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Medicare Open Enrollment for 2027 is upon us, and early indicators point to possible changes and price increases in health and prescription plans for next year.
Every year, Medicare gives beneficiaries a window of opportunity to shop around and determine if their current Medicare plan is still the best one for them. During Medicare’ s Open Enrollment Period, which runs from October 15 to December 7, 2026, beneficiaries can freely enroll in or switch plans, with changes taking effect January 1, 2027.
During this period, you may enroll in a Medicare Part D( prescription drug) plan or, if you currently have a plan, you may change plans. In addition, during the seven-week period you can return to traditional Medicare( Parts A and B) from a Medicare Advantage( Part C, managed care) plan, enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan, or change Advantage plans.
Beneficiaries can go to www. medicare. gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE( 1-800-633-4227) to make changes in their Medicare prescription drug and health plan coverage.
Few Medicare beneficiaries take advantage of Open Enrollment, but for those who do, many end up lowering their costs. Even beneficiaries who have been satisfied with their plans in 2026 should review their choices for 2027, as both premiums and plan coverage can fluctuate from year to year. For example:
• Are the doctors you use still part of your Medicare Advantage plan’ s provider network?
• Have any of the prescriptions you take been dropped from your prescription plan’ s list of covered drugs( the“ formulary”)?
• What are your total out-of-pocket costs?
• Could you save money with the same coverage by switching to a different plan?
For answers to questions like these, carefully look over the plan’ s“ Annual Notice of Change” letter to you. Prescription drug plans can change their premiums, deductibles, the list of drugs they cover, and their plan rules for covered drugs, exceptions, and appeals. Medicare Advantage plans can change their benefit packages, as well as their provider networks. Notably, a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services( CMS) final rule was issued in April 2026 to update quality ratings, streamline enrollment, and implement key prescription drug provisions— so it’ s worth comparing plans carefully rather than assuming last year’ s star rating still tells the full story.
Remember that fraud perpetrators will inevitably use the Open Enrollment Period to try to gain access to individuals’ personal financial information. Medicare beneficiaries should never give their personal information out to anyone making unsolicited phone calls selling Medicare-related products or services or showing up on their doorstep uninvited. If you think you’ ve been a victim of fraud or identity theft, contact Medicare.
Here are more resources for navigating the Open Enrollment Period:
• Medicare Plan Finder, which helps you find a plan to match your needs: www. medicare. gov / plan-compare
• Medicare coverage options: www. medicare. gov / plancompare /#/ coverage-options
• The 2027 Medicare & You handbook, which all Medicare beneficiaries should have received. The handbook can also be downloaded online at: www. medicare. gov / publications / search? keywords = 10050
• The Medicare Rights Center: www. medicareinteractive. org
• Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program( SHIP), which offers independent counseling: www. shiphelp. org
In conjunction with evaluating your Medicare plan, the end of the year is also a perfect time to consider whether your estate plan needs to be updated, or if you don’ t have one, think about starting the process now with one of our experienced attorneys.
Zacharia Brown & Bratkovich is an Estate Planning and Elder Law firm that focuses on helping individuals and families as they progress through the different stages of their lives. We counsel clients on estate planning, asset protection, special needs trusts, planning and paying for long-term care, Medicaid and Veteran’ s benefits and estate administration. Call 724.942.6200 or visit ZacBrownLaw. com to start the conversation.
Carrie is an Associate Attorney at Zacharia Brown & Bratkovich and also serves as the firm’ s Chief Marketing Officer & Director of Human Resources. She provides counsel to clients on Estate Planning and probate. Zacharia Brown & Bratkovich is an estate planning an elder law firm that helps individuals and families as they progress through the different stages of their lives, focusing on estate planning and asset protection, planning for long-term care, special needs planning, guardianships, Medicaid, Veteran’ s benefits and probate. Office locations include McMurray, Murrysville and Cranberry. Contact information – Phone: 724.942.6200. Website: www. zacbrownlaw. com Email: carrie @ zacbrownlaw. com
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