OEP vs AEP vs SEP: When Can You Sell Medicare? The Complete Guide

Annual Enrollment Period (AEP): October 15 – December 7

The Annual Enrollment Period is the Super Bowl of Medicare sales. During this 54-day window, any Medicare beneficiary can make changes to their coverage for the following calendar year. They can switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan, change from one MA plan to another, switch from MA back to Original Medicare and add a Part D plan, join a Part D plan, switch Part D plans, or drop Part D coverage entirely. Coverage changes made during AEP take effect on January 1 of the following year.

What agents can do during AEP:

• Conduct educational events and sales presentations (with proper SOA)
• Send marketing materials to beneficiaries (following CMS-approved content guidelines)
• Make outbound calls to beneficiaries who have provided documented Permission to Contact
• Enroll beneficiaries in MA and Part D plans effective January 1
• Compare plans across carriers (if appointed with multiple carriers)

What agents cannot do during AEP:

• Cold call Medicare beneficiaries without Permission to Contact
• Conduct door-to-door sales without a prior appointment and SOA
• Discuss products not listed on the Scope of Appointment
• Use high-pressure sales tactics or create urgency beyond the actual deadline
• Offer gifts, meals, or incentives that exceed $15 in nominal value at educational events ($75 at marketing events, though rules updated in recent guidance—always check current CMS limits)
• Imply that plans are endorsed by Medicare or the federal government

AEP sales strategy: AEP is a volume game. Preparation is everything. Begin your AEP preparation at least 8 weeks before October 15. Secure your lead pipeline, stress-test your dialer, train seasonal agents, and load current-year plan data into your comparison tools. During AEP, prioritize speed-to-lead and maximize agent talk time with a Medicare-specific dialer that automates compliance workflows.

Open Enrollment Period (OEP): January 1 – March 31

The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA OEP) allows beneficiaries who are currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan to make one change during this window. They can switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan, or disenroll from their MA plan and return to Original Medicare (and add a standalone Part D plan). Critically, this period does not allow someone on Original Medicare to enroll in an MA plan—it's only for people already in MA.

Coverage changes during OEP take effect the first of the month following the plan's receipt of the enrollment request.

What agents can do during OEP:

• Help existing MA enrollees switch to a different MA plan
• Help MA enrollees disenroll and return to Original Medicare with Part D
• Make outbound calls to current MA enrollees who have given PTC
• Respond to inbound inquiries from beneficiaries

What agents cannot do during OEP:

• Send unsolicited marketing materials specifically about OEP to beneficiaries
• Use the OEP as a selling point in outbound marketing campaigns
• Conduct OEP-specific sales events
• Enroll someone in MA who is currently on Original Medicare (they need a SEP or must wait for AEP)
• Proactively target beneficiaries to encourage them to switch plans during OEP

OEP sales strategy: Because direct OEP marketing is restricted, the best OEP strategy is retention and inbound readiness. Contact your existing book of business before January 1 (during AEP or post-AEP) to reinforce satisfaction and address concerns. This prevents competitors from poaching your clients during OEP. For new business, invest in SEO and educational content that positions you as the go-to resource when beneficiaries search for help on their own during this period.

Special Enrollment Periods (SEP): Year-Round Opportunities

Special Enrollment Periods are triggered by specific qualifying life events and allow beneficiaries to make plan changes outside of AEP and OEP. SEPs are the key to generating year-round Medicare revenue, and agents who understand them well have a significant competitive advantage.

Common SEP qualifying events include:

• Moving out of your plan's service area: Beneficiaries who move to a new address outside their current plan's service area qualify for a SEP to choose a new plan. This is one of the most common SEPs and applies to MA, Part D, and Medigap.
• Losing employer or union coverage: When a beneficiary loses group health coverage (through retirement, job loss, or employer dropping coverage), they qualify for a SEP to enroll in Medicare coverage.
• Dual-eligible status changes: Beneficiaries who gain or lose Medicaid eligibility, or who qualify for the Low-Income Subsidy (LIS/Extra Help), receive a SEP that can be used once per quarter.
• Plan contract violations: If a plan violates its contract terms (for example, failing to provide medically necessary services), affected beneficiaries receive a SEP.
• Institutionalization: Beneficiaries who move into or out of a skilled nursing facility qualify for a SEP.
• Natural disasters: FEMA-declared disaster areas may trigger SEPs for affected beneficiaries.
• Incarceration release: Individuals released from incarceration qualify for a SEP to enroll in Medicare coverage.

5-Star SEP: One particularly valuable SEP is the 5-Star Special Enrollment Period, available from December 8 through November 30 of the following year. Beneficiaries can use this SEP once per year to switch to a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan that has received a 5-star rating from CMS. If you're contracted with a 5-star plan, this gives you an 11.5-month sales window outside of AEP.

Initial Enrollment Period (IEP): Around the 65th Birthday

The Initial Enrollment Period is a 7-month window surrounding a person's 65th birthday during which they can first enroll in Medicare. It starts 3 months before the month they turn 65, includes the birthday month, and extends 3 months after. For example, if someone turns 65 in June, their IEP runs from March 1 through September 30.

During the IEP, eligible individuals can sign up for Medicare Part A, Part B, Medicare Advantage, Part D, and Medicare Supplement plans. This is the most comprehensive enrollment window and the point at which most Americans first enter the Medicare system.

IEP sales strategy: The IEP is extremely valuable because these are first-time Medicare enrollees who are often confused, overwhelmed, and actively seeking guidance. They have no existing plan loyalty and are making decisions that will affect their healthcare for years. Marketing to turning-65 prospects is one of the most effective year-round strategies. Direct mail, digital advertising targeting age 64-65 demographics, and community seminars all perform well for IEP prospects. The key is reaching them 2-3 months before their 65th birthday—before a competitor does.

Initial Coverage Election Period (ICEP)

The ICEP is closely related to the IEP but applies specifically to Medicare Advantage and Part D enrollment. It's the 3-month period that begins when a person first becomes entitled to both Medicare Part A and Part B. For most people turning 65, the ICEP overlaps with their IEP. However, for people who delay Part B enrollment (because they have employer coverage, for example), the ICEP doesn't begin until they actually enroll in Part B.

Understanding the distinction between IEP and ICEP matters because it affects when a beneficiary can enroll in MA plans specifically. If someone signs up for Part A at 65 but delays Part B until 67 (when they retire), their ICEP for MA doesn't begin until Part B coverage starts.

CMS Marketing Rules: What Applies During Each Period

CMS marketing rules are not one-size-fits-all—they vary by enrollment period. Understanding these distinctions is critical to staying compliant:

• AEP (Oct 15 – Dec 7): Most marketing activities are permitted with proper documentation. SOA required 48 hours in advance of sales appointments. All marketing materials must be CMS-approved or follow CMS model content guidelines. Outbound calls require PTC.
• OEP (Jan 1 – Mar 31): Severely restricted. No outbound marketing referencing OEP. No sales events promoting OEP. Agent-initiated contact about OEP is prohibited. Beneficiary-initiated contact is permitted.
• SEP (Year-round): Marketing to SEP-eligible individuals is permitted but must be truthful and not misleading. You cannot encourage someone to create a qualifying event to gain SEP eligibility. All standard marketing rules apply.
• IEP (Year-round, per individual): Marketing to turning-65 individuals is permitted year-round. All standard marketing rules apply. Educational seminars targeting this audience are common and effective.

Building a Year-Round Medicare Sales Strategy

The most successful Medicare agencies don't shut down between enrollment periods—they adjust their strategy to capitalize on every available window:

• January – March (OEP): Focus on retention of existing clients, respond to inbound OEP inquiries, ramp up turning-65 marketing, and pursue SEP opportunities with dual-eligible beneficiaries.
• April – June: Heavy focus on turning-65 IEP prospects, SEP opportunities (movers, job changers, dual-eligible), cross-selling ancillary products (dental, vision, final expense), and begin AEP preparation.
• July – September: AEP preparation intensifies—hire and train seasonal agents, test technology, secure lead contracts, load plan data, and build marketing campaigns. Continue IEP and SEP sales.
• October – December (AEP): All hands on deck for AEP. Maximize lead volume, extend hours, and prioritize speed and compliance. Continue IEP enrollments for beneficiaries turning 65 during this period.