In 60 seconds: Medicare open enrollment is open now and ends December 7, 2026. Anyone with Medicare can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan in this window, and changes start January 1, 2027. For 2027, the Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 — once your spending on covered drugs hits that amount, you pay $0 for covered drugs for the rest of the year.
- Open enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, 2026; your new plan must receive your request by December 7.
- Changes take effect January 1, 2027; you keep your current coverage through December 31, 2026.
- 2027 Part D cap: $2,400 (up from $2,100 in 2026); maximum deductible $700 (up from $615). After the cap, covered drugs cost $0 for the rest of the year.
- Second window: January 1–March 31, 2027, for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan — switch plans once, or return to Original Medicare with a Part D plan.
Senior adult organizing daily medications. Photo: Yaroslav Shuraev / Pexels.
Key dates
Open enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, 2026, for coverage starting January 1, 2027. This is the yearly window to change how you get your Medicare health and prescription drug coverage. December 7 is a receipt deadline, not a mailing deadline — your new plan must have your enrollment request by then. A request that arrives late does not count for January 1 coverage. If you make more than one change during the window, the last one your plan receives before December 7 is the one that counts.
What you can change during open enrollment
If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, you can join, drop, or switch to another Medicare Advantage plan, with or without drug coverage — or add or drop drug coverage. You can also switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan, or from a Medicare Advantage plan back to Original Medicare. For prescription drug coverage, you can join, drop, or switch a stand-alone Part D drug plan. If you want to keep the plan you have, you do not need to do anything: your coverage continues, and any changes your plan made to benefits or costs start January 1, 2027.
The December 7 cutoff, plainly
After December 7, you generally cannot change your 2027 coverage until the next enrollment window, except for the January–March Medicare Advantage window (for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan) or a special enrollment period — for example, if you move or lose other coverage. If a switch does not show in your Medicare.gov account within 10 days, contact the plan.
What changes on January 1, 2027 (Part D)
Out-of-pocket cap: $2,400. For 2027, the most you pay out of pocket for covered Part D drugs in the year is $2,400, up from $2,100 in 2026. Once your own spending on covered drugs reaches $2,400, you pay $0 for covered drugs for the rest of the calendar year (catastrophic coverage). Maximum deductible: $700. No drug plan may set a deductible above $700 in 2027, up from $615 in 2026; plans may set a lower deductible. The cap covers Part D drugs only — whether you get Part D through a stand-alone drug plan or a Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage. It is not a cap on all your Medicare costs: premiums, medical care, and drugs your plan does not cover are separate. Under the standard benefit shape, you pay the full price of your drugs until you meet the deductible, then 25% of the cost until your own spending hits the cap, then $0 for covered drugs. Individual plans vary — check your plan's own details. Every Part D plan must also let you spread your out-of-pocket drug costs into monthly payments over the year instead of paying at the pharmacy counter (the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan); this changes when the money is due, not how much you owe in total.
The second window: January 1 – March 31, 2027
This window is only for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan. During it, you can switch to another Medicare Advantage plan once, or go back to Original Medicare and join a Part D drug plan. It does not let someone in Original Medicare join a Medicare Advantage plan — that change belongs to the October–December window.
How to compare (official resources, free)
Use the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov/plan-compare to compare 2027 plans, premiums, drug lists, and pharmacies, or call 1-800-MEDICARE to enroll or ask questions. Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) offers free, local, unbiased help — find one through Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE. Read your plan's Annual Notice of Change: it lists what changes on January 1, including costs, covered drugs, doctors, and pharmacies. Help paying drug and Medicare costs (Extra Help and Medicare Savings Programs) is available to people who qualify, and you can apply any time — it is not tied to open enrollment dates. Contact your state or Social Security to apply.
What this explainer does not do
This is general information about enrollment systems and deadlines only. It is not medical advice, and it is not a recommendation for any specific plan. What you pay depends on your plan, your drugs, and your pharmacy — compare using the official tools above, or with a free SHIP counselor.
Frequently asked questions
When does Medicare open enrollment end?
December 7, 2026. Your new plan must receive your enrollment request by that date, and changes take effect January 1, 2027.
What is the 2027 Part D out-of-pocket cap?
$2,400 for covered Part D drugs, up from $2,100 in 2026. Once your own spending on covered drugs reaches $2,400, you pay $0 for covered drugs for the rest of the year.
Can I change my plan after December 7?
Generally no for 2027 coverage, except the January 1–March 31 Medicare Advantage window (if you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan) or a special enrollment period, for example if you move or lose other coverage.
Do I need to do anything if I want to keep my plan?
No. Your coverage continues, and your plan's changes (from its Annual Notice of Change) start January 1, 2027.
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Sources: Medicare.gov, "Joining a plan" — open enrollment October 15 to December 7, 2026; changes effective January 1, 2027; what you can join, switch, or drop. Medicare.gov, drug coverage costs — Part D out-of-pocket threshold $2,100 in 2026, $2,400 in 2027; maximum deductible $700 in 2027. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Final 2027 Rate Announcement, April 6, 2026 (Attachment V, Table V-2) — the 2027 Part D parameters. Note: the 2027 Part B premium and deductibles are not stated here — they had not been announced as of October 31, 2026, so no figure is given rather than an estimate.