Medicare open enrollment: dates and plan comparison checks

Medicare open enrollment runs from October 15 through December 7, giving people with Medicare an annual opportunity to review health and prescription drug coverage. For the 2026 enrollment window, changes generally begin January 1, 2027. Compare medication coverage, providers and overall costs before choosing whether to keep or change your plan.

• The plan must receive your enrollment request by December 7.
• Compare next year’s coverage, not just what your current plan offers today.
• Prescription drugs, pharmacies and access to doctors can matter as much as premiums.
• Returning to Original Medicare does not automatically guarantee access to Medigap.

When is Medicare open enrollment, and what can you change?

According to Medicare’s enrollment guidance reviewed in October 2026, the annual window opens October 15 and closes December 7. An enrollment request needs to reach the plan by the deadline; starting an application is not the same as completing enrollment.

Your options depend on your existing coverage. People with Medicare Advantage can change plans, while people using Original Medicare can review separate prescription drug plans or consider Medicare Advantage.

You can also move from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare during this window. That choice calls for a review of both medical and drug coverage, rather than simply canceling a plan and assuming everything else will continue unchanged.

Keep the coverage year clear

The fall review concerns coverage for the following year. Put the coverage year at the top of your comparison notes so that this year’s premium or drug list does not accidentally become the basis for next year’s decision.

This annual review is different from first signing up for Medicare. Someone approaching eligibility needs to check initial enrollment requirements separately, rather than assuming the fall window answers every enrollment question.

What information helps you compare Medicare plans?

Start with your plan’s Annual Notice of Change. Medicare’s costs-and-coverage mailing guide, reviewed in October 2026, identifies this September notice as the document explaining upcoming adjustments to health or drug coverage and costs.

Set it beside the current year’s documents and the information for any alternative plan. A familiar plan name is not enough to establish that its benefits, prices or provider arrangements will stay the same.

1. List your prescriptions, including the exact medication name, strength and how often you fill it.
2. Write down your preferred pharmacies, doctors, specialists and hospitals.
3. Identify care you already expect to need, alongside services you used recently.
4. Record each plan’s coverage details and unresolved questions in the same format.

Medicare’s official plan comparison service can help organize available options. Enter your own medication and pharmacy information rather than treating a general plan description as a personalized estimate.

If a notice says your plan is leaving Medicare, treat that as a separate issue from an ordinary benefit change. Medicare’s mailing guide explains that non-renewal notices alert members to the need to choose replacement coverage.

How can you compare costs beyond the monthly premium?

A premium is the recurring charge for coverage, not a complete measure of what using that coverage will cost. Medicare’s cost guidance explains that expenses depend on both the coverage you have and the services you use.

Compare deductibles, which apply before certain coverage pays, alongside copayments and coinsurance for care. Also review the plan’s applicable out-of-pocket limit and what counts toward it; a summary figure does not replace the benefit details.

For prescriptions, compare the cost of your actual medication list at the pharmacies you could realistically use. Medicare’s drug-cost guidance describes costs that vary with the plan and pharmacy, so a low premium alone cannot settle the comparison.

Separate household costs from plan advertising

Check which premiums remain payable outside the plan’s advertised premium. Medicare explains that people in Medicare Advantage generally continue paying their Part B premium, an important distinction when assessing a household budget.

A plan with appealing extras may still involve trade-offs in access or cost-sharing. Consider how its coverage fits your circumstances alongside checking whether retirement savings can cover expenses, rather than treating an extra benefit as a substitute for affordable medical care.

For the income side of that review, understanding what can reduce a Social Security payment can help distinguish changes in available income from changes in your health plan.

What needs checking before switching coverage?

Ask the prospective plan about the doctors, facilities and prescriptions that matter to you. Confirm the specific plan and upcoming coverage year; an insurer’s general participation with a provider does not answer every question about an individual plan.

Ask about any coverage requirements that could affect ongoing care. Keep a dated record of the answers and request the relevant plan documents when a benefit description is unclear.

Check Medigap rights before leaving Medicare Advantage

Medigap is supplemental insurance that helps with certain expenses under Original Medicare. Medicare warns that returning to Original Medicare may mean arranging separate drug coverage and checking whether you can buy a Medigap policy.

The federal Medigap open enrollment period lasts six months and starts when you are at least 65 and enrolled in Part B. It is not renewed by the annual fall enrollment window.

Outside that protected period, an insurer may use medical underwriting or decline an application unless an exception applies. Medicare notes that states may provide additional protections, making your State Insurance Department a useful place to check before relying on supplemental coverage.

How can you finish the review without rushing?

Keep a short list of suitable options and resolve unanswered coverage questions before submitting a change. Medicare and your State Health Insurance Assistance Program can help with comparisons when the documents are difficult to interpret.

After applying, retain the confirmation and check the effective date. If the current plan still fits, the review is still useful: it establishes what you expect to pay and receive, rather than assuming last year’s terms will continue.

Informational content only, not financial advice.