AEP runs October 15 to December 7. The agents who win it prepare in September and protect retention in January. Here's the full checklist.
Finish AHIP and carrier certifications, confirm your ready-to-sell status per plan, refresh your book list, and pre-schedule reviews with existing clients. Returning clients are your highest-value, lowest-risk renewals — book them first.
Every personal marketing appointment needs a Scope of Appointment agreed before the appointment begins (the old 48-hour advance wait is eliminated effective October 1, 2026 under the CY2027 final rule, 91 FR 17384, and still applies through September 30, 2026), and CMS requires you to retain SOA records for 10 years. Marketing/sales calls must be recorded and stored — kept 6 years for the marketing/sales portion and 10 years for the enrollment portion (CY2027 final rule, 91 FR 17384). See the SOA rules guide — a single missed SOA can trigger a CTM complaint.
Run a daily rhythm: respond to leads same-day, log every SOA, document each enrollment, and track plan changes. Changes take effect January 1. Keep a CTM/complaint log so nothing slips. This is where a compliance vault earns its keep.
The work isn't done at Dec 7. Confirm effective dates, handle OEP (Jan 1–Mar 31) switches, and start retention outreach — early-disenrollment is where chargebacks happen. A renewal you protect is worth $347/year for years.
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The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 to December 7, 2026, with plan changes effective January 1, 2027.
A Scope of Appointment agreed before each marketing appointment begins (the 48-hour advance wait is eliminated effective October 1, 2026 under the CY2027 final rule, 91 FR 17384, and still applies through September 30, 2026), recorded calls, a CTM/complaint log, 10-year SOA-record retention, and call-recording retention of 6 years (marketing/sales portion) / 10 years (enrollment portion) under the CY2027 final rule (91 FR 17384).
Complete AHIP and carrier certifications, confirm ready-to-sell status, refresh the book, pre-book client reviews in September, and set up compliance logging before October 15.
Figures on this page are verified against U.S. government primary sources: