Medicare Annual Enrollment Runs October 15 to December 7; Changes Take Effect January 1, 2027
Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period for 2027 coverage opened on October 15 and runs through December 7. During the window, beneficiaries can review and change their Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug coverage; any change takes effect on January 1, 2027, and only the last choice submitted by December 7 counts.
Because plans revise their premiums, drug formularies, provider networks and benefits every year, a plan that fit last year may not fit this year. Guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) advises beneficiaries to check whether their regular prescriptions remain covered, whether their doctors are still in network, and how annual out-of-pocket limits have changed.
Under CMS's 2027 final rule for Medicare Advantage and Part D, the Star Ratings system dropped eleven quality measures and restored a general reward factor, and a provider's departure from a plan network can now trigger a special enrollment period, giving affected beneficiaries a chance to switch outside the annual window.
The fall enrollment period is the one regular window each year to change these plans; those who miss it generally must wait for the next cycle or qualify for a special enrollment period.
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 联邦医保卡样本。图：medicare.gov／Wikimedia Commons，公共领域。Sample U.S. Medicare card. Source: medicare.gov / Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
