A beneficiary who missed both the Initial Enrollment Period and the Special Enrollment Period for Medicare Part B may enroll during the General Enrollment Period (GEP), which runs:
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why A is correct
The General Enrollment Period for Medicare Part B runs annually from January 1 through March 31 for individuals who missed the Initial Enrollment Period and do not qualify for the Special Enrollment Period. Enrolling during the GEP can trigger the Part B late enrollment penalty, a premium surcharge for each full 12-month period without coverage. The GEP dates are a standard tested fact, distinct from the Part D Annual Election Period of October 15 through December 7. The GEP is the safety valve for beneficiaries who missed the initial and special enrollment periods, but it carries a price: coverage begins July 1, and a late enrollment penalty adds 10 percent to the Part B premium for each full 12-month period of delay, calculated from the end of the initial period.
Why the other options are wrong
- B) April through June is not a Medicare enrollment window. The GEP does not run from April through June; that period is not a Medicare enrollment window at all. It simply does not exist in the Medicare enrollment calendar.
- C) October 15 through December 7 is the Annual Election Period for Part D and Medicare Advantage, not the Part B GEP. October 15 through December 7 is the Annual Election Period for Medicare Advantage and Part D, not the Part B General Enrollment Period.
- D) The 65th birthday opens the 7-month Initial Enrollment Period, not a one-year GEP. The 65th birthday window is the Initial Enrollment Period, a distinct enrollment opportunity from the General Enrollment Period.
Memory hook
Missed your chance? GEP is the January-March makeup window, and late penalties come along.