Medicare Open Enrollment Ends December 7: A 7-Step Checklist

Plans change their premiums, networks and drug lists every year. Even if you liked your coverage in 2026, it may not work the same way in 2027. Most people only need 30 to 60 minutes to check, and the steps below keep it simple.

1. Read your Annual Notice of Change

If you have a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, your plan mails an Annual Notice of Change by September 30. It lists next year's changes to premiums, deductibles, copays, provider network and covered drugs.

Look for three things first: whether your monthly premium is going up, whether your doctors are still in network, and whether any of your drugs moved to a higher cost tier or were dropped.

2. Write down your doctors and prescriptions

Make a short list of every doctor, specialist, hospital and pharmacy you use, and every prescription with its dose. This list is what you will check each plan against, and it makes a call with an agent or counselor much faster.

• ✓ Doctors and specialists you want to keep
• ✓ Preferred pharmacy, or mail order
• ✓ Each prescription, its dose and how often you take it

3. Compare total yearly cost, not just the premium

A $0 premium plan is not always the cheapest. Add up the yearly premium, the deductible, the copays you expect for your usual visits, and your drug costs. Medicare Advantage plans also have a maximum out-of-pocket limit, the most you pay in a year for covered medical services.

Medicare's Plan Finder estimates yearly drug and premium costs for the plans in your ZIP code and shows each plan's star rating from 1 to 5.

4. Decide between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage

Open Enrollment also lets you move between these two ways of getting Medicare. Tap each option to see how they differ.

One caution: if you leave Medicare Advantage for Original Medicare, in most states a Medigap insurer can ask health questions and may turn you down, except in certain protected situations. Check this before you switch.

5. Check your drug costs and the help available

Part D now has a yearly cap on what you pay out of pocket for covered drugs. The cap was $2,100 in 2026 and is adjusted each year. The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan also lets you spread those costs into monthly payments instead of paying at the pharmacy.

If your income and savings are limited, Extra Help can lower your premiums, deductibles and copays for drugs. You can apply through Social Security at any time of year.

6. Know what happens if you do nothing

If your current plan is still offered next year, you generally stay in it automatically. That is fine if the Annual Notice of Change shows nothing that hurts you. If your plan is ending, it will send a notice explaining your options and the deadline to choose a new one.

7. Get free help before you decide

You do not have to do this alone. Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) offers free, unbiased counseling. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE, or speak with a licensed agent who can compare plans from the companies they represent.

Missed December 7? Your next chances

If you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1 to March 31 lets you make one change: switch to another Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare and add a drug plan. Some life events, such as moving or losing other coverage, also open a Special Enrollment Period.

Frequently asked questions