What you need to know about the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period

Each year, Medicare-eligible individuals can sign up for Medicare plans during the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), which runs from October 15 through December 7. During this time, you can enroll in a plan for the first time. Or you can review your current plan to make sure it still meets your needs. If you don't act during this year's AEP, you'll have to wait for next year to make changes to your coverage.

Here are answers to common questions about Medicare and AEP from Aetna^® Medicare.

Who is eligible for Medicare?

Medicare is for individuals 65 and older, or those under 65 living with certain disabilities or health conditions.

What's the difference between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage?

It's important to know that Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage (MA) are not the same thing.

Original Medicare:

• Includes Part A, covering hospital care, and Part B, covering medical services
• Has no cap on annual out-of-pocket costs; expenses can be unlimited unless you have a Medicare Supplement plan with additional premiums
• Requires a separate plan with additional premiums for drug coverage

Medicare Advantage:

• Is an alternative way to receive Medicare benefits through a private insurance company
• Caps out-of-pocket spending annually
• Includes prescription drug coverage unless it is a Medicare Advantage-only plan
• Includes supplemental benefits that support health and wellness

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, more than half (55%) of eligible Medicare beneficiaries — 35.2 million out of 64.2 million — are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans in 2026.

Added benefits of Medicare Advantage

Depending on the plan type, Medicare Advantage plans offer added value beyond Original Medicare, including benefits like:

• Wellness visits and preventive screenings with a $0 copay
• Dental, vision and hearing benefits and routine exams
• $0 or low copays on Tier 1 formulary drugs

MA plans also include supplemental benefits. These can help you address your health needs and meet your health goals. While plan benefits vary, examples include over-the-counter allowances, fitness resources, meal delivery after a hospital stay and more.

What should you consider when choosing an MA plan?

Choosing the right MA plan starts with understanding your unique health care needs, your budget and the benefits that matter most to you. You'll want to look at provider access, prescription coverage and the value of additional benefits to find the best fit.

You can consider:

• Affordability and cost of premiums, deductibles and copays
• Access to preferred doctors, hospitals and pharmacies
• Prescription drug coverage
• Supplemental benefits such as wellness programs, transportation, budget and other lifestyle-focused services

You may also consider whether you may be eligible for specialized plans. These include Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) for dual-eligibility for Medicare and Medicaid or Chronic Condition Special Needs Plans (C-SNPs) for those with chronic conditions like diabetes, chronic heart failure and cardiovascular disease. These types of plans can offer enhanced benefits and care support. For example, Aetna C-SNPs offer support from a dedicated care team to help members coordinate their care and connect them to community resources. They also include other targeted benefits to help them manage their conditions.

Why does the Annual Enrollment Period matter if you're already enrolled in an MA plan?

Each September, your health plan will send you an Evidence of Coverage and an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC), which outlines what's changing for the upcoming plan year. Updates can include changes to benefits, monthly premiums, deductibles, out-of-pocket costs and more. The ANOC provides a clear comparison between the current year's benefits and the upcoming year's benefits.

Read your ANOC carefully to see if your current plan still meets your needs. If not, AEP gives you a chance to find a plan that does.

Find out more

Use these resources to help you navigate your Medicare options:

• Medicare.gov: Enter your ZIP code to see all Medicare plans available in your area.
• Live support: Call the numbers listed on Medicare.gov or contact a local trusted broker or community advisor.

You can also visit AetnaMedicare.com/simple to review plan details, resources and checklists that can help you understand your Medicare options. You can call 1-844-588-0041 (TTY: 711) to talk to a licensed Aetna agent.

Aetna Medicare supports our members by offering benefits that matter most to their health, backed by the connected health assets of CVS Health^®.

Aetna Medicare is a HMO, PPO plan with a Medicare contract. Our DSNPs also have contracts with State Medicaid programs. Enrollment in our plans depends on contract renewal. Plan features and availability may vary by service area. Participating health care providers are independent contractors and are neither agents nor employees of Aetna. The availability of any particular provider cannot be guaranteed, and provider network composition is subject to change.

The Aetna C-SNP is available to Medicare members who have at least one of the qualifying chronic conditions. To ensure a successful enrollment process, we'll confirm with your healthcare provider that you have one of these eligible conditions. If verification of eligible condition is not received, involuntary disenrollment will occur.

This material is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Health information programs provide general health information and are not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment by a physician or other health care professional. Contact a health care professional with any questions or concerns about specific health care needs. Providers are independent contractors and are not agents of Aetna. Provider participation may change without notice. Aetna is not a provider of health care services and, therefore, cannot guarantee any results or outcomes. The availability of any particular provider cannot be guaranteed and is subject to change. Information is believed to be accurate as of the production date; however, it is subject to change. For more information about Aetna plans, refer to our website.

Aetna is part of the CVS Health^® family of companies.

[©<2026> Aetna Inc.]
Y0001_9612700_2027_M
[<APN>]