---
title: "What Is AEP (Annual Enrollment Period) in Medicare?"
description: "AEP is the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period running October 15 to December 7 each year. Here's how AEP works and what agents must do to prepare."
url: https://unlockedcrm.ai/blog/what-is-aep-medicare-annual-enrollment-period
canonical: https://unlockedcrm.ai/blog/what-is-aep-medicare-annual-enrollment-period
category: "Glossary"
published: 2026-04-16
author: "Jacob Lock"
source: unLocked CRM — AI CRM for insurance agents
---

# What Is AEP (Annual Enrollment Period) in Medicare?

## TL;DR

AEP (Annual Enrollment Period) is the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period running October 15 through December 7 each year, when Medicare beneficiaries can change Medicare Advantage plans, Part D plans, and switch between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage.

## Definition

**AEP (Annual Enrollment Period):** AEP (Annual Enrollment Period) is the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period running October 15 through December 7 each year, when Medicare beneficiaries can change Medicare Advantage plans, Part D plans, and switch between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage.

## In Depth

AEP is the busiest 54-day window in Medicare sales. Agents handle plan changes, drug formulary updates, network changes, and new enrollments. Effective dates for AEP changes start January 1 of the following year.

## Why It Matters for Insurance Agents

AEP success depends on preparation: book reviews in August and September, certification by October 1, SOAs collected before discussions, and a CRM that can handle 5–10x normal call volume. Agents who automate AEP outreach (Agent AI, drip campaigns) outproduce manual agents 3:1.

## Real-World Examples

1. Annual book reviews of every existing Medicare client in August–September
2. Recertifying with carriers (AHIP, Medicare Marketing Guidelines) by October 1
3. Sending pre-AEP educational SMS and email in September
4. Booking 50–200 plan reviews per agent during the 54-day window
5. Logging SOAs and call recordings for every Medicare Advantage discussion

## How unLocked CRM Handles AEP (Annual Enrollment Period)

unLocked CRM is built insurance-native, so concepts like aep (annual enrollment period) aren't bolt-ons — they're core to the data model. The platform ships with 1,252 carrier integrations, 332 commission feeds, and pre-built workflows that operationalize aep (annual enrollment period) from day one.

## Bottom Line

AEP (Annual Enrollment Period) is the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period running October 15 through December 7 each year, when Medicare beneficiaries can change Medicare Advantage plans, Part D plans, and switch between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage. Insurance agents who understand and operationalize aep (annual enrollment period) retain more business, recover more revenue, and scale faster.

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Source: [What Is AEP (Annual Enrollment Period) in Medicare?](https://unlockedcrm.ai/blog/what-is-aep-medicare-annual-enrollment-period) — unLocked CRM, the AI CRM built for insurance agents. Citation permitted with attribution and a link to https://unlockedcrm.ai/blog/what-is-aep-medicare-annual-enrollment-period.