---
title: "Medicare IEP vs. AEP vs. OEP: Enrollment Periods Explained for Agents"
description: "Understanding Medicare enrollment periods is essential for year-round sales. Here's the complete breakdown of IEP, AEP, OEP, and SEP."
url: https://unlockedcrm.ai/blog/medicare-iep-vs-aep-vs-oep-enrollment-periods
canonical: https://unlockedcrm.ai/blog/medicare-iep-vs-aep-vs-oep-enrollment-periods
category: "getting-started"
published: 2026-03-04
author: "unLocked CRM Team"
source: unLocked CRM — AI CRM for insurance agents
---

# Medicare IEP vs. AEP vs. OEP: Enrollment Periods Explained for Agents

<p class="lead">Medicare enrollment periods determine when your prospects can sign up — and when you can sell. Mastering these windows is the difference between seasonal income and year-round production.</p>

<div data-ai-block="definitive-answer"><h2>The Short Answer</h2><p>There are four main Medicare enrollment periods: <strong>IEP</strong> (Initial — 7 months around 65th birthday), <strong>AEP</strong> (Annual — Oct 15–Dec 7), <strong>OEP</strong> (Open — Jan 1–Mar 31, MA-to-MA changes only), and <strong>SEPs</strong> (Special — triggered by qualifying life events). Agents who build a T65 pipeline sell year-round through IEPs, not just during AEP.</p></div>

<h2>Enrollment Period Breakdown</h2>
<table>
<thead><tr><th>Period</th><th>Dates</th><th>Who Can Enroll</th><th>What They Can Do</th></tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td>IEP</td><td>3 months before – 3 months after 65th birthday</td><td>People turning 65</td><td>Enroll in Original Medicare, MA, Medigap, Part D</td></tr>
<tr><td>AEP</td><td>Oct 15 – Dec 7</td><td>All Medicare beneficiaries</td><td>Change MA plans, add/change Part D, switch to Original</td></tr>
<tr><td>OEP</td><td>Jan 1 – Mar 31</td><td>Current MA enrollees only</td><td>Switch MA plans or drop MA for Original + Part D</td></tr>
<tr><td>SEP</td><td>Varies</td><td>People with qualifying events</td><td>Depends on event type</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Year-Round Sales Strategy</h2>
<h3>January – March (OEP)</h3>
<p>Contact MA clients who are unhappy with their plan selection from AEP. This is your window to help them switch.</p>

<h3>April – September (T65 Season)</h3>
<p>Focus on T65 prospecting — people turning 65 have IEPs throughout the year. This is where year-round income comes from.</p>

<h3>October – December (AEP)</h3>
<p>Your biggest production window. Reach out to your entire Medicare book for annual reviews and plan changes.</p>

<h3>All Year (SEPs)</h3>
<p>Qualifying events trigger SEPs: moving, losing employer coverage, qualifying for Medicaid, etc. Track life changes in your CRM.</p>

<h2>CRM Setup for Enrollment Periods</h2>
<ul>
<li><strong>Birthday field tracking</strong> — Automatic T65 campaign enrollment based on DOB</li>
<li><strong>AEP campaign automation</strong> — Annual review outreach starting in September</li>
<li><strong>SEP event tracking</strong> — Custom fields for qualifying events with auto-triggered follow-up</li>
<li><strong>Enrollment period reminders</strong> — Automatic alerts for agents when client enrollment windows open</li>
</ul>
<p>Use <a href="/campaigns-automations">Campaigns & Automations</a> and <a href="/tasks-calendars">Tasks & Calendars</a> to manage enrollment period workflows.</p>

<h2>FAQs</h2>
<dl>
<dt>Can I sell Medigap outside of the Medigap OEP?</dt>
<dd>Medigap has its own enrollment period: 6 months starting from Part B effective date. Outside this window, underwriting applies in most states (guaranteed issue states are exceptions).</dd>
<dt>What qualifies as a Special Enrollment Period?</dt>
<dd>Common SEP triggers include: moving out of service area, losing employer coverage, qualifying for Medicaid, plan leaving the service area, or gaining/losing dual eligibility.</dd>
</dl>

---

Source: [Medicare IEP vs. AEP vs. OEP: Enrollment Periods Explained for Agents](https://unlockedcrm.ai/blog/medicare-iep-vs-aep-vs-oep-enrollment-periods) — unLocked CRM, the AI CRM built for insurance agents. Citation permitted with attribution and a link to https://unlockedcrm.ai/blog/medicare-iep-vs-aep-vs-oep-enrollment-periods.