Issue #54: October 2026

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Medicare Open Enrollment is from October 15 through December 7. Take time to review your plan to make sure it will keep working well for you next year.

It's that time of year again. Medicare Open Enrollment runs from October 15 through December 7. Any changes you make during Open Enrollment will take effect on January 1.

You may be perfectly happy with your Medicare coverage and not want to change anything. That is okay. Still, it is worth taking a few minutes to see what may be different next year. This is especially true when it comes to prescription drug coverage.

Maybe you're taking the same medicines you took last year. Maybe you've added a new one. Either way, your Part D plan can change, too. A plan may change the medicines it covers, what you pay, and which pharmacies offer the lowest costs. In other words, even if your health has not changed, your coverage may have. Not sure where to start?

Click on the option that sounds most like you:

• I have Original Medicare and a Part D drug plan.
• I have a Medicare Advantage plan.
• I have Original Medicare but don’t have Part D.
• I am thinking about changing how I get my Medicare.
• I am happy with my current coverage.

If you have Original Medicare and a Part D drug plan:

If you're happy with Original Medicare, Open Enrollment does not mean you have to change it. However, your Part D drug plan is worth reviewing each year.

Start with the medicines you take now. Ask yourself:

• Will my plan still cover them next year?
• Will my costs change?

Then, check your pharmacy. Is it still in your Part D plan’s network next year? Will you pay the same amount for your medicines there? Some plans have preferred pharmacies where your prescriptions may cost less.

Your Part D plan should have sent you an Annual Notice of Change in September. This notice explains changes to your drug coverage and costs for the coming year. It is a useful part of your yearly check-in. If you are not sure what to look for, see our article about the Annual Notice of Change in this issue.

If everything still works for you, you may decide to stay with your plan. If something important has changed, Open Enrollment gives you time to compare other Part D plans.

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan:

With Medicare Advantage, you will want to review both your medical coverage and your prescription coverage. Most Medicare Advantage plans include drug coverage.

Start with your doctors. Medicare Advantage plan networks can change from year to year, and doctors may also choose to leave a plan's network. If you want to keep seeing certain doctors or specialists, check whether they will still be in your plan’s network next year. It is also a good idea to check the hospitals and other healthcare facilities you use.

Next, review your medicines. Are they still covered? Will your costs change? Is your pharmacy still in the plan’s network?

Your plan should have sent you an Annual Notice of Change in September. Despite its formal name, it is simply a notice that tells you what’s changing with your plan for the coming year, including changes to costs and coverage. See our article about the Annual Notice of Change if you need help reviewing it.

As you review everything, ask yourself one simple question: Will this plan still work for me? If the answer is yes, you may decide to keep it. If something important has changed, Open Enrollment gives you time to compare your options.

If you have Original Medicare but do not have Part D:

If you do not take prescription medicines, — or only take one or two, you may wonder whether you need a Part D drug plan at all. Open Enrollment is a good time to learn about your options before deciding.

You can use Medicare’s Plan Compare tool to learn more about your choices and find out what may work for you.

If you're thinking about changing how you get your Medicare:

Maybe you are thinking about switching from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage, or going from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare. Open Enrollment gives you an opportunity to look at those choices.

Think about what matters most to you:

• Are there doctors or specialists you want to continue seeing?
• Are the doctors, specialists, hospitals, and other healthcare facilities you regularly use still in the plan’s network?
• How are your medicines covered, and what would you pay?
• If you are considering Medicare Advantage, are your doctors in the plan’s network?
• Are there extra benefits that are important to you?

You may also want to learn about Medigap, which can help with some of the costs Original Medicare does not cover. The rules for buying a Medigap policy are different from Medicare Open Enrollment, so learn about those rules before making a change. Read the article about Medigap on our Medicare Open Enrollment page.

There is no single Medicare choice that’s right for everyone. The important question is: What works for you?

If you're happy with what you have:

You may not want to change anything, and that is fine. Reviewing your coverage doesn't mean you have to switch plans. Think of Open Enrollment as a scheduled way to look at your plan and decide if it’s still working well for you.

Look at what’s changing. Check your medicines, doctors, pharmacy, and costs, whichever apply to your coverage. If everything still works for you, you’re done. However, if something has changed, you have until December 7 to compare your options and make a change.

Be sure to review your Annual Notice of Change as part of reviewing your plan during Medicare Open Enrollment, which is from October 15 through December 7.

If you have a Medicare Advantage or Part D drug plan, your plan should have sent you an Annual Notice of Change in September. This is separate from the Medicare & You handbook you may have also received around the same time.

Maybe you read your Annual Notice of Change right away. Maybe you set it aside for later, or maybe it got mixed in with the rest of your Medicare mail. If you have not looked at it yet, now is a good time to find it.

Don't let the official-sounding name put you off. The notice answers a simple question: What will change in my plan next year? That information can help you make the most of Medicare Open Enrollment, which runs from October 15 through December 7.

What should you look for?

Start with the changes that matter to you.

If you have a Part D drug plan, review your prescription coverage. Are the medicines you take still covered? Will you pay more or less for them? Are there changes involving the pharmacy you use?

If you have Medicare Advantage, look for changes to your medical and prescription coverage. Check your costs and benefits. If you want to keep seeing certain doctors or specialists, make sure they will still be in your plan’s network next year. Don’t forget to check the hospitals and pharmacies you use, too.

Maybe nothing important to you has changed. In that case, you may decide your current plan still works just fine. But perhaps one of your medicines will cost more next year or won’t be covered at all. Maybe your benefits are changing, or a doctor you really like will no longer be in your plan’s network. That is why this notice is worth reading.