Medicare Annual Enrollment 2027: What’s Changing and What to Check
Every fall, Medicare plans can change their costs, their drug lists and their doctor networks for the coming year. The Annual Enrollment Period is your yearly chance to look at those changes and, if your plan no longer fits, switch. Here is what to read, what to compare, and the dates that matter for 2027 coverage.
The dates to know
- By September 30: if you have a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, it mails you an Annual Notice of Change that lists what changes on January 1.
- From October 1: 2027 plan details can be viewed and compared, including on Medicare.gov.
- October 15 to December 7: the Annual Enrollment Period. You can join, switch or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.
- January 1, 2027: any change you made takes effect.
- January 1 to March 31: if you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one more chance to switch to another Medicare Advantage plan or go back to Original Medicare.
Read the letter your plan already sent
The Annual Notice of Change is easy to set aside, and it is the most useful thing in your mailbox this fall. It shows how your premium, deductible and copays change, and whether your medications move to a different cost tier. If your plan is leaving your area, you will get a separate non-renewal letter. That letter gives you a special window to pick a new plan, so don’t ignore it.
Your five-minute checklist
- Your prescriptions: are all of them still covered next year, and at what cost? A drug that moves tiers can change your yearly spending more than the premium does.
- Your doctors and hospitals: are they still in the plan’s network for 2027? Networks change, and your doctor may not tell you.
- Your pharmacy: is it still a preferred pharmacy? The same drug can cost more at a different store.
- Your total cost: add the premium, the deductible and the copays you expect to use. The plan with the lowest premium is not always the cheapest year.
- Your health this year: did anything change, such as a new diagnosis, a new specialist or a planned surgery? Coverage that fit last year may not fit now.
Still deciding between the two main paths? Read our plain comparison of Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare with a supplement first.
What Annual Enrollment does not cover
Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policies do not follow this calendar. They are bought and changed on their own rules, which differ by state. In New York, a Medigap application cannot be turned down because of your health at any time of year. If you are in Original Medicare with a supplement, the fall period still matters for your separate Part D drug plan.
Help with lower incomes
If money is tight, check whether you qualify for Extra Help with drug costs or a Medicare Savings Program. These programs can lower what you pay, and some let you change plans outside the fall window. Our guide to Extra Help and dual plans in New York explains who may qualify.
Why a local agent helps
The plans you can choose depend on your county, and the details change every year. Jorge is a licensed local agent who compares the plans he offers in your area, in English or Spanish, at no cost to you. Bring your plan letter and your list of medications, and he will walk through the changes with you, with no pressure to switch.
The bottom line
If your plan still covers your doctors and your prescriptions at a cost you can live with, you may not need to do anything. The only way to know is to check before December 7, because after that most people keep the same plan for the whole year.