Medicare Annual Enrollment Period 2026: What's Actually Different This Year
Open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs October 15 to December 7, 2026. Here is what you can change, what CMS has announced for 2027, and what to check before you let your plan renew.
Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) runs October 15 through December 7, 2026. Anyone on Medicare can switch Medicare Advantage plans, join, switch or drop a Part D drug plan, or move between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage. Changes take effect January 1, 2027. CMS says about eight in ten Medicare Advantage members can keep their current plan at the same or a lower premium in 2027. The rest face a higher premium or a plan that is ending, and Part D drug costs rise for everyone: the maximum deductible goes to $700 and the out-of-pocket cap to $2,400.
A plan that renews is not always the same plan. Premiums, drug lists and provider networks change every January, and some plans leave a county altogether. The six weeks of AEP are the one time each year when everyone on Medicare can respond to those changes.
What AEP lets you change
- Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another.
- Move from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage, or back.
- Join, switch or drop a Part D prescription drug plan.
AEP is not the time to sign up for Medicare for the first time. That is your Initial Enrollment Period. It also does not give you a right to buy a Medigap policy. Medigap has its own guaranteed-issue window, tied to the month your Part B started. If you leave Medicare Advantage for Original Medicare after that window, a Medigap insurer in most states can ask health questions or turn you down, so check before you switch.
Every change made during AEP starts January 1, 2027. Enrolling on October 16 gives you nothing extra over enrolling on December 6. If you change your mind, the last choice you submit by December 7 is the one that counts.
What CMS has announced for 2027
CMS published its 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D figures on September 28, 2026.
| National figure | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Average Medicare Advantage premium (monthly) | $14.37 | $12.00 |
| Average stand-alone Part D premium (monthly) | $35.09 | $36 |
| Part D maximum deductible | $615 | $700 |
| Part D out-of-pocket cap | $2,100 | $2,400 |
CMS also reports that 99% of people with Medicare will have at least one Medicare Advantage plan available in 2027, and 97% will have ten or more.
These are national averages. Your own plan can move in the other direction. By CMS's own estimate, about two in ten Medicare Advantage members cannot keep their current plan at the same or a lower premium.
Plans that are ending
Insurers have been pulling back from some areas. For 2026, KFF found that about 13% of people in individual Medicare Advantage drug plans, roughly 2.6 million, had their plan terminated. That was about double the rate the year before. UnitedHealthcare left 225 counties and Humana left 198, and 122 counties had no Medicare Advantage plan at all.
News reports say large insurers are leaving more counties for 2027. KFF usually publishes its count for the new year in November, and we will add it here then.
If your plan is ending, the insurer has to tell you in writing in early October. Read that letter closely:
- If the insurer is moving you to another of its plans, compare that plan's drug list and network. You do not have to accept it.
- If your plan is ending with no replacement and you do nothing, you return to Original Medicare on January 1. Without a drug plan, you would have no Part D coverage.
- A plan termination gives you a Special Enrollment Period and, in many cases, a guaranteed right to buy a Medigap policy. The letter gives the dates.
Dates
October 15 to December 7, 2026. Coverage starts January 1, 2027.
2027 Premiums
Average Medicare Advantage premium $12.00 a month, down from $14.37. Average stand-alone Part D premium $36, up from $35.09.
2027 Drug Costs
Part D deductible up to $700 (was $615). Out-of-pocket cap $2,400 (was $2,100).
Keeping Your Plan
About eight in ten Medicare Advantage members can stay in their plan at the same or a lower premium, per CMS.
Read your Annual Notice of Change
Medicare Advantage and Part D plans had to mail an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) by September 30. If you have not seen yours, call the plan or look in your online account.
The ANOC lists what changes in your plan for 2027: premium, deductible, copays, drug formulary and provider network. People tend to read the premium line and stop. The formulary and network pages matter more. A plan can keep the same premium and still drop one of your drugs, move it to a higher tier, or lose your doctor from its network.
People who have only Original Medicare with a Medigap policy do not get an ANOC, because Medigap benefits are standardized and do not change from year to year.
Other Medicare costs to keep in mind
- Part B premium. $202.90 a month in 2026. CMS usually announces the next year's premium in November, so the 2027 amount is not out yet. Some Medicare Advantage plans lower it for their members: see how the Part B giveback works.
- IRMAA. In 2026, higher-income surcharges start above $109,000 for single filers and $218,000 for joint filers, based on the 2024 tax return. The 2027 brackets come with the Part B announcement.
- Insulin. Capped at $35 a month under Part D.
- Medicare Advantage out-of-pocket limit. The federal ceiling for in-network costs is $9,250 in 2026. Each plan sets its own limit at or below the ceiling. Your plan's 2027 limit is in its ANOC.
Our Medicare Cost Calculator and IRMAA Calculator turn these into a monthly figure for you.
AEP versus the other enrollment windows
| Window | Dates | Who and what |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Enrollment Period | Oct 15 to Dec 7 | Anyone on Medicare. All the changes listed above. |
| Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment | Jan 1 to Mar 31 | Only people already in a Medicare Advantage plan. One switch, to another MA plan or to Original Medicare. |
| Initial Enrollment Period | 7 months around your 65th birthday | People new to Medicare. |
| Special Enrollment Period | After a qualifying event | Moving, losing employer coverage, or your plan leaving your area. |
The Medicare Enrollment Period Finder tells you which window applies to you, and the AEP Countdown shows how many days are left.
How to compare plans
Use the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov. It draws on current formulary and network data, which a plan's brochure may not show in full. Work in this order:
- Drugs. Enter each medication with its exact name and dose. Tier placement is set drug by drug. Look at the estimated total cost for the year, which includes the deductible and copays.
- Doctors and hospitals. For a Medicare Advantage plan, confirm that your doctors and the hospital you would use are in the 2027 network. Call the doctor's office to confirm.
- Premium and out-of-pocket limit. Compare these last. A low premium does not help if your drugs or doctors are not covered.
Free help
SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) counselors give free one-on-one Medicare help. They do not sell plans and earn no commission. Appointments fill up in November, so book early. Our SHIP Counselor Locator lists your state's program.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period in 2026?
October 15 through December 7, 2026. Any change you make takes effect January 1, 2027, whichever day in the window you make it.
What can I actually change during AEP?
You can switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another, move between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage in either direction, and join, switch or drop a Part D prescription drug plan.
Why does AEP matter more this year?
Part D costs rise in 2027: the maximum deductible goes from $615 to $700 and the out-of-pocket cap from $2,100 to $2,400. CMS says about eight in ten Medicare Advantage members can keep their plan at the same or a lower premium, which leaves about two in ten facing a higher premium or a plan that is ending. For 2026, about 13% of Medicare Advantage drug plan enrollees, roughly 2.6 million people, lost their plan.
What is the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC)?
It is a letter your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan must send by September 30 each year. It lists the changes to your plan for the coming year: premium, deductible, copays, drug formulary and provider network. People with only Medigap do not receive one, because Medigap benefits do not change each year.
Is AEP the same as the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period?
No. AEP (October 15 to December 7) is open to anyone on Medicare and allows the full range of changes. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 to March 31) is only for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan and allows one switch.
This article is for general educational purposes and reflects federal Medicare figures and national plan data as of October 2026. It is not insurance, financial or medical advice, and it does not describe the terms of any specific plan. For your own plan options and deadlines, check your Annual Notice of Change, medicare.gov or your state's SHIP program.