How to Compare Medicare Plans During Open Enrollment

To compare Medicare plans, read what your current plan is changing, then use the official Medicare Plan Finder to check your drugs, doctors and yearly costs side by side. Open Enrollment runs from October 15 to December 7, and changes start January 1, so a plan must get your request by December 7, 2026. If you’re happy with your coverage, you don’t need to do anything, because it continues automatically.

This guide explains the process, not which plan is right for you. Check the official site for your situation, or get free one-to-one help from your local SHIP (see Step 7).

What you need

• Your Annual Notice of Change letter and any other 2027 notices from your current plan
• A list of every prescription drug you take regularly, with doses
• Your preferred pharmacies
• The names of your doctors, specialists and hospitals
• Your Medicare card, which shows your Medicare Number and your Part A and Part B start dates
• Details of any other coverage, such as from an employer or union

Steps

During Open Enrollment you can make any of these changes:

• Join, drop or switch to another Medicare Advantage Plan, with or without drug coverage
• Join, drop or switch to another Medicare drug plan if you have Original Medicare
• Move from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan, or the other way round

If you have a Medigap policy, take extra care. Medicare warns that if you drop Medigap to join a Medicare Advantage Plan, you may not be able to get the same policy back later, depending on your state’s rules and your situation.

Start with your Annual Notice of Change letter, which shows how your plan’s costs and benefits may change in 2027. Any changes begin on January 1 even if you stay put, so last year’s premium and drug coverage may not carry over. Note anything that affects you, such as a higher premium, a drug that’s no longer covered or a doctor leaving the network.

Go to Medicare.gov/plan-compare to see the plans in your area. Medicare says to add all the drugs you take regularly, because that gives the most accurate monthly and yearly cost estimate for each plan. Add your preferred pharmacies too, because the tool shows coverage and costs for them.

You can also use the tool to compare your current coverage with 2027 options, which makes it easier to tell whether a switch is worth it.

A low premium can hide higher costs elsewhere. Medicare suggests reviewing monthly premiums, deductibles and the estimated yearly cost of your drugs together. The Plan Finder also estimates total out-of-pocket costs, so use that figure to line plans up.

Run the comparison again if your prescriptions have changed. Your plan’s price for some drugs may also shift, because prices for the next 15 drugs Medicare negotiated take effect on January 1, 2027. Ask your plan how those prices might affect you.

Search for your doctors and other providers in the Plan Finder to see if they’re in network. Then call their offices, since Medicare also advises asking your doctors and pharmacies directly whether they’re in a plan’s network.

Before you decide, check these as well:

• Extra benefits: whether the plan includes the ones that matter to you
• Travel: whether you’re covered in another state if you live there part of the year
• Other coverage: speak to your benefits administrator first if you have employer or union coverage
• Quality: Medicare uses star ratings from 1 to 5 to help you compare plans on quality and performance

If you switch from a Medicare Advantage Plan to Original Medicare, you may need to join a separate drug plan. Don’t let your drug coverage lapse by accident. Going 63 days or more in a row without Medicare drug coverage or other creditable coverage can lead to a late enrollment penalty, which is permanently added to your premium.

Your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program offers free personalized counseling, and SHIPs aren’t connected to any insurance company or health plan. Find your local number at shiphelp.org. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), or 1-877-486-2048 for TTY users. The line is open 24 hours a day, including weekends.

There are three ways to join a plan:

1. Select Enroll for the plan you want at Medicare.gov/plan-compare.
2. Contact the plan by phone or through its website. You can also ask for a paper form, but the plan must get it before your enrollment period ends.
3. Call 1-800-MEDICARE.

If you’re switching drug plans, you don’t need to cancel your old one. Your old drug coverage ends when the new coverage begins, and your new plan should send a letter confirming the date. Keep that letter and any confirmation you receive.

Tips

• Don’t leave a mailed form until the last week. The deadline is when the plan gets your form, not when you post it.
• Review every year, even if nothing seems wrong. Your plan’s costs and benefits can change for the new year.
• See if you qualify for cost help. Extra Help assists people with limited income and resources with Part D costs. Medicare says you should still apply even if you don’t think you qualify, and you can apply at any time for free.
• Note your new login options. Medicare.gov now offers ID.me, CLEAR and Login.gov as ways to sign in.

Troubleshooting

• You can’t find your Annual Notice of Change. Call your plan and ask for a copy, or look for 2027 plan details on its website.
• A drug doesn’t appear on a plan’s list. Check the spelling and dose you entered, then call the plan to confirm before enrolling.
• The plan and your doctor’s office disagree about the network. Ask the plan to confirm in writing, or call a SHIP counselor for help.
• You missed December 7. See the FAQ below, because you may still have a way to change.

FAQ

What happens if I do nothing during Open Enrollment?

If your plan is still offered, your coverage continues automatically, and any changes to its costs or benefits start on January 1.

Can I change plans after December 7?

Sometimes. If you’re in a Medicare Advantage Plan, you can make one change between January 1 and March 31: switch to another Medicare Advantage Plan, or go back to Original Medicare and join a drug plan. This doesn’t let you move from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage. If a 5-star plan serves your area, you can also join it once between December 8 and November 30 of the plan year.

When does a new plan start?

If you switch during Open Enrollment, your new coverage begins on January 1.

Does the Plan Finder cost anything?

No. It’s a free government tool at Medicare.gov. SHIP counseling is free too, and neither is tied to an insurance company.

Is this the same as Marketplace Open Enrollment?

No. Medicare has its own dates and tools. If you’re not on Medicare, see how to enroll in Marketplace health insurance instead.

Conclusion

Read your plan’s 2027 changes first, then enter your drugs, pharmacies and doctors in the Plan Finder and compare total yearly cost rather than the premium alone. Pause over any move that affects Medigap or drug coverage, and call a SHIP counselor if you’re unsure. If you decide to switch, make sure the plan has your request by December 7, 2026.