Medicare open enrollment 2026: dates and what's new for 2027
Medicare's annual open enrollment runs from Thursday 15 October to Monday 7 December 2026. Any change you make takes effect on 1 January 2027, as long as the new plan gets your request by 7 December (Medicare.gov).
What you can change
- Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan, or from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare.
- Join, drop or switch Medicare Advantage plans, with or without drug coverage.
- If you have Original Medicare, join, drop or switch a Part D drug plan.
If you are happy with your plan and it is not changing, you don't have to do anything; your coverage continues.
What CMS expects for 2027
On 28 September 2026, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services published its outlook for next year's plans (CMS press release):
| Average monthly premium | 2026 | 2027 (projected) |
|---|---|---|
| All Medicare Advantage plans | $14.37 | $12.00 |
| Stand-alone Part D drug plans | $35.09 | $36.00 |
| Drug coverage inside Medicare Advantage plans | $11.32 | $7.00 |
- More than 99% of people with Medicare will have at least one Medicare Advantage plan to choose from, and 97% will have 10 or more.
- About 5,532 Medicare Advantage plans will be offered, close to this year's 5,553.
- CMS says about eight in 10 Medicare Advantage members can stay in their current plan at the same or a lower premium.
These are averages. Your own plan's premium, deductible and drug list can change, which is why the review matters. The 2027 Part B premium had not been announced when this page was published.
Five steps before 7 December
- Read your plan's Annual Notice of Change. It lists what changes on 1 January: costs, covered drugs, doctors and pharmacies.
- Make a list of your prescriptions and doses, your doctors and your pharmacy.
- Compare plans on the official Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov/plan-compare, or call 1-800-MEDICARE.
- Get free one-on-one help from your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), which is not linked to any insurer: shiphelp.org.
- Enroll before 7 December, and keep the confirmation.
Missed it?
If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, a second window runs from 1 January to 31 March 2027: you can switch to another Medicare Advantage plan once, or go back to Original Medicare and join a drug plan. Outside these windows, changes are only possible in special situations such as moving home or losing other coverage (Medicare.gov).
