When is Medicare open enrollment for 2027 coverage?

Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) runs October 15 through December 7, 2026. Any change you make takes effect January 1, 2027. This is the window for switching Medicare Advantage plans, moving between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, and joining, switching, or dropping a Part D drug plan.

What can I change during the Annual Enrollment Period?

You can switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan or back, change from one Medicare Advantage plan to another, join a Part D prescription drug plan, switch Part D plans, or drop Part D coverage. You cannot use AEP to enroll in Medicare Part A or Part B for the first time; that happens in your Initial Enrollment Period or the General Enrollment Period.

My Medicare Advantage plan is ending in 2027. What happens if I do nothing?

If your plan is not renewing and you take no action, you return to Original Medicare on January 1, 2027, usually with no prescription drug coverage. You get a Special Enrollment Period from December 8, 2026 through the end of February 2027 to pick a new Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, and in most cases a guaranteed-issue right to buy certain Medigap policies within 63 days of losing your plan. Picking a new plan before December 7 avoids any gap.

What is the Part D out-of-pocket cap for 2027?

The annual cap on what you pay for covered Part D drugs rises to $2,400 in 2027, up from $2,100 in 2026. Once you hit it, covered drugs cost nothing for the rest of the year. The maximum Part D deductible also rises, from $615 to $700. Premiums do not count toward the cap.

How much will the Medicare Part B premium be in 2027?

CMS had not announced the official 2027 Part B premium as of early November 2026; it usually comes out in mid-November. The 2026 Medicare Trustees Report projected about $209.50 a month, up from $202.90 in 2026, with the deductible rising from $283 to roughly $292. We will update this guide when the official figure is published.

What if I miss the December 7 deadline?

If you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 through March 31, 2027 and allows one switch to another Medicare Advantage plan or back to Original Medicare with a Part D plan. People in Original Medicare cannot use that window. Outside those periods you need a Special Enrollment Period, such as moving, losing other coverage, or a plan leaving your area. A 5-star plan can be joined almost any time of year.

Is Medicare Advantage getting cheaper or more expensive in 2027?

Both, depending on where you live. CMS projects the average Medicare Advantage premium will fall to about $12 a month in 2027 from $14.37, and says nearly eight in ten enrollees can stay in their plan at an equal or lower premium. But insurers are exiting hundreds of counties, the average beneficiary has fewer plan choices (28 in 2027 versus 32 in 2026, per KFF), and roughly three million people need a new plan because theirs is ending.

I like my current plan. Do I need to do anything?

At minimum, read the Annual Notice of Change your plan mailed in September. Premiums, deductibles, drug tiers, provider networks, and extra benefits change every year even when the plan name stays the same. Confirm your doctors are still in network and your prescriptions are still covered at the same tier before you decide to stay put.

Medicare Open Enrollment for 2027: Dates, Deadlines & What's Changing

Quick Answer: Medicare enrollment for 2027 is open now

The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and anything you change starts January 1, 2027. You can switch Medicare Advantage plans, move between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, and join, switch, or drop a Part D drug plan. If your plan is ending, do not wait: choosing a replacement before December 7 is the only way to avoid a gap in drug coverage.

35 days left in the Annual Enrollment Period

Plan Finder on Medicare.gov shows every Medicare Advantage and Part D plan sold in your ZIP code for 2027, with your own drug list priced out. Free, unbiased one-on-one help is available from your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE. Health Insurance Network does not sell Medicare plans; this guide is here to help you read the mail you got and make a decision you will not regret in January.

Key Dates for 2027 Medicare Coverage

Window	Dates	Who it is for
Annual Enrollment Period (AEP)	October 15 to December 7, 2026 (open now)	Everyone on Medicare; changes start January 1
Plan-ending Special Enrollment Period	December 8, 2026 to February 28, 2027	People whose Medicare Advantage or Part D plan is not renewing
5-Star Special Enrollment Period	December 8, 2026 to November 30, 2027	One switch into a 5-star rated plan, if one serves your area
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period	January 1 to March 31, 2027	Medicare Advantage members only; one change allowed
General Enrollment Period (Parts A and B)	January 1 to March 31, 2027	People who missed their Initial Enrollment Period

What's Changing for 2027

Medicare Advantage: lower premiums, fewer choices

On the surface, 2027 looks calm. CMS's September 28, 2026 announcement projects the average Medicare Advantage premium will fall from $14.37 to about $12 a month, and says nearly eight in ten current enrollees can stay in their plan for the same premium or less. The number of plans nationwide barely moves, from 5,553 to about 5,532.

Underneath, the market is shifting. KFF's analysis of the CMS data finds the average beneficiary has 28 Medicare Advantage drug-plan options for 2027, down from 32, and that 193 counties will have no Medicare Advantage drug plan open to general enrollment, up from 123 this year, affecting about 638,000 people in 16 states. Health Care Service Corporation is leaving 498 counties, Centene roughly 350, UnitedHealthcare 228, and Humana 62, by KFF's count. Eleven insurers are exiting the individual Medicare Advantage market entirely, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas is ending all of its Medicare Advantage and Part D plans across about 227 counties. Estimates of how many people must pick a new plan range from 3.2 million to 3.8 million.

The practical point: a plan that was a good deal in 2026 may be gone, shrunk, or repriced in your county for 2027. The only way to know is to look.

Part D: the cap rises to $2,400

The annual out-of-pocket cap on covered prescription drugs rises from $2,100 to $2,400 in 2027, and the maximum deductible a plan can charge rises from $615 to $700, both set in CMS's rate announcement for 2027. After you reach the cap, covered drugs cost nothing for the rest of the year; premiums do not count toward it. CMS projects the average standalone Part D premium at about $36 a month (from $35.09), while the drug portion of Medicare Advantage plans drops to about $7. The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan, which spreads drug costs across the year in monthly installments, continues in 2027 and must be opted into each year.

Part B premium: official number due mid-November

As of early November 2026, CMS has not published the 2027 Part B premium, deductible, or the income brackets for IRMAA surcharges. The 2026 Medicare Trustees Report projected a standard premium of about $209.50 (from $202.90) and a deductible near $292 (from $283). IRMAA thresholds for 2027 are expected to land around $112,000 for single filers and $224,000 for joint filers, based on your 2025 tax return. Treat all of these as projections until CMS confirms them; we will update this page when it does.

Got a letter saying your plan is ending?

Plans that are not renewing mailed a non-renewal notice in October. If you do nothing, you land in Original Medicare on January 1 with no drug coverage, and the Part D late-enrollment penalty clock starts after 63 days without it. You have three protections:

Pick a replacement before December 7 and it starts January 1 with no gap.
A Special Enrollment Period through February 28, 2027 if you need more time, though coverage then starts the month after you enroll.
A guaranteed-issue right to buy certain Medigap plans within 63 days of losing your plan, with no health questions, if you want to go back to Original Medicare. This window is the one most people miss.

How to Compare Plans in About an Hour

Read your Annual Notice of Change. It arrived in September. Look for premium, deductible, maximum out-of-pocket, drug tier changes, and any benefit being dropped.
Build your drug list once. Name, dose, and how often. Enter it into Medicare.gov Plan Finder and it prices every plan in your ZIP code with your real prescriptions.
Check your doctors and hospital. Use the plan's own directory, then call the office to confirm. Directories are often out of date, and a network change is the most common reason people regret a switch.
Compare total yearly cost, not the premium. A $0 premium plan with a $9,000 maximum out-of-pocket can cost far more than a $40 plan with a $4,500 cap if you have a bad year. Add premium, expected drug costs, and the out-of-pocket limit.
Look at the star rating. Ratings of 4 or higher signal better customer service and care coordination. A 5-star plan can also be joined outside the normal windows.
Be careful with marketing calls. Medicare will never call you to sell a plan. Hang up on anyone asking for your Medicare number to "verify" something. Our guide to health insurance scams covers the current tactics.
Get free help if you want it. SHIP counselors are trained volunteers who do not sell anything, and 1-800-MEDICARE is open 24 hours a day during enrollment season.

Spouse or family member under 65?

Medicare covers one person, not a household. If your spouse is not yet 65, or you are retiring before Medicare kicks in, their coverage comes from the ACA marketplace, where Open Enrollment for 2027 is also open now through January 15, with a December 15 deadline for a January 1 start. Income-based subsidies often favor households where one person's earnings have dropped.

Get an Under-65 Quote Bridging coverage until Medicare