extra Help, the penalty is different. For help figuring out how much your penalty will be, call 1-800-MEDICARE/1-800-633-4227 (TTY/TDD: 1-877-486-2048), or call your State Health Insurance Assistance Program.
Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage
For more information on Medicare prescription drug coverage, click here.
Reminder:
An individual cannot be enrolled in more than one Medicare Part D plan at the
same time.