Medical Expense✓ Verified · outline & fact-checked · Sep 2026Difficulty 2/5
A beneficiary who misses the Initial Enrollment Period for Medicare Part B can sign up during the annual General Enrollment Period, which runs:
Select an option to reveal the answer and the full 3-part explanation — free, no signup.
Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why A is correct
Medicare's General Enrollment Period (GEP) runs each year from January 1 through March 31. Beneficiaries who missed their Initial Enrollment Period or Special Enrollment Period can enroll in Part B during this window, and coverage begins July 1 of that year. Enrolling during the GEP also subjects the beneficiary to the Part B late-enrollment penalty if they were eligible for Part B without other creditable coverage. October 15 through December 7 is the Annual Election Period for Medicare Advantage and Part D, a different enrollment window.
Why the other options are wrong
- B) October 15 through December 7 is the Annual Election Period for Medicare Advantage and Part D plans, not the Part B GEP.
- C) April 1 through June 30 is not a Medicare enrollment period; the GEP is January through March.
- D) Enrollment is not limited to the beneficiary's birthday month; the GEP is a fixed annual window for all beneficiaries.
Memory hook
GEP = Jan 1 to Mar 31, coverage July 1. Missed your window? This is the catch-up door.