Medicare Basics
Medicare open enrollment for 2026 runs from October 15 to December 7, 2026. Any change you make during this window takes effect January 1, 2027. If you're happy with your current plan, you don't have to do anything. If you want to switch, this is the main window of the year to do it.
Here are the dates that matter, what you can and can't change, and what's new for 2027.
Key Dates at a Glance
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| By September 30, 2026 | Your plan mails its Annual Notice of Change (ANOC). This letter lists what's changing in your plan for 2027. |
| October 1, 2026 | Plans can start sharing details about their 2027 benefits, and Medicare.gov's Plan Finder shows 2027 plans. |
| October 15, 2026 | Medicare Open Enrollment begins. |
| December 7, 2026 | Medicare Open Enrollment ends. Your plan must receive your request by this date. |
| January 1, 2027 | New coverage starts. |
| January 1 to March 31, 2027 | Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment. If you're in a Medicare Advantage plan and change your mind, this is your second chance (details below). |
What You Can Do During Medicare Open Enrollment
The fall window (officially the Annual Enrollment Period, or AEP) is for people who already have Medicare Part A and Part B. During it, you can:
- Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another, with or without drug coverage.
- Move from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan.
- Move from a Medicare Advantage plan back to Original Medicare.
- Join a Part D prescription drug plan if you're on Original Medicare.
- Switch from one Part D plan to another.
- Drop Part D coverage entirely (a late penalty may apply if you rejoin later without other drug coverage).
You can make more than one change during the window. The last request your plan receives by December 7 is the one that counts.
What Open Enrollment Doesn't Cover
Two things people often get wrong:
- Medigap isn't tied to this window.
- You can apply for a Medicare Supplement plan any time of year. The catch is that outside your own six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period (which starts when you first have Part B at 65 or older), insurers in Texas can usually ask health questions and may charge more or decline you. If you're thinking about moving from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare and adding Medigap, check whether you'd be accepted before you drop your Advantage plan.
- Signing up for Part A and Part B for the first time isn't this window either.
- That happens during your Initial Enrollment Period around your 65th birthday, or during the General Enrollment Period (January 1 to March 31) if you missed it. The General Enrollment Period has the same dates as Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment, but they're two different things for two different groups of people.
What's New for 2027 Plans
A few program-wide changes apply to every plan next year:
- The Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400.
- In 2026, the most you pay out of pocket for covered prescriptions is $2,100. For 2027, it's $2,400. Once you reach it, you pay nothing for covered drugs for the rest of the year.
- The Part D deductible can be up to $700.
- That's the most a drug plan can charge as a deductible in 2027, up from $615. Many plans charge less.
- The Medicare Advantage out-of-pocket limit can be up to $9,850.
- That's the highest in-network cap a plan can set for 2027, up from $9,250. Plans can set lower limits, and many do.
- The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan continues.
- This option lets you spread your drug costs across monthly payments instead of paying all at once at the pharmacy. You opt in through your Part D or Medicare Advantage plan.
- Fewer stand-alone drug plans.
- The number of stand-alone Part D plans has dropped again for 2027, and some have raised premiums. If you have a separate drug plan, compare it even if nothing else in your life changed.
The 2027 Part B premium and deductible are announced by Medicare in the fall, usually in November. They apply to everyone regardless of plan.
Read Your Annual Notice of Change
Your ANOC is the single most useful document for open enrollment. It should have arrived by September 30. It covers changes to:
- Your monthly premium.
- Your deductible, copays, and coinsurance.
- Your plan's out-of-pocket maximum.
- Which drugs are covered and on which tier.
- Which doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies are in the network.
- Extra benefits, like dental, vision, hearing, or over-the-counter allowances.
If you can't find it, call your plan and ask for another copy. Our licensed agents can also read through it with you, in your own language if you'd prefer.
A Simple Checklist Before You Decide
Even if you plan to stay put, run through this list once:
Your doctors.
Are your primary care doctor and your specialists still in the network for 2027?
Your hospital.
Is the hospital you'd want to use still in network?
Your prescriptions.
Is every medication you take still covered? Did any move to a higher tier or get a new restriction?
Your pharmacy.
Is your usual pharmacy still a preferred (lower-cost) pharmacy in the plan?
Your costs.
What's the 2027 premium, deductible, and out-of-pocket maximum?
Extra benefits.
Did dental, vision, hearing, transportation, or fitness benefits change?
Star rating.
Medicare rates plans from 1 to 5 stars for quality and service. Check your plan's 2027 rating on Medicare.gov.
If every answer is fine, you're done. If one isn't, it's worth comparing. Our Medicare calculator can help you put rough numbers on it.
If You Miss the December 7 Deadline
- If you're in a Medicare Advantage plan:
- You get one more chance. From January 1 to March 31, 2027, you can switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan, or drop your plan and go back to Original Medicare (and add a Part D plan). You can only make one change during this window.
- If you're on Original Medicare:
- You generally can't join a Medicare Advantage plan or change Part D plans until the next fall, unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. Special Enrollment Periods are triggered by life events like moving out of your plan's service area, losing employer coverage, qualifying for Medicaid or Extra Help, or your plan leaving Medicare. The timing depends on the event.
- 5-star plans:
- If a plan in your area has a 5-star rating, you can switch to it once between December 8 and November 30 of the following year.
A Note for Houston
Plan availability depends on your county. Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, and Brazoria counties each have their own mix of plans and networks, so a plan that works for a friend across town might not include your doctor. Checking your own doctors and hospital against your own county's list is the step that matters most.
Our office is on Westheimer, and home visits are available if getting to the office is hard. Our agents speak 17 languages, including Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Spanish, Hindi, Urdu, Arabic, Korean, and ASL.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
When is Medicare open enrollment 2026?
October 15 to December 7, 2026. Changes take effect January 1, 2027.
Do I have to do anything during open enrollment if I like my plan?
No. If you don't make a change, your current plan renews automatically for 2027, as long as the plan is still offered in your area. Read your Annual Notice of Change to confirm nothing important changed.
Can I change my Medicare Advantage plan after December 7?
Yes, once. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 to March 31, 2027. You can switch to another Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare. This window is only for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan.
Can I switch from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare during open enrollment?
Yes. You can drop your Medicare Advantage plan, return to Original Medicare, and add a Part D plan. If you also want a Medigap plan, check whether you'd be accepted first, since Medigap insurers in Texas can ask health questions outside your initial Medigap window.
When can I look at 2027 Medicare Advantage plans?
Plans can share their 2027 details starting October 1, 2026, and Medicare.gov's Plan Finder shows them from that date. You can't enroll until October 15.
Talk It Through with a Local Agent
If you'd like a second set of eyes on your Annual Notice of Change, or want to compare your plan against what's available in your county for 2027, the licensed agents at Clutch City Insurance can do that with you. There's no cost and no pressure, and if your current plan is still the right fit, we'll tell you so.
Call 713-870-5044, Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 5pm, or contact us online. Our agents speak 17 languages, and home visits are available across the Houston area.
Disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes and isn't a recommendation of any specific plan. Clutch City Insurance isn't affiliated with the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. For a full list of your options, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).