OEP 2026 Strategy Guide: Maximizing Open Enrollment Period Results
The Medicare Open Enrollment Period (OEP) is one of the most overlooked revenue opportunities in the insurance calendar. Running from January 1 through March 31 each year, OEP gives beneficiaries already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan a one-time chance to switch plans or return to Original Medicare. For agencies that plan strategically, OEP can generate significant revenue and strengthen client retention—without the chaos of AEP.
OEP 2026 Key Dates & Stats
What Is the Medicare Open Enrollment Period (OEP)?
The Medicare Open Enrollment Period runs from January 1 through March 31 every year. During OEP, anyone who is enrolled in a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan—including MA-PD plans—has a one-time opportunity to:
- Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another Medicare Advantage plan
- Disenroll from Medicare Advantage and return to Original Medicare (with the option to join a standalone Part D plan)
- Join a Medicare Advantage plan if currently enrolled in Original Medicare (this is technically a separate election, but practically overlaps)
It's important to note that OEP is not an unlimited switching period. Beneficiaries get one election change during the entire three-month window. Once they make a switch, their OEP election rights are exhausted for the year. This single-switch limitation changes how you approach outreach compared to AEP.
Key Distinction: OEP Is for Existing MA Enrollees
Unlike AEP, which is open to all Medicare-eligible individuals, OEP is specifically available to people already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. If a beneficiary is on Original Medicare and did not enroll in an MA plan during AEP, they cannot use OEP to join one (unless they qualify for a Special Enrollment Period). This means your OEP outreach should primarily target existing MA enrollees who may be dissatisfied with their current plan choice.
OEP vs. AEP: Key Differences That Shape Your Strategy
Many agencies treat OEP as a smaller version of AEP, but the two enrollment periods differ in fundamental ways that should shape your entire strategy. Understanding these differences is critical to maximizing OEP results without wasting resources.
AEP (Oct 15 – Dec 7)
- Open to all Medicare-eligible individuals
- Multiple plan changes allowed
- Highest call volume of the year
- Heavy carrier marketing support
- 54-day window
OEP (Jan 1 – Mar 31)
- Only for existing MA enrollees
- One plan change allowed
- Lower but more intentional call volume
- Minimal carrier marketing support
- 91-day window
The longer window and lower volume during OEP means you have more time per prospect. Callers during OEP tend to be more motivated—they've already experienced their plan and have specific pain points. Conversion rates during OEP can actually be higher per-contact than during AEP, because prospects have real experience with their current plan's shortcomings. For more detailed comparisons of enrollment periods, see our OEP vs. AEP vs. SEP guide.
Staffing Strategies for OEP Success
OEP staffing is fundamentally different from AEP staffing. While AEP demands an all-hands-on-deck surge with seasonal hires, OEP rewards a leaner, more specialized approach. The key is putting your most knowledgeable and experienced agents front and center, since OEP callers tend to ask more complex questions about plan specifics.
Right-Size Your Team
OEP call volumes are typically 30-50% of AEP levels. Rather than keeping all seasonal hires, retain your top 25-35% of AEP agents. Focus on agents who demonstrated strong product knowledge, high conversion rates, and clean compliance records. A smaller team of A-players will outperform a large team of average agents during OEP.
Leverage Specialist Knowledge
OEP prospects already have an MA plan and have specific concerns—network access, prescription coverage gaps, premium increases. Assign agents who specialize in plan comparisons and who can articulate the differences between competing plans in the beneficiary's county. Consider creating specialist teams by region or carrier.
Flexible Scheduling
OEP volumes aren't evenly distributed. January sees the highest volume as beneficiaries react to plan changes effective January 1. Volume tapers in February and picks up slightly in mid-March as the deadline approaches. Schedule heavier staffing for early January and the last two weeks of March, with leaner staffing in between.
Cross-Train for Retention
OEP is not just about acquiring new enrollees—it's a critical retention period. Train agents to handle both inbound retention calls (from your existing clients considering a switch) and outbound acquisition calls. The ability to pivot between retention and acquisition conversations is a key OEP skill. For more on scaling your team effectively, see our inbound call center scaling guide.
Call Routing Optimization During OEP
Effective call routing is arguably more important during OEP than during AEP. Because each beneficiary gets only one switch, matching the right caller to the right agent on the first contact is critical. A botched first call means a lost opportunity—there's no "they'll call back and try again" safety net.
Geographic Routing
Route calls based on the beneficiary's county to agents who are licensed and knowledgeable about plans available in that specific service area. Medicare Advantage plans are hyper-local, so county-level expertise dramatically improves conversion.
Performance-Based Routing
Prioritize your highest-converting agents during peak call times. Use proficiency-based routing to send the best leads to your best closers, especially during the high-volume first weeks of January. Reserve lower-priority callbacks for newer agents.
Retention vs. Acquisition Queues
Separate inbound calls from existing clients (retention) from new prospect calls (acquisition). Retention calls require different skills—empathy, problem-solving, and de-escalation—compared to the consultative selling approach needed for acquisition.
Time-Based Routing
Adjust routing rules based on time of day and day of week. Morning calls tend to come from motivated switchers ready to enroll; evening calls may need more education. Route morning calls to closers and evening calls to consultative agents.
For a deep dive into routing configurations and best practices, check out our comprehensive call routing strategies guide.
Compliance Considerations Specific to OEP
OEP compliance carries unique considerations that differ from AEP. CMS regulations for OEP marketing and outreach have become increasingly specific, and violations during OEP can result in the same penalties as AEP violations—including sanctions, civil money penalties, and enrollment suspensions.
Critical OEP Compliance Warnings
- No Unsolicited Contact: You cannot cold-call or send unsolicited marketing to beneficiaries during OEP unless they have given prior express consent or are existing clients. CMS specifically prohibits using OEP as a general prospecting period.
- SOA Requirements Still Apply: A valid Scope of Appointment must be documented before any sales presentation during OEP, just as during AEP. The SOA must be obtained at least 48 hours in advance unless the beneficiary initiates the contact.
- No Cross-Selling Without Permission: If a beneficiary calls about one product, you cannot discuss other products without explicit permission and a new SOA covering those products.
- Recording Requirements: All enrollment calls must be recorded and retained per CMS requirements. Ensure your call recording systems are active and properly configured before OEP begins.
Pro Tip: Automate Compliance Monitoring
Manual compliance monitoring is impractical during OEP. Use AI-powered compliance tools that can monitor calls in real time, flagging prohibited language, missing disclosures, and SOA documentation gaps automatically. This protects your agency while freeing supervisors to focus on coaching and performance. For complete compliance guidance, see our Medicare compliance guide.
Beyond the major compliance areas above, pay close attention to state-specific regulations that may impose additional requirements during OEP. Some states have stricter telemarketing rules, additional disclosure requirements, or different recording consent laws that apply specifically to insurance sales calls. Maintain a state-by-state compliance reference that agents can quickly consult during calls.
Campaign Management Tips for OEP
Effective OEP campaigns require a different approach than AEP campaigns. The audience is narrower, the messaging needs to be more specific, and the timeline is longer. Here are strategies for maximizing your OEP campaign performance.
Segment Your Outreach Lists
Don't blast the same message to everyone. Segment your lists by: beneficiaries who enrolled during AEP and may have buyer's remorse, existing clients whose plans had significant changes for 2026, prospects who showed interest during AEP but didn't enroll, and beneficiaries in areas where carrier plan options changed significantly.
Lead with Pain Points
OEP messaging should address the specific frustrations beneficiaries experience in January: unexpected copays at the doctor, medications not covered, preferred providers out of network, or higher-than-expected premiums. Your messaging should acknowledge these pain points and position your agency as the solution.
Phase Your Campaign Over 3 Months
Don't front-load all your outreach in January. Plan three phases: January—target dissatisfied switchers with urgency messaging; February—educational content about plan comparison and benefits review; March—deadline-driven urgency messaging for procrastinators. This phased approach keeps your team productive throughout OEP.
Retention Campaigns Are Essential
Don't just focus on acquisition. Run proactive retention campaigns for your existing book of business. Call your clients in early January to check on their plan satisfaction, address any concerns, and remind them you're available if they need help. A 15-minute retention call is far more cost-effective than acquiring a new client.
Track Lead Source ROI Closely
OEP lead costs and quality differ from AEP. Track cost-per-acquisition by lead source weekly, not monthly. Cut underperforming sources quickly and reallocate budget to what's working. OEP is too short to wait for end-of-period analysis.
Technology Preparation for OEP
Your technology stack should be tuned specifically for OEP demands. While the volume is lower than AEP, the expectations for call quality, compliance monitoring, and reporting are just as high—or higher, given increased CMS scrutiny of OEP activities.
Dialer Configuration
Recalibrate your dialer for OEP volumes. Reduce predictive dialing ratios since you'll have fewer agents and want higher contact quality. Consider switching from predictive to power or preview dialing for OEP to maximize per-call quality and compliance.
Compliance Monitoring
Update your compliance monitoring rules for OEP-specific requirements. Ensure AI call monitoring flags OEP-specific violations like unauthorized cross-selling, missing SOA documentation, and prohibited unsolicited contact attempts.
Reporting Dashboards
Build OEP-specific dashboards that track the metrics that matter: conversion rate per contact, retention rate for existing clients, lead source ROI, and compliance scores. Real-time visibility lets you adjust strategy mid-period rather than waiting until it's too late.
AI Tools & Automation
Deploy AI coaching tools to help agents improve during OEP. Real-time AI assistance can prompt agents with plan comparison data, suggest talking points based on the beneficiary's current plan, and flag compliance issues before they become problems.
Don't Forget: Number Reputation Management
After heavy AEP calling, your outbound numbers may have degraded reputation scores. Before OEP outbound campaigns begin, audit your caller IDs, rotate any flagged numbers, and ensure STIR/SHAKEN attestation is properly configured. Low answer rates due to spam labeling will torpedo your OEP campaigns before they start.
KPIs to Track During OEP
OEP success requires tracking different KPIs than AEP. Because volumes are lower and each contact is more valuable, your metrics should emphasize quality and efficiency over raw volume.
Essential OEP KPIs
Review these KPIs daily during the first two weeks of OEP, then weekly thereafter. Pay special attention to conversion rate trends—if they're declining, it may indicate agent fatigue, lead quality issues, or competitive pressure that needs to be addressed immediately.
Common OEP Mistakes to Avoid
Even experienced agencies make critical mistakes during OEP. Learning from these common pitfalls can save your agency from lost revenue, compliance violations, and operational headaches.
Top OEP Mistakes
1. Treating OEP Like a Mini-AEP
The biggest mistake is applying AEP tactics to OEP. Different audience, different rules, different approach. Agencies that scale down their AEP playbook without fundamentally rethinking their strategy consistently underperform.
2. Ignoring Retention
Focusing exclusively on acquisition while ignoring your existing book of business is a recipe for net-negative results. Every client you lose during OEP erases the value of new enrollments. Proactive retention should be at least 50% of your OEP effort.
3. Starting Too Late
OEP starts January 1, right after the holidays. If you're not fully prepared by mid-December, you'll miss the critical first two weeks of January when dissatisfied beneficiaries are most motivated to switch. Begin OEP planning in November, even while AEP is still running.
4. Poor Lead Quality Management
OEP leads are more expensive and harder to source than AEP leads. Failing to aggressively monitor and manage lead quality from day one means burning through budget on contacts who aren't eligible for OEP or aren't interested in switching. Implement lead quality scoring and vendor accountability from the start.
5. Neglecting Compliance Documentation
OEP compliance violations are taken just as seriously as AEP violations by CMS. Agencies that relax compliance standards during OEP because "it's lower volume" expose themselves to significant regulatory risk. Maintain the same compliance rigor year-round.
Building Your OEP Action Plan
Success during OEP doesn't happen by accident. Use this phased approach to build a comprehensive OEP strategy that drives results while maintaining compliance. If you followed our AEP preparation checklist, you already have a solid foundation to build on.
November–December: Prep Phase
- Identify top agents for OEP team
- Audit technology and compliance tools
- Build OEP-specific campaign lists
- Update scripts and SOA templates
January: Launch & Retention
- Proactive retention outreach to existing clients
- Launch acquisition campaigns for switchers
- Daily KPI reviews and adjustments
- Monitor compliance closely
February: Optimize & Educate
- Analyze January results and adjust strategy
- Focus on educational content campaigns
- Cut underperforming lead sources
- Re-engage unconverted January leads
March: Urgency & Close
- Deadline-driven urgency messaging
- Final push on unconverted leads
- Last-chance retention outreach
- Begin post-OEP analysis
Plan Ahead: OEP Feeds Into SEP
Don't view OEP as an isolated event. Leads and prospects who don't convert during OEP may qualify for Special Enrollment Periods (SEPs) later in the year due to qualifying life events. Maintain your OEP contact database and nurture those relationships for SEP opportunities throughout 2026.
Final Thoughts: OEP Is an Opportunity, Not an Afterthought
Too many agencies treat OEP as a wind-down period after the AEP sprint. In reality, OEP represents a focused, high-quality opportunity to grow your book of business and deepen client relationships. The beneficiaries you engage during OEP tend to be more loyal and have higher lifetime value, because they've already experienced the alternative and actively chose your recommended plan.
By implementing the strategies in this guide—right-sizing your team, optimizing routing, maintaining rigorous compliance, running phased campaigns, and tracking the right KPIs—you can turn OEP from an afterthought into a significant revenue driver for your agency.
The agencies that win during OEP are the ones that plan ahead, invest in the right technology, and treat every contact as the high-value opportunity it is. Start your OEP planning now, and you'll be positioned to maximize results when January 1 arrives.
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AgentTech Dialer gives you everything you need for OEP success: intelligent call routing, real-time AI compliance monitoring, performance-based lead distribution, and comprehensive analytics—all designed specifically for Medicare insurance operations.
Try AgentTech Dialer NowReferences & Authoritative Sources
The information on this page is supported by the following official and authoritative sources.
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Medicare.gov Medicare.gov
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