- The Annual Enrollment Period runs from October 15 to December 7, and plan changes take effect January 1.
- Lock in lead supply early. Volume and competition peak at the same time.
- Use real-time leads for your fastest agents and aged leads or senior data to keep everyone else busy.
- Medicare sales are regulated. Follow current CMS rules and your carriers' requirements on every call.
For Medicare agents, the Annual Enrollment Period is the busiest stretch of the year. Beneficiaries can change their coverage, carriers are marketing hard, and every agency is competing for the same conversations. The agents who finish AEP strong are the ones who planned their lead supply, worked their leads quickly, and kept good records.
Know the calendar
- Annual Enrollment Period: October 15 to December 7. Changes take effect January 1.
- Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period: January 1 to March 31, for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan.
- Initial Enrollment Period: a seven-month window around each person's 65th birthday, running year-round.
AEP gets the attention, but the other two windows are why a good Medicare lead program does not stop on December 8.
Plan your lead supply before the peak
Lead demand and prices rise during AEP, and the best sources fill up. Decide early how many conversations your agents can handle each day, which states they are licensed and appointed in, and how much you will spend per week. Then agree on volume with your lead source before the busiest weeks, not during them.
Match the lead type to the agent
- Real-time Medicare leads go to the agents who will call within minutes. They cost the most and reward speed.
- Aged Medicare leads cost far less and keep the rest of the team productive between real-time leads.
- Senior and turning-65 data supports direct mail and outreach that build appointments for later in the season.
Most agencies do best with a mix. Our guide to real-time, aged, and data leads explains the trade-offs.
Speed and scheduling win AEP
During AEP, a beneficiary who requests information may hear from several agents in the same hour. Route real-time leads straight into your dialer or CRM, assign each one to a named agent, and call immediately. When a beneficiary is not ready to talk, book a specific appointment instead of promising to call back. See speed to lead for how to set this up.
Work aged leads with a plan
Aged leads reward persistence. Work the most recent first, call at different times of day, and follow up across several attempts. Our aged leads playbook covers the full sequence.
Stay compliant on every call
Medicare sales are governed by CMS marketing rules, including requirements for Scope of Appointment documentation and required disclaimers, and calling consumers is subject to telemarketing consent rules. Requirements change from year to year, so check current CMS guidance and your carriers' rules before the season starts, and keep records for every appointment. This article is general information, not legal or compliance advice.
Keep going after December 7
- Follow up with AEP prospects who did not enroll. Many qualify for the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1.
- Shift budget toward turning-65 audiences, who can enroll year-round as they age in.
- Review your AEP numbers by lead type and source, and set next year's plan while the results are fresh.
Measure what matters
Track contact rate, appointment rate, enrollments, and cost per enrollment for each lead type. AEP moves fast, so review the numbers weekly and move budget to what is working.
Medicare leads from R1D
R1D Media Group supplies real-time and aged Medicare leads and targeted senior data, filtered to your licensed states and delivered through our Waypoint-powered platform. Tell us your states and capacity and we will reply with counts and a quote.