Medicare Annual Enrollment runs October 15 – December 7, 2026. Here's a plain-English checklist to help Greenville-area Medicare members review coverage before the deadline.
This post is written for people already on Medicare in the Greenville, SC area — and for anyone turning 65 soon who wants to understand how the Annual Enrollment Period works before they need it.
If you're on Medicare and you received a letter in the mail recently with the words Annual Notice of Change on the envelope, you're not alone — and you're not imagining it if it felt a little confusing. Every fall, Medicare plan members get that letter, and every fall, millions of people set it aside without reading it. This article will tell you exactly why that letter matters, what Medicare Annual Enrollment actually means for you, and how to use the next few weeks to make sure your coverage still fits your life.
What Is Medicare Annual Enrollment, and When Is It?
Quick Answer: The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) runs from October 15 through December 7, 2026. Any plan changes you make take effect January 1, 2027.
AEP is the one time each year when anyone already enrolled in Medicare can:
- Switch from Original Medicare (Parts A and B) to a Medicare Advantage plan (Part C)
- Switch from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare
- Change from one Medicare Advantage plan to a different one
- Join, drop, or switch a Part D prescription drug plan
A Note for Veterans: Your Situation Has a Few Extra Layers
If you receive care through the VA, your Medicare review carries an additional consideration. VA benefits and Medicare work together — you can have both — but the two systems cover different things in different settings.
Veterans who rely entirely on the VA for healthcare sometimes discover that their access to VA care has changed. Priority group assignments can shift, VA facilities may not be close to home, and there are situations where Medicare coverage at a local hospital or with a local specialist is more practical for non-service-connected conditions.
AEP is a good time to review whether your current Medicare coverage — or lack of it — still makes sense alongside your VA benefits. Advocate Insurance Group specializes in this conversation and helps veterans in the Greenville area understand how the two systems interact so they can make a fully informed decision.
What Advocate Insurance Group Does During AEP
This is our busiest season, and for good reason. From now through December 7, Antinea Martin and the team at Advocate Insurance Group are available to:
- Review your current plan and walk through your Annual Notice of Change with you
- Compare available Medicare Advantage and Part D options for your area
- Help you understand whether a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) might serve you better
- Assist with Extra Help and Medicare Savings Program applications
- Answer questions about how VA care and Medicare work together
Our guidance is always free. We're an independent agency, which means we're not tied to a single insurance company — we represent multiple carriers and our only goal is finding what works best for you.
Have questions about your enrollment options?
We'll walk you through every step — at no cost to you.
