Medicare Open Enrollment 2026 Dates: October 15 to December 7, for Your 2027 Plan
Medicare open enrollment 2026 runs October 15 to December 7, 2026, and the plan you pick starts January 1, 2027. Read your plan's Annual Notice of Change first: it lists what changes in January.
Medicare open enrollment 2026 dates are October 15 to December 7, 2026. Any change you make in this window takes effect January 1, 2027, so you are choosing your 2027 coverage, not your 2026 one. If you are in a Medicare Advantage or drug plan, start with the Annual Notice of Change your plan sent by September 30.
Half of what you find when you search for this is still about last year's window. Here are the dates as printed in the official Medicare & You 2027 handbook, which Medicare published for this fall.
What are the Medicare open enrollment 2026 dates?
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| October 1, 2026 | You can start comparing your current coverage with 2027 options on Medicare.gov/plan-compare |
| October 15, 2026 | Open enrollment starts |
| December 7, 2026 | Last day. The plan must get your request by this date |
| January 1, 2027 | New coverage starts if you made a change. If you kept your plan, its changes start too |
| January 1 to March 31, 2027 | Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: if you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch once |
Is open enrollment 2026 for 2026 or 2027 coverage?
For 2027. The window that runs this fall picks the plan that starts on January 1, 2027. This is the main reason search results look contradictory: an article titled "open enrollment 2026" may be about the fall of 2025, when people chose their 2026 plans.
What can you change during open enrollment?
According to the handbook, between October 15 and December 7 you can:
- join, switch or drop a Medicare Advantage plan, with or without drug coverage;
- join, switch or drop a Medicare drug plan;
- move from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare, or the other way.
You do not have to change anything. If your plan still fits, staying put is a valid choice. The point of the window is to check, not to switch.
The letter to read first: your Annual Notice of Change
If you have a Medicare Advantage plan or a drug plan, your plan sends an Annual Notice of Change by September 30. The handbook describes it as the document with any changes in coverage, costs, provider networks, service area and more that take effect in January. A second document, the Evidence of Coverage, explains in detail what the plan covers next year; plans send a notice about it by October 15.
These letters look like routine mail and often end up in a drawer. They are the fastest way to see whether you need to do anything this fall. If you did not get them, call your plan.
What to check in the Annual Notice of Change
Go through the letter with these questions. Most of the answers sit on the first few pages, in a table that compares this year with next year.
- The monthly premium. Is it going up in 2027, and by how much?
- Your drugs. Is each drug you take still covered? Did its tier or copay change? In 2027, the handbook says, out-of-pocket costs for covered drugs are capped at $2,400.
- Your doctors and pharmacy. Are they still in the network?
- The deductible and the out-of-pocket maximum. These decide what a bad year costs.
- The service area. If the plan stops covering your county, you will need a new plan.
- Extras you use. Dental, vision or hearing benefits can change from year to year.
If nothing on this list moves in a way that matters to you, you may be done. If something does, compare options on Medicare.gov/plan-compare before December 7.
What to have ready before you compare plans
Comparing plans takes an hour if the facts are in front of you and an evening if they are not. Put these on one page first:
- The Medicare card. You need the Medicare Number to log in or to call.
- Every drug, with its dose and how often. Drug coverage is where most surprises are, and the plan finder asks for each one.
- The pharmacy you use. Prices can differ between pharmacies in the same plan.
- The doctors and hospitals that matter most. According to the handbook, at Medicare.gov/plan-compare you can add your providers, and the results show whether they are in network for each plan. You can also call the doctor's office and ask.
- This year's costs. The premium you pay now and roughly what you spent on copays, so you can tell whether a change is worth it.
If you are doing this for a parent, the same list lets you help from a distance: they read you the labels on the pill bottles once, and you keep the list for next year.
Helping a parent with Medicare open enrollment
A lot of this work is done by adult children, often from another city. A few things make it easier:
- Ask for photos of the letters. The Annual Notice of Change and anything else from the plan that arrived in September or October. A clear phone photo of each page is enough.
- Make a list of their drugs and doctors. You need it to check the letter and to compare plans.
- Agree on who decides. You can help read and compare; the choice is theirs.
- Know where to get free help. Every state has a State Health Insurance Assistance Program. Its counselors give one-on-one Medicare help and do not sell plans. Medicare itself answers at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
What happens if you miss December 7?
If you do nothing, your current plan usually continues into 2027 with the changes in its letter. If you are in Medicare Advantage, you get one more chance from January 1 to March 31, 2027 to switch to another Advantage plan or to Original Medicare. Outside these windows, changes are generally possible only with a special enrollment period, for example after a move.
Hand the letter to Tracy
The hard part of open enrollment is rarely the decision. It is noticing the letter in September and still having it in front of you in late November. This is where dEssence helps. You send Tracy, its assistant, a photo or PDF of the Annual Notice of Change from Telegram or the web. She pulls out what changes on January 1 and reminds you before December 7. Tracy does not compare or recommend plans, and she does not read your mail: she works from what you send her.
Frequently asked questions
When is Medicare open enrollment for 2027 coverage?
October 15 to December 7, 2026. Changes start January 1, 2027.
Do I have to do anything during open enrollment?
No. If your plan still covers your drugs and doctors at a cost you accept, it usually renews. Read the Annual Notice of Change to be sure.
Is Medicare open enrollment the same as Marketplace open enrollment?
No. The Marketplace at HealthCare.gov has its own dates. Our guide to open enrollment 2026 deadlines puts Medicare, the Marketplace and work plans side by side.
Can I change my Medicare plan after December 7?
Only in specific cases. If you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch once between January 1 and March 31. Otherwise you generally need a special enrollment period.
Who can help me compare plans for free?
Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) and 1-800-MEDICARE. Both are free.