Medicare Open Enrollment Runs Through Dec. 7 With Changes Taking Effect Jan. 1
Medicare open enrollment began Oct. 15 and is now under way. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the deadline to apply is Dec. 7, and changes submitted during this period take effect Jan. 1, 2027.
Medicare is the health insurance program run by the federal government. There are two broad ways to receive coverage. Original Medicare is the arrangement in which the government provides coverage directly, and Medicare Advantage is the arrangement in which private insurers provide coverage under contract with the government.
During open enrollment, people can move between the two arrangements. They can switch from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage, or return from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare.
Those already enrolled in an Advantage plan also have options open to them. They can move to a different Advantage plan or leave their plan, and they can add or drop prescription drug coverage.
Prescription drug coverage is provided through Medicare Part D, prescription drug insurance offered by private insurers. Original Medicare enrollees can newly join a Part D plan, switch to another plan, or drop their coverage during this period.
Plan terms can change every year. Beyond premiums and deductibles, the list of covered drugs and the range of medical providers that can be used may also change, so reviewing the changes is important even for those keeping their current plan.
The first thing to check is the prescription drugs you take. You should look at whether the drug remains on each plan’s list of covered drugs, known as a formulary, and the level of cost sharing for the same drug can differ from plan to plan.
Your doctors and hospitals also need checking. Advantage plans are structured so that coverage can differ when care is received within the network of providers under contract, so it is worth confirming in advance whether your regular doctor and the hospitals you often use are included in a new plan’s network.
Costs are hard to judge by the monthly premium alone. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services advises comparing plans on the basis of total annual cost, adding deductibles and the cost sharing paid for care and prescriptions. Even if the premium is low, high deductibles and cost sharing can make total spending over a year larger.
Comparisons can be made with the official tool. On Medicare.gov’s Medicare Plan Finder, entering where you live and the drugs you take lets you check each available plan’s monthly costs and estimated annual costs. Telephone counseling is available through 1-800-MEDICARE.
Advantage enrollees have a separate period as well. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs every year from Jan. 1 through March 31, and during that window people can switch to a different Advantage plan or move back to Original Medicare.
Once Dec. 7 passes, changes through the fall open enrollment close. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services makes clear that a new plan must receive the application by the deadline for the changes to take effect Jan. 1, 2027.
