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Is it too late to enroll in Medicare or change your plan?
Even outside open enrollment, certain life events and special periods may still allow you to sign up for Medicare or switch coverage options.
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NAPCA - Fri, 30, Jan 2026
- 14:45 EST
- 12
Representative Image / Generated using AI
Many people don’t realize that Medicare offers early-year enrollment periods, the General Enrollment Period (GEP) and the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA OEP). The GEP is for people enrolling in Medicare for the first time after missing their initial deadline, while the MA OEP is only for those who already have a Medicare Advantage plan and need to fix or change their plan.
<Q1> I missed my Initial Enrollment Period and was told I couldn’t sign up during Fall Medicare Open Enrollment. Can I still enroll, and will I be penalized?
Yes, you can still enroll in Medicare, but the timing and penalties depend on your situation.
Fall Medicare Open Enrollment Period (October 15–December 7) is often misunderstood. It’s only for people who already have Medicare and want to change plans. It is not a sign-up period for people who are new to Medicare, which is why you weren’t able to enroll then.
If you missed your Initial Enrollment Period, there are two main paths to enroll:
If you delayed Medicare because you were covered under a current employer health plan (yours or your spouse’s), you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. This allows you to enroll in Part A and Part B outside the normal windows and usually avoids late penalties.
If you don’t qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, you must wait for the General Enrollment Period, which runs from January 1 through March 31 each year. During this time, you can sign up for Medicare Part A and/or Part B, and your coverage will begin the month after you enroll. However, you may have to pay a late enrollment penalty for Part B (and possibly Part D when you enroll in drug coverage).
The most important next step is to check whether you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, since that determines whether you can enroll right away and whether penalties apply.
<Q2> After the new year, I realized my Medicare Advantage plan no longer covers my doctor and medications. Am I stuck with this plan until next Fall Medicare Open Enrollment Period, or can I still change it?
If you’re already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, you may still have another chance to make a change early in the year.
From January 1 through March 31, Medicare has a special window called the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period. This period is only for people who are currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan.
During the MA OEP, you are allowed to make one of the following changes:
Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another Medicare Advantage plan, or
Drop your Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare (and join a Part D drug plan if needed).
This period is often used by people who discover after January 1 that their doctors are no longer in-network, their medications are no longer covered, or their out-of-pocket costs are higher than expected.
However, MA OEP has important limits. You can only make one change, and you generally cannot switch from Original Medicare into a Medicare Advantage plan during this time. If you miss this window, you usually must wait until the Fall Medicare Open Enrollment Period (October 15–December 7) unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
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