Overview
- The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period, which opened Oct. 15, runs through Dec. 7 and lets people with Medicare change Advantage plans or Part D drug coverage for changes that generally take effect Jan. 1, 2027.
- Private insurers have sharply reduced Medicare Advantage offerings, producing historic forced disenrollment and leaving some counties and states with few or no local MA or Part D options.
- The federal Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration is ending at year‑end and a $2,400 annual out‑of‑pocket cap for covered Part D drugs is set for 2027, a shift that experts say will change premiums, deductibles, and out‑of‑pocket exposure.
- Medicare will expand coverage for GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs and launch a new chronic care program to connect patients with in‑home providers, changes that will alter benefit access as costs shift next year.
- Beneficiaries should read their Annual Notice of Change, compare plans on Medicare.gov or with SHIP counselors, act during the enrollment window to avoid coverage gaps, and be alert to scams that target seniors.