Oct 15Open enrollment opens
Dec 7Last day to change for 2027
Jan 1, 2027New coverage starts
$202.902026 standard Part B premium
What Annual Enrollment is
From October 15 to December 7, anyone with Medicare can join, switch, or drop certain coverage for the following year. It is officially the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP). If you do nothing and your plan is still offered, your coverage normally continues, but your plan's costs and drug list can change every January, so a review is worth the time.
What you can change
| You can | This window does not |
|---|---|
| Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan | Remove a Part B late-enrollment penalty |
| Switch from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare | Guarantee you a Medigap policy (in most states insurers can use medical underwriting) |
| Move from one Medicare Advantage plan to another | Replace the General Enrollment Period (Jan 1 to Mar 31) for people signing up for Part B late |
| Join, switch, or drop a Part D drug plan | — |
Key dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Oct 15, 2026 | Annual Enrollment opens |
| Dec 7, 2026 | Annual Enrollment closes. Your last plan choice on or before this date is the one that counts. |
| Late November 2026 | SSA says your 2027 Medicare premium amount appears in your my Social Security message center. COLA notices arrive online or by mail in December. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | New plan coverage begins |
| Jan 1 to Mar 31, 2027 | Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: if you are in a Medicare Advantage plan you can make one change to another plan or return to Original Medicare (with a Part D plan) |
The 2027 Part B premium is not final yet. The 2026 standard premium is $202.90 and the deductible is $283. CMS usually announces the next year's premium and income-related brackets in November. One published projection put the 2027 premium near $209.50, but treat that as an estimate until CMS confirms it.
A 6-step checklist
- Read your Annual Notice of Change. Your current plan sends it in the fall. It lists 2027 premiums, deductibles, copays, and drug-list changes.
- List every prescription and check that each is still covered, at what tier, and that your pharmacy is in network.
- Check your doctors and hospitals if you have a Medicare Advantage plan with a network.
- Compare plans at Medicare.gov/plan-compare using your real medications. Judge total yearly cost (premium + deductible + expected copays), not the premium alone.
- Look at the out-of-pocket maximum and prior-authorization rules on Medicare Advantage plans.
- Enroll before December 7 and keep your confirmation number. Confirm your new card arrives before January 1.
Happy with your plan? If your Annual Notice of Change shows no problems for you, you generally do not need to take any action.
Beware of unsolicited calls. Open enrollment brings a wave of sales and scam calls. For free, unbiased help, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or find your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) at shiphelp.org.