Your Medicare Plan May Change in 2027: 5 Things to Review Before Open Enrollment

Keeping the same Medicare plan doesn’t always mean keeping the same coverage, costs, or benefits. Here’s what to review before making your decision for 2027.

Every fall, people with Medicare receive important information about their coverage for the coming year.

And sometimes, the easiest reaction is: “I’m happy with my plan. I’ll just keep it.”

That may ultimately be the right decision. But before deciding, it’s worth taking a closer look.

Medicare health and drug plans can change from one year to the next. Your own healthcare needs can change too. Medicare specifically recommends reviewing notices from your current plan about cost and benefit changes and comparing your current coverage with the options available for the coming year.

For 2027 coverage, Medicare says you can begin comparing options on October 1, 2026. Medicare Open Enrollment then runs from October 15 through December 7, 2026. Changes made during this period generally take effect January 1, 2027.

Before Open Enrollment begins, here are five things worth reviewing.

1. Read Your Annual Notice of Change

If you're enrolled in a Medicare plan, one of the most important documents arriving this fall is your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC).

Your plan sends the ANOC each fall, typically in September. It explains changes to your plan's coverage, costs and other details that will take effect in January.

Don't assume that because the plan name looks familiar, everything inside it will remain the same.

When your ANOC arrives, review it carefully and ask:

• Are my costs changing?

• Are any benefits changing?

• Are there changes that could affect how I use my coverage?

• Does the plan still fit what I need?

If you haven't received your ANOC, Medicare advises contacting your plan.

You may also receive an Evidence of Coverage (EOC) in September. This document provides more detailed information about what your plan covers and what you pay.

Together, these documents are a good starting point for your annual Medicare review.

2. Review Your Prescription Drugs

Your health may not have changed dramatically this year, but your prescriptions might have.

Make an updated list of the medications you currently take, including:

• Prescription name

• Dosage

• How often you take it

• Preferred pharmacy

Then use that current information when reviewing your Medicare drug coverage for 2027.

This matters because Medicare prescription drug coverage isn't something you should evaluate based only on the plan's monthly premium.

The coverage that works well for one person's prescriptions may not be the most appropriate fit for someone else's.

And if your medications have changed since your last Medicare review, your needs may have changed too.

3. Check Your Doctors, Specialists and Preferred Healthcare Providers

For many people, healthcare relationships matter just as much as benefits and costs.

Before deciding what to do for 2027, make a list of the providers you want to continue seeing.

That could include:

• Primary care physician

• Specialists

• Preferred hospitals

• Clinics or other healthcare facilities you regularly use

This is particularly important when comparing Medicare Advantage plans because provider-network rules can vary by plan.

Medicare explains that people with Original Medicare can generally use any doctor or hospital that accepts Medicare, while Medicare Advantage members may need to use providers within the plan's network and service area for non-emergency care. (Medicare)

If keeping a particular doctor or specialist is important to you, make that part of your review rather than assuming nothing has changed.

4. Look Beyond the Monthly Premium

It's understandable to look at the monthly premium first.

But it shouldn't necessarily be the only number you consider.

Depending on the coverage you're reviewing, other costs and features may also matter, including:

• Deductibles

• Copayments

• Coinsurance

• Prescription costs

• Provider access

• Coverage rules

• Benefits you regularly use

The question isn't simply: “Which plan costs less each month?”

A better question is: “How could this coverage work with the healthcare I actually expect to use?”

That requires looking at the overall picture.

5. Ask Whether Your Needs Have Changed

Your plan isn't the only thing that may be different in 2027.

You may be different too.

Think about what has happened since your last Medicare review.

Have you:

• Started taking a new medication?

• Changed doctors?

• Begun seeing a new specialist?

• Been diagnosed with a new condition?

• Moved?

• Changed how frequently you use healthcare?

• Developed different priorities for your coverage?

Medicare itself notes that changes in health conditions, prescriptions, providers or diagnoses can affect a person's coverage needs.

That's why an annual review isn't simply about finding out what's new in the Medicare market.

It's also about checking whether your current coverage still works for you.

Does Reviewing Your Medicare Coverage Mean You Have to Change Plans?

No.

This is an important distinction.

Reviewing your Medicare coverage does not automatically mean switching plans.

You may compare your current coverage with your needs and available options and decide that keeping what you already have makes sense.

Medicare notes that people can keep their current Medicare health and drug coverage during Open Enrollment; if they choose to keep it, they generally don't need to take action for the coverage to continue, although any plan changes for the new year will apply.

The purpose of reviewing your coverage is to make an informed decision, not to change simply for the sake of changing.

Medicare Dates to Remember for 2027 Coverage

September 2026: Look for important documents from your current plan, including your Annual Notice of Change and Evidence of Coverage.

October 1, 2026: Medicare says you can begin comparing your current health or drug coverage with options for 2027.

October 15, 2026: Medicare Open Enrollment begins.

December 7, 2026: Medicare Open Enrollment ends. In most cases, this is the final day to make changes for the next calendar year.

January 1, 2027: New coverage generally begins if you made a change during Open Enrollment. If you kept your existing plan and its costs or benefits changed for 2027, those changes also generally begin January 1.

Your Medicare Review Checklist

Before making your decision for 2027, ask yourself:

☐ Have I read my Annual Notice of Change?

☐ Do I understand what's changing in my current plan?

☐ Is my medication list up to date?

☐ Have I checked the doctors and specialists I want to continue seeing?

☐ Have I considered costs beyond the monthly premium?

☐ Have my healthcare needs changed this year?

☐ Do I understand the options available to me?

☐ Do I know who I can contact if I have questions?

If you're unsure about several of these questions, that doesn't automatically mean you need different coverage.

It means you may benefit from taking a closer look before deciding.

EPIA Is Here to Help You Review Your Options

Medicare can involve a lot of information.

Our role at EPIA Insurance Agency Inc. is to help you understand your options so you can make a decision based on your healthcare needs and priorities.

If you're already an EPIA Medicare client, we're here to help you review your coverage and understand what changes may affect you in 2027.

And if you're looking for guidance as Medicare Open Enrollment approaches, our team can help you compare available options and understand the differences before you decide what makes sense for you.

Because the goal isn't to change your plan unnecessarily.

It's to make sure you understand your coverage before making your decision.

📞 +1 (626) 912-1988 📧 info@epiagroup.com 🌐 www.epiagroup.com

Experience is the ultimate protection™.

References

• Medicare.gov — Open Enrollment — official enrollment dates and permitted coverage changes.

• Medicare.gov — Plan Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) — information about annual plan changes and September notices.

• Medicare.gov — Evidence of Coverage (EOC) — details about annual Evidence of Coverage documents.

• Medicare & You 2026 Handbook — official guidance confirming October 1, 2026 comparison timing and October 15–December 7 enrollment for 2027.

• Medicare.gov — Compare Original Medicare & Medicare Advantage — official comparison of provider access and other coverage characteristics.

• Medicare.gov — Remember Key Medicare Dates — annual review guidance and key enrollment dates.

Last Reviewed: September 2026

Editorial Note

This article is provided for general educational purposes and is not intended to provide legal, medical, tax, or individualized insurance advice. Medicare rules, plan availability, costs, benefits, provider networks, formularies, and coverage can change. Individual circumstances and eligibility vary.

For official Medicare information, visit Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE. For assistance understanding available insurance options and how they may relate to your individual needs, contact EPIA Insurance Agency Inc.