Serving Ohio's 2.5 million+ Medicare beneficiaries across all 88 counties
Medicare Glossary

Annual Enrollment Period

The yearly window from October 15 through December 7 when Medicare beneficiaries can change Medicare Advantage plans, switch Part D plans, or move between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage. Changes take effect January 1.

What it means

The yearly window from October 15 through December 7 when Medicare beneficiaries can change Medicare Advantage plans, switch Part D plans, or move between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage. Changes take effect January 1.

Why it matters for Ohio beneficiaries

Whether you're new to Medicare in Ohio or comparing plans during AEP, terminology like "Annual Enrollment Period" comes up repeatedly in Medicare paperwork, agent conversations, and the Medicare.gov Plan Finder. Knowing what it means helps you make decisions without getting lost in jargon.

Where to learn more

Looking for personalized help understanding how this applies to your specific situation? A licensed Ohio Medicare agent can walk through it with you — free of charge. You can also call OSHIIP (Ohio's free Medicare counseling program) at 1-800-686-1578, or browse our decision guides.

← Back to full glossary

Next Step

Talk to someone who does this every day.

An independent Ohio Medicare agent can walk you through your options, compare carriers across the counties you care about, and handle the enrollment paperwork — free of charge, paid by the carriers, not by you.