Medicare Open Enrollment Runs to Dec. 7: CMS Projects Average Medicare Advantage Premium to Fall to $12 a Month in 2027
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has projected that the enrollment-weighted average monthly premium for Medicare Advantage plans will fall from $14.37 in 2026 to $12.00 in 2027, a decline of 16.5 percent. The projection was released ahead of the annual open enrollment period, which opened on October 15 and runs through December 7, 2026; changes made during the window take effect on January 1, 2027.
In its September 28 outlook, CMS said the average premium for the prescription drug coverage built into Medicare Advantage plans, after rebates, is projected to drop from $11.32 to $7.00 a month, down 38 percent. The average premium for stand-alone Part D drug plans paired with Original Medicare is projected to edge up by less than a dollar, from $35.09 to $36.00. CMS said there is broad pricing stability across the Part D market: 93 percent of non-low-income beneficiaries will be able to get an enhanced Part D plan for less than $6 a month, and 88 percent will have access to a basic plan for $10.30 or less.
The number of Medicare Advantage plans offered nationally is expected to ease from 5,553 in 2026 to about 5,532 in 2027, while projected enrollment holds at about 34 million people, roughly 47.4 percent of everyone on Medicare; CMS noted that plan projections have historically underestimated actual enrollment. More than 99 percent of beneficiaries will have access to at least one Medicare Advantage plan, 97 percent will have 10 or more choices, and about eight in 10 Medicare Advantage members will be able to stay in their current plan at the same or a lower premium. Supplemental benefits such as hearing, dental and vision are expected to remain broadly stable.
CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz said the agency is working to keep high-quality care options affordable and accessible for the millions of beneficiaries who rely on Medicare Advantage and Part D plans. CMS cautioned that the figures are national average projections, and that an individual's premium, deductible, drug list and provider network vary by county and plan. Beneficiaries are advised to review the Annual Notice of Change mailed by their plan, compare local plans with the Plan Compare tool at Medicare.gov, or call 1-800-MEDICARE. Those whose current plan still meets their needs do not need to take any action; their coverage continues automatically.
Source: GSM · USA
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 美国卫生与公众服务部总部（华盛顿），联邦医保与医疗服务中心隶属该部。（图：G. Edward Johnson／Wikimedia Commons，CC BY 4.0）|Headquarters of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, which oversees CMS. (Photo: G. Edward Johnson / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0)
