The Dates
Medicare Open Enrollment, officially the Annual Enrollment Period, runs from 15 October to 7 December 2026. Anything you change takes effect on 1 January 2027.
It is a fixed seven-week window that happens every autumn. It does not move, it does not get extended, and roughly 68 million people are eligible to use it.
Plan details for 2027 become available on 1 October, two weeks before the window opens. That fortnight is the best time to compare, before the deadline pressure starts.
Why This Year Deserves More Than a Glance
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The usual advice is to review your plan. This year there is more behind that than normal, and three changes are worth knowing before you decide.
Marketing restrictions loosen on 1 October
CMS has relaxed the rules governing how insurers and third-party agents can market Medicare plans, effective 1 October 2026. In practice that means more mail, more calls and more advertising than in recent years.
Some of it will be legitimate. Some will not. This is the season when people receive calls claiming to be from Medicare, asking to confirm details or offering a new card. Medicare does not cold-call people to sell plans, and it does not ask for your Medicare number over the phone.
If someone pressures you to decide immediately, that pressure is the tell. Nothing about this window requires a same-day decision.
A provider leaving your network now triggers a special enrollment period
Previously a network change had to be judged significant before it opened a special enrollment period. CMS removed that threshold. If your doctor leaves your plan’s network, that alone can now qualify you to switch, regardless of how many other providers remain.
This is a genuine improvement and it is easy to miss. If you lose a doctor mid-year, you may not be stuck until the next October.
Star ratings changed, so a better score may not mean a better plan
CMS removed eleven quality measures from the Star Ratings formula and reinstated a general reward factor in place of the Health Equity Index.
The consequence: a plan may show a higher rating this year not because its care improved, but because a measure it scored badly on, such as call centre performance, no longer counts. If you use star ratings to compare, look at the categories underneath rather than the headline number.
What You Can Actually Change
During the Annual Enrollment Period you can:
- Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan
- Switch from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare
- Change from one Medicare Advantage plan to another
- Join, drop or change a Part D prescription drug plan
If you are happy with your current plan and it is still offered in your area, you do not have to do anything. Coverage continues automatically.
That said, doing nothing is a decision. Premiums, drug formularies, provider networks and extra benefits all change year to year even when you take no action.
The Confusion That Costs People the Most
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See What I Qualify For →🔒 Free · Private · Takes 2 minutesMedigap is not part of this window, and mixing the two up is expensive.
Medigap, also called Medicare Supplement, has its own one-time open enrollment period: six months beginning when you are 65 and enrolled in Part B. During that window insurers must sell you a policy regardless of your health.
Once it closes, in most states insurers can refuse you or charge more based on medical history. The Annual Enrollment Period does not reopen it, and a new diagnosis does not extend it.
So if you are thinking of moving from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare and adding a Medigap policy, check whether you can still get one at a reasonable price before you make the switch. Plenty of people have made that move and found the supplement they assumed would be available was not.
What Is Changing in Part D for 2027
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Some 2027 figures are already confirmed rather than projected.
The Part D annual out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400, and the standard deductible rises to $700. The cap is now a permanent feature of the programme rather than a one-off change, which matters for anyone taking expensive medications.
Fifteen additional drugs have negotiated prices taking effect, including the semaglutide family.
None of this happens automatically in the way you might want. Your specific plan, premium and drug list still change each year. If you take regular medications, the single most useful thing you can do in this window is check that each one is still on your plan’s formulary for 2027 and at what tier.
Medicare Advantage Plans May Look Different
Insurers are under cost pressure, and several things are expected across the market in 2027:
- Some plans withdrawn from markets that are not financially viable
- Smaller provider networks
- Reduced extras in zero-premium plans, particularly dental, gym memberships and healthy food allowances
If those extras were the reason you chose your plan, read the Annual Notice of Change carefully. That document arrives from your insurer in the autumn and lists exactly what is changing. Most people never open it.
The Part B Premium Is Not Part of This Decision
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The standard Part B premium applies whichever Medicare Advantage or Part D plan you choose. It is a constant, not a variable, in this comparison.
The 2026 premium is $202.90 a month. The 2027 figure is projected at around $209.50 and CMS confirms it in November, part-way through this window. Our Part B premium guide covers the projection and when the official number lands.
Help That Costs Nothing and Is Not Selling You Anything
Two things here, and they matter more than any plan comparison.
SHIP counselling
Every state has a State Health Insurance Assistance Program offering free, unbiased Medicare counselling. Counsellors are not paid on commission and do not sell plans. If the marketing noise this autumn is overwhelming, this is who to call instead.
Medicare Savings Programs
These pay your Part B premium, and in some tiers your deductibles and coinsurance too. They are run through state Medicaid offices.
More than five million eligible people are not enrolled. The income limits are considerably higher than most people assume, and qualifying also enrols you automatically in Extra Help, which reduces prescription costs substantially.
If you are living mainly on Social Security, this is worth more than any plan switch. Our Medicaid guide covers how these programmes work alongside Medicare.
Other Enrollment Windows
The Annual Enrollment Period is the widest but not the only one.
- Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment, 1 January to 31 March. Only for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan. Allows one further switch, or a return to Original Medicare.
- General Enrollment Period, 1 January to 31 March. For people who missed their initial window to enrol in Part A or Part B. Late enrolment penalties may apply.
- Initial Enrollment Period, the seven months around your 65th birthday: three months before, your birthday month, and three months after.
- Special Enrollment Periods, triggered by qualifying events such as moving, losing employer coverage, or now a provider leaving your plan’s network.
A Practical Checklist
- From 1 October: read the Annual Notice of Change from your insurer. It lists exactly what is changing in your plan.
- List every medication you take, with dosage.
- Check each one against your plan’s 2027 formulary, including the tier.
- Confirm your doctors and preferred pharmacy are still in network for 2027.
- Compare total annual cost, not just premium. A zero-premium plan with high copays can cost more overall.
- Check whether you qualify for a Medicare Savings Program or Extra Help.
- If anything is unclear, call your state SHIP rather than an agent.
- Decide before 7 December. There is no extension.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Medicare Open Enrollment for 2027?
15 October to 7 December 2026. Changes take effect 1 January 2027.
Do I have to do anything during Open Enrollment?
No. If your plan is still offered and you are happy with it, coverage continues automatically. But premiums, drug lists and networks change each year, so reviewing is worthwhile even when you plan to stay put.
Can I switch from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare?
Yes, during this window. Check whether you can still obtain a Medigap policy at a reasonable price first, because outside your one-time Medigap open enrollment period insurers can decline you or charge more based on health history in most states.
What is changing in Part D for 2027?
The annual out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 and the standard deductible to $700. Fifteen more drugs have negotiated prices taking effect. Your individual plan’s formulary and premium still change independently.
Why am I getting so many Medicare calls this year?
CMS loosened marketing restrictions on insurers and agents from 1 October 2026, so expect more contact than in recent years. Medicare itself does not cold-call to sell plans or ask for your Medicare number by phone.
My doctor left my plan’s network. Can I switch?
Likely yes. CMS removed the requirement that a network change be significant before it triggers a special enrollment period. A single provider leaving can now qualify you.
Where can I get unbiased help?
Your state’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program provides free Medicare counselling. Counsellors are not paid commission and do not sell plans.
Before 7 December
The window closes and does not reopen. If you take regular medications or have seen an Annual Notice of Change you have not read, those two things are worth an hour of your time this month.
If you are on a limited income, check the Medicare Savings Programs before anything else. Our free eligibility checker takes about two minutes and shows what else you may qualify for.
