Medicare Open Enrollment 2027: What Changed and How to Check Your Plan
Drug plan premiums are jumping in some areas, the out-of-pocket cap is rising to $2,400 and fewer plans are on offer. You have until December 7 to compare.
In this article 10 sections
Medicare open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs from October 15 to December 7, 2026. During that window you can switch Medicare Advantage plans, change drug plans, or move back to Original Medicare. This year deserves a real review, because drug plan premiums are rising in some areas and the number of plans is shrinking.
This guide is for people on Medicare and for adult children who help a parent with it. The Spectrum Post explains money and everyday policy questions in plain language, and this piece does that for the 2027 Medicare changes. We cover what changed, what it may cost, and a short checklist for comparing plans.
What Is Medicare Open Enrollment, and When Does It End?
Open enrollment is the yearly window when you can change your Medicare coverage. It runs from October 15 to December 7. Changes you make take effect on January 1.
During this window you can switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another, add or change a Part D drug plan, or leave Medicare Advantage for Original Medicare. Plans were required to send Annual Notices of Change by September 30. If you did not get yours, ask your plan for it, since it lists what is changing in your own coverage.
Do not skip the review because your plan worked last year. Plans change their premiums, drug lists and provider networks every year, and the notice is the only place that summary is spelled out for you.
How Much Are Part D Drug Plan Premiums Changing?
For many people, premiums change a little. For some, they jump a lot. According to a KOMO News report on the 2027 changes, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) projects the average standalone Part D premium will rise from $35.09 to $36 a month, yet some plans rise by as much as 200%.
One example from King County, Washington, shows the range. A popular plan went from $38.40 to $105.50 a month, about a 174% increase. The same report says no $0-premium Part D plans will be offered in 2027 in areas that had them in 2026.
The cause is policy. CMS ended the Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration after 2026, which had held down premiums with a temporary subsidy. Nationally, beneficiaries average nine standalone plans, down from 11.
What Does the New $2,400 Drug Cap Mean for You?
The yearly out-of-pocket cap on Part D drugs rises 14%, from $2,100 to $2,400. This is the most you pay for covered drugs in a year. Once you reach it, you pay nothing more for covered prescriptions until the year ends.
The maximum deductible also rises, from $615 to $700, though plans can charge less. The deductible is what you pay before the plan starts sharing costs. A plan with a lower deductible may charge a higher premium, so the math depends on how many prescriptions you take.
Here is a simple way to think about it. If you take only generic drugs, the cap may never matter to you. If you take one or more expensive brand-name drugs, the cap is your safety net, and the choice between plans can swing your yearly cost by hundreds of dollars.
Are There Fewer Medicare Advantage Plans in 2027?
Yes. Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) data cited in the same report shows beneficiaries average 35 Medicare Advantage plans in 2027, down from 39. In Alaska, there will be no Medicare Advantage plans at all, though CMS says over 99% of beneficiaries nationwide will still have at least one choice.
CMS projects the average Medicare Advantage premium will fall from $14.37 to $12 a month. Outliers exist, though. In King County, one plan rose from $38 to $55, an increase of 44%.
If your insurer leaves Medicare Advantage in your area and you do not choose a new plan, you will be moved to Original Medicare without drug coverage. That can trigger a Part D late-enrollment penalty. Read any letter that says your plan is ending, and act before December 7.
What Will Part B Cost in 2027?
The Medicare trustees project the standard Part B premium at $209.50 a month in 2027, up from $202.90. CMS usually announces the official figure in November. The Part B deductible is projected to rise from $283 to $292.
Higher earners pay more through the income-related monthly adjustment amount, known as IRMAA. In 2026 it applies to income above $109,000 for single filers and $218,000 for married couples filing jointly, and your 2025 tax return determines your 2027 amount.
The premium comes out of your Social Security check, so it eats into your cost-of-living raise. Our explainer on what the 2027 Social Security cost-of-living adjustment means shows how that raise is calculated and why Part B can take a bite out of it.
How Do You Compare Plans Step by Step?
Use the official Medicare tool and your own information. Follow these steps.
- Gather your Annual Notice of Change and a list of every drug you take, with doses.
- Go to the Medicare Plan Finder and enter your drugs and your pharmacy.
- Sort the results by lowest total yearly cost, not lowest premium.
- Check that your doctors and hospital are in the plan's network.
- Write down the top two choices, and read each plan's drug restrictions.
The steps above take about an hour, and they can save real money. A plan with a lower premium can cost more overall if it covers your drugs poorly.
Be careful about who helps you. KOMO's report quotes consumer group Checkbook advising people to be cautious about brokers, because commissions vary by insurer and brokers may not show every option. Free help is available from your state's health insurance assistance program.
Should You Stay in Medicare Advantage or Switch to Original Medicare?
Original Medicare is run by the federal government and lets you see any doctor who accepts it. Medicare Advantage is a package from a private insurer that replaces Original Medicare and often bundles drug coverage. Each has a different cost pattern, and neither is right for everyone.
Medicare Advantage tends to have lower monthly premiums and a limited network of doctors. Original Medicare has broader access, but you usually add a Part D drug plan and often a Medigap policy to cover gaps. Those add-ons carry their own premiums.
The timing of a switch matters. Leaving Medicare Advantage because your plan is terminated is a qualifying event that gives you guaranteed-issue rights for a Medigap policy. Otherwise, after more than 12 months in Medicare Advantage, most states do not guarantee you can buy Medigap, and you may face medical underwriting. In plain terms, a plan can turn you down because of your health.
That is why a switch from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare deserves care. Ask a state health insurance counselor to walk through your state's Medigap rules before you leave a plan.
What Mistakes Do People Make During Open Enrollment?
The most common mistake is doing nothing. Plans change every year, and a plan that was cheap in 2026 may be expensive in 2027. A quick check now costs an hour, while a bad match can cost a year.
The second mistake is comparing premiums only. A low premium with a high deductible and weak drug coverage can cost more than a mid-priced plan. Always compare total yearly cost for your actual prescriptions.
The third is skipping the pharmacy. Plans have preferred pharmacies with lower prices, and your usual drugstore may not be one of them. Enter the pharmacy you actually use into the plan finder.
The fourth is ignoring the network. If your doctor or hospital is out of network, you may pay more or lose access. Call the doctor's office and ask whether they accept the plan next year.
Saving for health costs is part of a bigger plan, and our piece on retirement savings limit changes covers how to build that cushion while you are still working.
What Else Is New in Medicare This Year?
Two other items came up in the report. First, a one-time $90 payment is going to more than 20 million Part B enrollees, funded by the Medicare Improvement Fund. You are not eligible if Medicaid pays your Part B premium, you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, or you pay IRMAA. The payment covers less than half a month's Part B premium and does not lower your ongoing premium.
Second, a bridge program for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs began July 1, 2026 and ends December 31, 2027. It charges $50 a month, requires specific health conditions and a prior authorization from your doctor, and the $50 does not count toward your deductible or out-of-pocket cap. Medicare has not said what comes after the bridge ends.
Premiums are rising across insurance, not just Medicare. Our look at why home insurance premiums keep climbing covers a similar pattern in another area of household spending.
Conclusion
Medicare open enrollment is the one window where you can fix a plan that no longer fits. This year the drug cap rises to $2,400, some Part D premiums jump, and there are fewer Medicare Advantage plans to pick from.
Your next step is to find your Annual Notice of Change, list your drugs and compare plans on the official tool before December 7. The Spectrum Post will keep tracking the official Part B figure when CMS announces it in November.
