Annual Enrollment Period (AEP)
Also called: AEP, Medicare AEP, Medicare Open Enrollment, Fall Open Enrollment
The Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) is the yearly window, October 15 to December 7, when people with Medicare can join, switch or drop Medicare Advantage and Part D drug plans, with changes taking effect January 1.
For an agency, AEP is the busiest seven weeks of the year. Most plan changes for existing clients happen inside it, which means reviews, calls and paperwork pile into a short window.
Agencies that wait until October 15 to start usually find their calendars full and half the book unreached. Planning the outreach from September (announcing the review, booking appointments, explaining plan changes) spreads the work and gets more clients seen before the window closes.
AEP outreach is where most Medicare agencies win or lose retention for the coming year. The campaign that runs before and during the window decides how many clients get a review.
"We start our AEP outreach on September 1, so most reviews are booked before the window opens on October 15."
How should an insurance agency plan its AEP marketing campaign?
Start before October 15. Announce annual reviews and plan changes in September, collect Scope of Appointment records ahead of time, then run weekly reminders during AEP for anyone who hasn't booked, and stop messaging each client once they do.