Medicare Open Enrollment 2026: Dates and a Simple Plan-Review Checklist
Medicare Open Enrollment runs from October 15 through December 7 each year. It is the main annual window for people with Medicare to review health and drug coverage for the next year.
You do not have to change plans just because the window opens. You should review the plan you already have, because premiums, drug formularies, networks, copays, and covered benefits can change even when the plan name looks familiar.
What You Can Change During Open Enrollment
Depending on your current coverage, you may switch Medicare Advantage plans, move between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, or join, drop, or switch a Medicare drug plan. Changes made during this period generally take effect January 1.
This is different from the Health Insurance Marketplace. If you already have Medicare, the Marketplace open enrollment process is not the Medicare process. Our guide to canceling Marketplace coverage covers a separate system.
Start With Your Annual Notice of Change
If you are in a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, read the plan’s Annual Notice of Change. Look for changes to premiums, deductibles, copays, pharmacies, drug tiers, prior authorization rules, and extra benefits.
Do not compare only the monthly premium. A low premium can still be expensive if your regular medicines move to a higher tier or a doctor leaves the network.
Make a List of the Care You Actually Use
Write down your doctors, specialists, hospitals, prescriptions, preferred pharmacy, and any regular services. This turns plan comparison into a real-life question instead of a brochure contest.
A simple medical document organizer can keep notices and current medication lists together. If you track blood pressure at home, a validated upper-arm monitor may also be useful, but plan choice should still be based on coverage, not gadgets.
Check Prescription Drugs One by One
Drug coverage can be the quiet part that changes the total cost. Enter every prescription into Medicare’s plan comparison tools and check the pharmacy you actually use. Mail-order pricing and preferred pharmacies can also affect the result.
If a drug is no longer covered or moves tiers, ask what alternatives or exceptions may be available. Do not stop a medication because of a plan change without discussing it with the prescribing clinician.
Watch an Open Enrollment Overview
This 2026 Medicare education video from Stanford Health Care gives a useful overview of the annual decision period.
Use Medicare.gov for the Final Check
Medicare.gov says Open Enrollment is October 15 through December 7, with changes effective January 1 when the plan receives the request by the deadline. Use the official site to compare plans and confirm what actions are allowed for your current type of coverage.
If the comparison feels overwhelming, State Health Insurance Assistance Programs provide free, unbiased counseling. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE for official help.
Be Careful With Sales Calls
Open Enrollment brings a lot of advertising. Do not give a caller your Medicare number, Social Security number, banking information, or payment details just because the person knows your name or says a deadline is close.
For more practical consumer-safety reading, CatchWMW covers scams, digital safety, and money choices in plain language.
A Simple Review Order
First, read the Annual Notice of Change. Second, list your doctors and medicines. Third, compare the full yearly cost, not only the premium. Fourth, check networks and pharmacies directly. Fifth, save the confirmation if you make a change.
If your current plan still fits, keeping it may be reasonable. The point of Open Enrollment is not to make a change. It is to make sure the coverage you carry into January still matches the care you expect to use.
Medicare Open Enrollment runs October 15–December 7. Use this practical checklist to review doctors, drugs, costs, networks, and plan changes before January.
Medicare Open Enrollment runs October 15–December 7. Use this practical checklist to review doctors, drugs, costs, networks, and plan changes before January.