The 2026 Annual Enrollment Period: what to do, in order
From October 15 to December 7, anyone on Medicare can change Medicare Advantage or Part D plans for the coming year. Most people do nothing — and most years that's fine. Some years it costs them hundreds of dollars or their doctor. Here's how to tell which year this is.
From October 15 to December 7 you can change Medicare Advantage or Part D plans for 2027, effective January 1. Start with the Annual Notice of Change letter your plan sends by the end of September: it lists every premium, copay, formulary and network change. If your doctors and drugs are still covered on acceptable terms, staying put is usually fine; if not, this is the window. Medigap in New York can be changed in any month, so it doesn't depend on AEP.
Key dates
Not sure which window applies to you today? The enrollment check answers it in five questions, dated from today.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| By September 30, 2026 | Your plan sends the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) for 2027; the full Evidence of Coverage follows by October 15, often electronically. Check the 2027 formulary and provider directory separately. |
| October 1 | 2027 plan details can be marketed; comparison tools update |
| October 15 | AEP opens — first day you can submit a change |
| December 7 | AEP closes — last day to submit |
| January 1, 2027 | New coverage starts; if you switched, the old plan ends automatically |
| January 1 – March 31, 2027 | Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment — one more switch if you're on an Advantage plan |
The one-hour review, step by step
- Read the ANOC. Go straight to the sections on premium, drug formulary changes, and provider network. Circle anything that changed.
- Check your doctors. Every one, including the specialist you see once a year. Networks change January 1 and the ANOC won't name your doctor — you have to look them up in the 2027 directory.
- Re-price your prescriptions. Enter every drug and dosage into a plan comparison for 2027 at your pharmacy. Tier changes are one of the most common ways a plan quietly gets expensive.
- Compare total yearly cost, not premium. Premium plus the deductible plus realistic copays for the year. A "$0" plan with a higher drug tier can cost more than a $40 plan.
- Decide, and act before December 7. If your current plan still wins, do nothing. If not, enroll in the new one — you don't need to cancel the old one; the new enrollment replaces it.
Ignore the television
The "call now for benefits you may be missing" ads are selling a plan, not a review. Nothing advertised on TV is available only by calling that number. If a plan is right for you and it's one I'm authorized to offer, I can enroll you in it with the same premium and no pressure; if it isn't, I'll say so and point you to Medicare.gov or HIICAP.
Situations that usually mean "change something"
- Your doctor or hospital is leaving the network.
- A drug you take moved tiers, was dropped, or gained a prior-authorization requirement.
- The plan is being discontinued in your county (you'll have a non-renewal letter).
- Your health changed and a network-restricted plan no longer fits. AEP is one of the windows that lets you leave an Advantage plan — and in New York a Medigap plan will accept you without health questions.
- Your income dropped enough to qualify for Extra Help or the Medicare Savings Program, which changes which plans make sense.
Situations that usually mean "leave it alone"
- Doctors and drugs unchanged, premium up a few dollars.
- You're on Original Medicare with a Medigap plan you're happy with — the only AEP question is your Part D plan.
- You have retiree coverage (NYSHIP, GE, union) that coordinates with Medicare. Enrolling in an outside Advantage or Part D plan during AEP can cancel it — check with the plan administrator first.
What I do for clients during AEP
Every client gets their doctors and prescriptions re-run against the 2027 plans in their county, and a short written note: stay, or switch, and why. If a switch is warranted, I handle the enrollment. It's free, it takes you about fifteen minutes on the phone, and it's the best hour of insurance work most people will do all year. Book a plan review — earlier in the window is better; December fills up.
By county: Albany · Saratoga · Schenectady · Rensselaer · Warren · Washington · Montgomery · Fulton · Columbia · Greene · Schoharie · Otsego · Herkimer · Hamilton · Essex · Ulster · Dutchess. Town pages: every town, grouped by county. Anywhere else in New York.
- When can I sign up for Medicare? (medicare.gov) — AEP and MA OEP dates
- Medicare & You 2027 handbook (medicare.gov)
- Protections for Medicare beneficiaries residing in New York (NY DFS) — Medigap changes allowed year-round
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 10 organizations which offer 81 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options. 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048) is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Insurers' legal names and home offices: carriers page.
Common questions
Short answers to what people ask before they call.
Still have a question? Call (518) 902-8822 or book a call.
What exactly can I change during AEP?
You can switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another; move from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage or back; join, switch or drop a Part D plan. Changes take effect January 1. In New York you can also change from one Medigap plan to another at any time of year; leaving a Medicare Advantage plan for Medigap still needs an enrollment period such as AEP.
What is the ANOC?
The Annual Notice of Change — the letter your Advantage or Part D plan must send by the end of September listing everything changing on January 1: premium, deductible, copays, the drug formulary, the provider network, and extra benefits. It's the single most important piece of Medicare mail you get all year, and most of it goes unread.
If I do nothing, what happens?
Your current plan renews automatically with whatever changes the ANOC described. That's fine if the changes are minor. It's a problem if your drug moved to a higher tier, your doctor left the network, or the premium jumped — and you won't find out until January.
I missed December 7. Is there another chance?
If you're on a Medicare Advantage plan, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31) lets you make one switch to another Advantage plan or back to Original Medicare with Part D. Otherwise you need a Special Enrollment Period — moving, losing coverage, qualifying for Extra Help, or your plan being discontinued.
Do I have to re-enroll every year?
No. If your plan continues and you don't act, you're renewed. The exception is a plan that's leaving Medicare or your county — you'll get a non-renewal notice in the fall. Choose a replacement during AEP if you can; there's also a Special Enrollment Period from December 8 through the end of February. If an Advantage plan ends with nothing chosen, you return to Original Medicare and need to sort out drug coverage separately.
Want a note before the next enrollment window?
One email a few days before each Medicare enrollment window opens — Annual Enrollment in October, Advantage Open Enrollment in January — with the dates and what to have ready. Nothing else, ever; reply "stop" to come off the list.
Book your fall review
One hour, your Annual Notice of Change and your drug list. If your current plan is still the right one, I'll say so.