Worksheet

Find My Enrollment Window

Which enrollment window am I in? See whether Initial Enrollment, General Enrollment, Annual Enrollment, Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment, a Medicare Supplement (also called Medigap), or a Special Enrollment Period may be open.

Read: Which enrollment window am I in?

Date to check

Do you already have Medicare?

Yes, I already have MedicareNo — I’m new to Medicare

Which of these apply? Check any.

I have a Medicare Advantage plan this yearI have a Medicare Supplement (also called Medigap) policy

Part B start date, if you know itUsed only for the 6-month Medigap window. Leave it blank if you do not know it.

Has a Special Enrollment situation happened? Check any.

I or my spouse still have health coverage from a current jobI moved, or I am moving, out of my plan’s areaI have Extra Help, Medi-Cal, or a Medicare Savings ProgramMy Medicare Advantage or Part D plan is ending or leaving my areaI am in my first 12 months of a Medicare Advantage planI moved into or out of a nursing home or other institution

May be open on this date

Annual Enrollment (AEP)Open on this date
October 15 – December 7, 2026
This window is open. If you already have Medicare, you can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage plan or a Part D plan for 2027. A change made by December 7, 2026 generally starts January 1, 2027. It is not the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, and it is not Medigap Open Enrollment.
This downloads a calendar file to your phone or computer. It does not change your coverage.

A Special Enrollment Period may apply

Special Enrollment Period — 5-star planOpen on this date
December 8 – November 30
If a 5-star Medicare Advantage or Part D plan is offered where you live, you may switch to that plan once during this span. This form cannot see star ratings. Confirm on Medicare.gov.

Other windows are not open on this date

Initial Enrollment PeriodNot open
The seven months around the month you first became eligible
If you already have Medicare, this first window is behind you. A fall change uses Annual Enrollment.
Initial Coverage Election PeriodNot open
When you first could join a Medicare Advantage plan
If you already have Medicare, a later Advantage change uses Annual Enrollment, Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment, or a Special Enrollment Period.
General Enrollment PeriodNot open
January 1 – March 31, 2026
If you missed Initial Enrollment and you do not have a Special Enrollment Period, you can sign up for Part A and Part B during these dates. Coverage usually starts the month after you enroll, and a late penalty can apply. These months are also Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment, which is a different window.
This downloads a calendar file to your phone or computer. It does not change your coverage.
Medicare Advantage Open EnrollmentNot open
January 1 – March 31, 2027
This window is not open on this date. It runs January 1 through March 31, 2027, and only for someone who is in a Medicare Advantage plan. It is not open during Annual Enrollment.
This downloads a calendar file to your phone or computer. It does not change your coverage.
Medigap Open EnrollmentNot open
Six months from the month Part B starts, if you are 65 or older
Enter a Part B start date to see the dates. This is not Annual Enrollment and not the California Birthday Rule. Under 65, the rule is different.
California Medigap Birthday RuleNot open
60 days starting on your birthday
This window is only if you already have a Medicare Supplement in California. It is not a way to leave a Medicare Advantage plan.
Special Enrollment Period — job coverageNot open
While the job coverage lasts, and typically 8 months after the job or the coverage ends, whichever is first
Coverage from a current employer of 20 or more people, including a working spouse, may let you delay Part B. COBRA usually does not extend this window. Part D uses a shorter clock, often two months. Get the proof in writing. This is not a determination.
Special Enrollment Period — you movedNot open
Often the month before the move through two months after it
A move out of your plan’s service area can let you pick a new Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. The exact months depend on when you tell the plan. Confirm the dates for your move.
Special Enrollment Period — Extra Help or Medi-CalNot open
Once a month, if you have Extra Help or Medicaid
People with Extra Help, Medi-Cal, or a Medicare Savings Program may switch to Original Medicare and a stand-alone Part D plan, or switch stand-alone Part D plans, once a month. This does not let you join a new Medicare Advantage plan. Some people with full Medi-Cal can also join certain integrated Dual Special Needs Plans once a month. A government agency decides whether you qualify. This form does not.
Special Enrollment Period — your plan is endingNot open
The dates in the letter from Medicare or the plan
If your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan is leaving Medicare or leaving your area, the notice gives the window. Do not guess those dates from this form.
Special Enrollment Period — trial rightNot open
During the first 12 months in a Medicare Advantage plan, in the situations Medicare allows
In some first-year cases you can drop Medicare Advantage and return to Original Medicare, and you may have a right to buy a Supplement without health questions. There is more than one trial right. Confirm which one fits before you drop a plan.
Special Enrollment Period — nursing home or other institutionNot open
While you live in a qualifying institution, and for up to two months after you leave
A move into or out of a nursing home or similar institution can open a window to join or change a plan. The facility has to qualify. Confirm that on Medicare.gov.

Checking a box does not approve a Special Enrollment Period. Medicare or Social Security decides whether that situation qualifies. This is an estimate, not a decision from Medicare or Social Security. Confirm the window that fits on Medicare.gov or with Social Security.

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For the other pages on this topic, open the I'm Turning 65 guide.