Start with the fall dates
Medicare Annual Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, for coverage starting January 1, 2027. You may also hear it called AEP or Medicare Open Enrollment. This is a time to review your health and drug coverage. It is not the initial window for signing up for Part B.
Start with your current plan, even if you like it. Your needs may stay the same while the plan changes. A drug can move to a different cost level. A pharmacy may cost more. A doctor may leave a network. Do not assume that this year's experience tells you what next year's coverage will be.
Use the AEP and Medicare Advantage OEP calendar to keep the review window in view. Confirm your own enrollment and coverage dates with Medicare and the plan. A printed calendar is a reminder, not proof that a change has been accepted.
What you can change
During AEP, you can join, switch, or drop Medicare Advantage or Part D drug coverage, subject to the rules for the coverage you choose. You can also move between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage. Before acting, ask Medicare how your proposed change affects your health and drug coverage together.
Medigap, also called Medicare Supplement insurance, follows separate rules. Leaving an Advantage plan does not by itself guarantee that a Medigap company will accept you. Check any rights that apply to your situation before you cancel coverage. Ask your state insurance department or Medicare about protections that may apply.
Think of enrollment as a coverage decision, not just a shopping task. Ask where you can receive care, how drugs are covered, and what happens if your health changes. Keep written answers for the plan you are considering. A helpful sales summary does not replace the plan's coverage documents.
Read the notice your plan sends
Your Annual Notice of Change, or ANOC, explains changes in costs and coverage for the coming year. If you cannot find it, ask the plan for a copy. Read it with the Evidence of Coverage, which gives more detail about benefits and rules.
Use the ANOC changes worksheet to put the current and coming year side by side. Write down what changed and what you still need to ask. The worksheet flags differences; it does not tell you which plan is best.
Look beyond the monthly premium. Review deductibles, office visit costs, hospital costs, drug coverage, and any rules for getting care approved. Check whether benefits you use have changed. Do not copy old numbers into a comparison for a new coverage year.
If a benefit sounds unclear, turn it into a direct question. Ask whether your service is covered, which providers you may use, and whether the plan must approve it first. Record where the answer came from so you can find it again.
Build a personal review checklist
- List your doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, and other care providers.
- List each drug, its dose, and how often you fill it.
- Read your ANOC and note changes that affect you.
- Check providers with the plan and with the provider's office.
- Check drug coverage and pharmacy prices with the plan.
- Compare costs using documents for the coming coverage year.
- Ask about Medigap rights before a move to Original Medicare.
- Save the enrollment confirmation and confirm the start date.
Bring the list to any plan discussion. If you help a parent or spouse, ask what care matters most to them. A plan that looks good on paper may be a poor fit if it makes their regular care harder to reach.
Compare the whole year’s costs
The annual-cost comparison worksheet lets you enter your own plan premiums and expected spending. Use figures for the same coverage year. Include medical and drug spending, while keeping their limits separate. Do not add a deductible again if it is already included in your spending estimate.
A low premium does not mean low total costs. Expected spending is also different from a spending limit. A limit-based scenario is not a promise that every bill fits under that amount. Uncovered services, drugs, or care outside a network may add costs.
Make notes about uncertainty. If you do not know whether a drug is covered, leave yourself a question rather than entering a guessed cost. Use the comparison to guide calls to the plan. The tool does not rank plans or choose coverage for you.
Finish carefully and keep proof
Submit a change early enough to resolve problems before the deadline. The request needs to reach the plan by the deadline. Save the confirmation, the plan name, and the coverage start date. Check any cards or notices you receive against the change you requested.
If you decide to stay with your current plan, keep your review notes anyway. They can help you check a bill or drug cost later. If you miss AEP, ask Medicare whether another enrollment period applies. Do not assume that every later window allows the same changes.
Return to the free enrollment calendar when planning follow-up. Keep private health and identity details out of shared worksheets. These guides help you prepare questions; Medicare and your plan can confirm the rules for your own situation.
Frequently asked questions
When is AEP for 2027 coverage?
It runs October 15 through December 7, 2026. Changes made during that window generally start January 1, 2027. Confirm acceptance and your effective date with the plan.
Does AEP guarantee that I can obtain Medigap?
No. Medigap has separate enrollment rights and protections. Check your situation before leaving a plan or assuming a supplement will be available.
Should I switch if my premium stays the same?
Review your drugs, providers, and other costs first. An unchanged premium does not mean the rest of the coverage is unchanged.