Medicare Open Enrollment: October 15 to December 7
Every year, Medicare Open Enrollment runs from October 15 to December 7. During this time you can join, switch or drop a Medicare Advantage plan or a Part D prescription drug plan. Changes you make take effect on January 1, and the plan must receive your request by December 7. If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, there is a second window from January 1 to March 31 that lets you switch to another Medicare Advantage plan or go back to Original Medicare. The countdown at the top of this page counts the days to the next Open Enrollment using the date on your device.
If you are signing up for Medicare for the first time, a different window applies: the Initial Enrollment Period lasts 7 months. It starts 3 months before the month you turn 65, includes your birthday month and ends 3 months after. Special Enrollment Periods exist for certain life events, such as moving or losing other coverage.
Open Enrollment checklist, step by step
- Read your plan's Annual Notice of Change. If you have a Medicare Advantage or drug plan, the plan sends it each fall. It lists the changes to costs and coverage that start in January. If you did not get it, contact your plan (Medicare.gov).
- List your drugs, doctors and pharmacies. Write down each prescription with its dose, the doctors and hospitals you use and the pharmacy you prefer.
- Check them against your plan for next year. Make sure your drugs are still covered and your doctors are still in the plan's network.
- Compare plans on the Medicare Plan Finder. Enter your drugs at Medicare.gov/plan-compare to compare the total yearly cost of plans where you live: premiums, deductibles and what you would pay for your drugs, not only the premium.
- Check the extras you count on. Some Medicare Advantage plans cover dental, vision or hearing; benefits like these can change from year to year.
- Think twice before you drop a Medigap policy. If you have Medigap and switch to a Medicare Advantage plan, depending on your state's rules you may not be able to get the same Medigap policy back later.
- Get free help if you need it. Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) gives free one-on-one counseling and is not connected to any insurance company. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE.
- Make the change by December 7. Choose "Enroll" on the Plan Finder, contact the new plan or call 1-800-MEDICARE (Medicare.gov). Your new coverage starts January 1. Careful: if you are in a Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage and join a separate drug plan, in most cases you are dropped from the Advantage plan and returned to Original Medicare (Medicare.gov).
- If you are happy with your plan, you do not need to do anything. If it is still offered next year, you stay in it.
- Watch for scams. Medicare will never call you to sell you anything, and plans are not allowed to call and ask you to join. Do not join a plan over the phone unless you called and asked for help (Medicare.gov).
What Medicare costs in 2026
Most people pay no premium for Part A (hospital insurance). About 99% of people qualify for premium-free Part A because of their work history. For Part B (medical insurance), the 2026 standard premium is $202.90 a month and the yearly deductible is $283. The Part A deductible is $1,736 for each benefit period. Part D drug plans have a standard deductible of up to $615 in 2026 and a cap of $2,100 on what you pay out of pocket for covered drugs under the standard benefit. The tables on this page list the full set of amounts, with their official source.
What is known about 2027
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) already announced the 2027 Part D parameters: a standard deductible of up to $700 and an out-of-pocket cap of $2,400. The 2027 Part B premium and deductible have not been announced as of October 13, 2026. CMS announced the 2026 amounts on November 14, 2025, so the 2027 numbers are expected around November 2026. We will show the official figures here after the announcement. We do not publish forecasts or estimates in their place.
Why some people pay more: IRMAA
If your income is above a certain level, you pay an income-related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA) on top of the standard Part B premium, and an extra amount for Part D. For 2026 the first bracket applies when income is above $109,000 for a single filer or $218,000 for a married couple filing jointly. There are five income-related levels above the standard premium (six premium amounts in all), and the Part B premium ranges from $202.90 to $689.90 a month. Medicare generally uses the modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) on your tax return from two years earlier, so your 2026 premium is based mainly on your 2024 return. If your income dropped because of a life-changing event, such as retirement or marriage, you can ask Social Security to use a more recent year.
How Medicare costs affect your Social Security check
If you collect Social Security, the Part B premium is usually taken straight out of your monthly payment, so the amount deposited is lower than your benefit. The estimator on this page subtracts the standard or income-adjusted Part B premium from the benefit you enter. If you also pay the Part D income-related amount, it is usually withheld from your Social Security payment too, and plan premiums are not included, so your actual deposit can be lower. A cost-of-living adjustment raises your benefit, but a higher Part B premium can use up part of it. See the Social Security COLA page for the official history and the date of the 2027 announcement.
Getting help choosing a plan
CentDaily does not compare or recommend insurance plans or companies. For that, use the official Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov, or contact your state's SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) for free one-on-one counseling at shiphelp.org. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE.
Frequently asked questions
When is Medicare Open Enrollment?
Open Enrollment runs from October 15 to December 7 every year. Coverage changes start on January 1. People already in a Medicare Advantage plan can also make a change between January 1 and March 31.
What is the Medicare Part B premium?
The 2026 standard Part B premium is $202.90 a month, with a $283 yearly deductible. Higher-income people pay more, up to $689.90 a month. CMS has not yet announced the 2027 Part B amounts. They are expected around November 2026; last year's amounts were announced on November 14, 2025.
Is the Part D out-of-pocket cap changing in 2027?
Yes. CMS announced that the standard Part D out-of-pocket cap rises from $2,100 in 2026 to $2,400 in 2027, and the maximum standard deductible rises from $615 to $700. Individual plans can set lower deductibles, so check your own plan's details.
This page gives general information and estimates, not insurance, tax or financial advice, and it does not recommend any plan. Amounts come from the official CMS sources listed below and were last checked on October 13, 2026. If you are still working and saving, see the HSA calculator, since you cannot contribute to a Health Savings Account once you enroll in Medicare, and compare retirement savings in the IRA calculator.