For 2027 Medicare coverage, compare more than monthly plan premiums. Review your plan's Annual Notice of Change, expected doctor visits, prescriptions, provider network, and out-of-pocket limit. Medicare's fall Open Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, with changes generally taking effect January 1, 2027.
Your Medicare plan may have a similar premium next year but a different network, prescription-drug arrangement or out-of-pocket cost. Before you keep or switch coverage for 2027, compare the cost of the care you expect to use—not just the monthly premium. Medicare’s Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) tells current plan members what will change in January. It is normally sent in September; contact your plan if you did not receive it.
Start with the plan you already have
Medicare’s annual Open Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7. Changes selected during that period generally take effect January 1. You can switch Medicare Advantage plans, change Part D plans, or change between Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare, subject to the rules for the coverage you want. If your current plan still fits after reviewing the changes, you generally do not need to take action to keep it. But not checking is different from making an informed decision.
Use the ANOC and the upcoming year’s Evidence of Coverage or plan documents to identify the actual changes. Check the premium, deductible, doctor and hospital network, specialist costs, prescription formulary and pharmacy terms, and any prior-authorization requirements. Confirm that your preferred clinicians and pharmacies will participate next year; do not rely only on this year’s experience.
Compare two scenarios, not just two premiums
Here is an invented illustration—not a quote from an actual Medicare plan. Assume two Medicare Advantage options with different plan premiums and copayments for the same expected visits. The Part B premium is excluded from the table because it is assumed to be the same for this person in both options. Drug costs, other services and possible out-of-network charges are also excluded.
| Illustrative item | Plan A | Plan B |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly plan premium | $0 | $35 |
| Six specialist visits at listed copay | 6 × $50 = $300 | 6 × $20 = $120 |
| Four primary-care visits at listed copay | 4 × $20 = $80 | 4 × $0 = $0 |
| Premiums plus those visits for a year | $380 | $540 |
Plan B’s specialist visits cost $180 less in this example, but its $420 annual premium means the selected costs total $540 rather than $380. For these assumptions, Plan A is $160 cheaper. That does not establish which plan is better overall: different drugs, hospital care, therapy, referrals or provider networks could reverse the comparison. Recalculate with your own expected use, including a higher-use scenario.
The out-of-pocket limit is not a premium cap
A Medicare Advantage plan has a yearly out-of-pocket limit for covered Medicare services, and the amount can vary by plan. Medicare’s official cost guidance explains that you generally keep paying your Part B premium even when an Advantage plan advertises a $0 plan premium. The limit is not a cap on every possible expense: review the plan’s definition of covered services, network limits, premiums, drug spending and exclusions separately.
If you are considering switching to Original Medicare, the comparison changes. Medicare explains that Original Medicare generally does not have an annual out-of-pocket limit unless you have other coverage, such as Medigap or Medicaid. A separate Part D plan may be needed for drug coverage. Medigap eligibility and pricing can be limited outside protected enrollment periods, so verify whether you can actually obtain the policy before leaving Medicare Advantage.
A five-minute comparison before December 7
Use Medicare’s official plan-finding route and your plan’s 2027 documents to compare: (1) premiums and deductibles; (2) expected routine visits and tests; (3) the specific medicines you take and preferred pharmacy; (4) your doctors and hospitals; and (5) a high-cost-care scenario, including the plan’s out-of-pocket maximum. If a key detail is unclear, contact the plan or Medicare before submitting an enrollment request.
The deadline for changes under the annual fall Open Enrollment is December 7, 2026, for coverage effective January 1, 2027. Some people qualify for other enrollment periods under separate rules; the fall deadline should not be treated as the only enrollment route for everyone. The official yearly Medicare review offers a practical companion to the comparison.
Prepared with AI assistance using official Medicare sources checked November 8, 2026. All plan premiums, visit costs and calculations in the table are hypothetical; the featured image is an original editorial illustration, not an actual Medicare document.
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