Medicare AEP Starts Oct. 15

Oc.14, 2026

Applies to Medicare Markets

The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) runs Oct. 15-Dec. 7. Coverage changes take effect Jan. 1, 2027.

During AEP, beneficiaries can:

• Join a Medicare Advantage plan
• Switch Medicare Advantage plans
• Join, switch or drop a Part D plan
• Return to Original Medicare

Befor You Sell

What to do: Confirm your AHIP and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois certifications are complete and your state license is active. To remain eligible for Medicare Advantage renewal commissions, complete certification by Dec. 2.

To Help You Sell

Find AEP materials on the Producer Supply Portal.

• Enrollment support: Enrollment kits and applications.
• Plan information: Benefits guides, highlight sheets, product presentations and footprint sheets.
• Marketing materials: Business cards, mailers, event invitations and advertising templates.
• Medicare education: Ease Into Medicare, the Medicare Eligibility Roadmap and Understanding Medicare presentations.
• Reminder: Follow BCBSIL branding requirements when using logos and marketing materials.

Also, use these producer resources to find plan information, quote, enroll and manage your book of business.

• Producer Experience Portal: Enroll members, access reports, view plan documents and manage your book of business
• Blue Access for Producers^SM: Generate quotes, submit enrollments, review commissions and access product updates.
• BCBSIL Medicare website: Find plan information, provider search tools, Medicare education resources and Annual Notice of Change documents.

CMS Updates for 2027

CMS finalized several Medicare sales and marketing changes that apply to coverage effective Jan. 1, 2027. Updates affecting marketing and member communications take effect Oct. 1, 2026.

Scope of Appointment

• In-person appointments require a written or electronic SOA. Phone and virtual appointments may use recordings or other electronic documentatio
• Educational events: The 12-hour waiting period between educational and marketing events has been eliminated. Attendees must be notified when an event shifts to marketing content, and agents may collect SOAs during educational events.

Marketing materials

• Superlative terms such as "best" and "highest-rated" are permitted. 
• Supporting documentation must still be maintained.

Special Enrollment Periods (SEPs)

• CMS formalized existing requirements for certain Special Enrollment Periods. For some SEP elections, beneficiaries must first receive CMS verification or approval through mechanisms such as  1-800-MEDICARE the Online Enrollment Center, or another CMS-approved process.
  
•  This requirement applies to select SEP situations, including those related to CMS sanctions, loss of creditable prescription drug coverage, contract violations, and certain other exceptional circumstances.

Third-Party Marketing Organizations (TPMOs)

Record retention

• Marketing and sales call recordings may now be retained for six years instead of ten years.
• All other required records must continue to be maintained according to CMS retention requirements, generally ten years.

TPMO disclaimer

• The TPMO disclaimer has been updated to direct beneficiaries to Medicare.gov and  1-800-MEDICARE when seeking information about plan options.
• The disclaimer must now be provided before any discussion of plan benefits begins, replacing the previous requirement to deliver it within the first minute of a sales call.

Get In Touch with Us

You can reach out to your regional sales manager for assistance with:

• Virtual selling how-to and tips
• Medicare deep dives
• Access to materials, supplies and the Producer Resource Guide
• Quoting and enrollment tool support
• Formulary information, Rx Lookup tool
• How to access in-network care

Jose Andrade

Senior Regional Sales Manager
Central East Illinois & Southern Cook County

Steve Sak

Senior Regional Sales Manager
Northern Cook, Lake & DuPage Counties

 

Albert Banushi

Senior Regional Sales Manager
Central West Illinois