Medicare Open Enrollment: Key Dates, Deadlines, and Plan Changes for 2027

The dates, costs and deadlines to know before you keep, renew or switch your coverage.

Every fall, people with Medicare get a few weeks to look at their coverage and make changes. So do Californians who buy their own health insurance through Covered California. The two windows overlap, and each has its own deadline.

This year, several changes take effect on Jan. 1, 2027. Some of them affect what you pay at the pharmacy. Others affect how much help is available with monthly premiums.

You don’t have to change anything. But a plan that worked well this year may cost more, or cover your medicines differently, next year. Knowing the dates and the main changes makes it easier to decide whether to stay put or compare.

Medicare Open Enrollment runs Oct. 15 to Dec. 7

Medicare’s Open Enrollment runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, 2026 [1]. Any change you make takes effect on Jan. 1, 2027, as long as your new plan gets your request by Dec. 7.

During those weeks, you can:

• Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan, or from a Medicare Advantage plan back to Original Medicare.
• Join, drop or switch Medicare Advantage plans, with or without drug coverage.
• Join, drop or switch a Medicare drug plan, if you have Original Medicare.

Original Medicare is the traditional program run by the federal government. Medicare Advantage plans are offered by private companies approved by Medicare. Part D is the part of Medicare that covers prescription drugs.

If you’re already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one more chance after the new year. From Jan. 1 to March 31, you can switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare [1].

What changes for prescription drugs in 2027

Three changes in the drug benefit are worth knowing about.

The yearly cap on drug costs goes up. Medicare limits how much you pay out of pocket each year for covered Part D drugs. That cap is $2,100 in 2026. In 2027, it rises to $2,400 [2]. Once you reach the cap, you pay nothing more for covered Part D drugs for the rest of the year.

The deductible goes up too. The deductible is the amount you pay before your drug plan starts sharing the cost. The standard Part D deductible rises from $615 in 2026 to $700 in 2027 [3]. That’s the most a plan can charge, and some plans charge less.

A temporary program that held down some drug plan premiums ends. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is the federal agency that runs Medicare. It is ending a program that helped keep some Part D premiums lower. It stops at the end of 2026 [4]. Because of that, it’s worth checking what your drug plan will charge each month in 2027 before Dec. 7.

Prices for some drugs are changing too. Medicare negotiated lower prices with drug makers for 15 more medicines, and those prices take effect on Jan. 1, 2027 [5].

The list includes Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus, along with Trelegy Ellipta, Xtandi and Linzess. What you pay for any of them still depends on your plan.

What about Part B?

Part B is the part of Medicare that covers doctor visits, outpatient care and many tests. It has a monthly premium and a yearly deductible.

The 2027 Part B premium and deductible had not been announced when this issue went to press. In 2026, the standard premium is $202.90 a month and the yearly deductible is $283 [6]. Check Medicare.gov for the new amounts once they are announced.

Covered California runs Nov. 1 to Jan. 31

Covered California is the state’s health insurance marketplace. It serves Californians who buy their own coverage, including many people who aren’t yet old enough for Medicare.

Open enrollment runs from Nov. 1, 2026, to Jan. 31, 2027 [7]. The date that matters most is Dec. 31. Enroll by Dec. 31 for coverage that starts Jan. 1. If you enroll in January, your plan starts Feb. 1.

If you already have a Covered California plan, you can renew it or switch to a different one starting Oct. 1 [8].

Less federal help, more state help

For several years, extra federal tax credits lowered monthly premiums for many people. That extra help ended on Dec. 31, 2025 [9].

California is stepping in for some households. In 2027, state help with premiums reaches people with incomes up to 200% of the federal poverty level [10]. That’s $31,920 for one person, or $66,000 for a family of four.

Prices are also changing. Covered California’s proposed rates for 2027 rise 9.9% on average, a preliminary figure [10]. Your own price could go up, stay the same or go down, depending on your income, your plan and where you live.

What to do now

A little preparation before the deadlines can save money and stress.

• Mark Dec. 7 and Dec. 31 on your calendar. Dec. 7 is the Medicare deadline. Dec. 31 is the Covered California deadline for coverage that starts Jan. 1.
  
• Make a list of every prescription you take, with the dose, and keep it nearby when you compare plans.
  
• Compare Medicare plans side by side at Medicare.gov/plan-compare, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except some federal holidays [11].
  
• Ask for free, unbiased help if the choices feel like too much. California’s Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program, called HICAP, offers free one-on-one Medicare counseling at 1-800-434-0222 [12, 13]. For Covered California, call (800) 300-1506 or visit CoveredCA.com [7].

References

1. Joining a plan, Medicare.gov, https://www.medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare/get-more-coverage/joining-a-plan

2. Catastrophic coverage, Medicare.gov, https://www.medicare.gov/drug-coverage-part-d/costs-for-medicare-drug-coverage/catastrophic-coverage

3. Announcement of CY 2027 Medicare Advantage Capitation Rates and Part C and Part D Payment Policies, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, https://www.cms.gov/files/document/2027-announcement.pdf

4. Medicare Part D 2027 National Average Monthly Bid Amount Information, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/medicare-part-d-2027-national-average-monthly-bid-amount-information

5. Selected Drugs and Negotiated Prices, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, https://www.cms.gov/initiatives/medicare-prescription-drug-affordability/overview/medicare-drug-price-negotiation-program/selected-drugs-negotiated-prices

6. 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/2026-medicare-parts-b-premiums-deductibles

7. Open Enrollment, Covered California, https://www.coveredca.com/enrollment/open-enrollment

8. Covered California Announces Premium Change for 2027 Dental Plans, Covered California, https://www.coveredca.com/press-releases/2026/08/25/covered-california-announces-premium-change-for-2027-dental-plans-while-continuing-to-deliver-affordable-coverage-options

9. Important Changes, Covered California, https://www.coveredca.com/important-changes

10. Covered California Rates and Plans for 2027, Covered California, https://www.coveredca.com/press-releases/2026/07/21/covered-california-rates-and-plans-for-2027-california-continues-fight-for-health-insurance-affordability-and-access

11. Talk to Someone, Medicare.gov, https://www.medicare.gov/talk-to-someone

12. Medicare Counseling (HICAP), California Department of Aging, https://aging.ca.gov/Programs_and_Services/Medicare_Counseling/

13. Answers About Medicare, California Department of Aging, https://aging.ca.gov/Aging_Resources/Answers_About_Medicare/