Medicare open enrollment for 2027: dates and what to check
Open enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, 2026, and a plan you choose starts January 1, 2027. 732 Medicare Advantage plans (2,391,523 members in September 2026) and 32 stand-alone drug plans (1,182,209 members) offered in 2026 are not offered in 2027, so start with your plan's 2027 status.
When can you change your plan?
- October 15 to December 7, 2026
- Join, drop or switch a Medicare Advantage or drug plan. Coverage starts January 1, 2027.
- January 1 to March 31, 2027
- If you are in a Medicare Advantage plan: switch once, to another Medicare Advantage plan or to Original Medicare.
- December 8, 2026 to the end of February 2027
- If your plan is leaving Medicare: a special period to choose another plan, with coverage from the first of the next month; choose by December 31 to have no gap.
Source: Medicare.gov, “Joining a plan” and “Special enrollment periods” (read Oct. 7, 2026).
What should you check, and in what order?
- Is your plan ending? Look up its ID; a plan that ends carries a “Not offered in 2027” stamp.
- What changed? Compare the premium, the out-of-pocket limit and your copays for 2026 and 2027.
- Are your drugs covered? Check each drug's tier on the plan's formulary.
- What else is sold in your county? Every county page lists the 2027 plans by premium.
What else should you check?
- Look up your planRenews, folds or ends
- Plans not offered in 2027764 plans