Medicare Special Enrollment Periods — 2027
The short answer: A Special Enrollment Period opens when a qualifying life event happens, outside the yearly windows.
Special Enrollment Periods are not a single season: each qualifying life event opens its own window, usually lasting two months from the event.
Special Enrollment Periods let you join, switch or leave Medicare Advantage and Part D plans outside the fall window when your circumstances change. Most run for two months from the event. Common qualifying events:
| Qualifying event | What opens |
|---|---|
| You move out of your plan’s service area | A window to choose a plan in your new area |
| You lose employer or union coverage | A window to join a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan |
| Your plan changes its contract with Medicare, or ends | A plan-exit window, usually December 8 through the end of February |
| You qualify for Extra Help or Medicaid | Ongoing rights to change Part D coverage; full-benefit dual-eligible people may also change integrated plans |
| You move into or out of a nursing facility | An institutional Special Enrollment Period |
| You enroll in a 5-star plan | One switch per year to a plan with a 5-star overall rating |
Help with costs is often the qualifying event people miss: see Medicare Savings Programs and the Dual Special Needs Plans guide.
Related: Medicare enrollment periods and deadlines covers every yearly enrollment window and deadline, and how to enroll in Medicare Part D covers signing up for drug coverage.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does a Special Enrollment Period last?
- Most Special Enrollment Periods last two months from the qualifying event, though the exact length depends on the event.
- Does qualifying for Extra Help open a Special Enrollment Period?
- Yes. People with Extra Help can change Part D coverage outside the fall window, and full-benefit dual-eligible people have added rights to change integrated plans.
Talk with a licensed agent about the plans in your area: call 1-866-340-3441.