En esta noticia
Medicare open enrollment began Oct. 15, and beneficiaries can now switch plans or make other changes to their coverage.
This deadline should not be confused with the general enrollment period, which runs from January 1 to March 31 each year and is intended for those who did not enroll in Part A or B during previous periods and meet the corresponding requirements.
However, changes requested during the Open Enrollment period do not take effect immediately, but instead begin to apply in 2027.
What changes can be made and until when is there time?
Beneficiaries have until Monday, December 7, 2026 to review their current coverage and request changes to their health and drug plans.
This is the deadline for plans to receive change requests.
According to the official Medicare website, the changes that can be made depend on the type of coverage each beneficiary has:
- Change Medicare Advantage plans: join, drop out of, or switch to another plan with or without Medicare Part C drug coverage.
- Change drug plans: join, cancel, or switch to another Medicare drug plan if you are in Original Medicare.
- Change the way you get coverage: switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan or vice versa.
Those who decide to return to Original Medicare may need to purchase a separate drug plan. They may also consider a Medigap supplemental policy, see the conditions here.
When do these changes take effect?
Changes requested during this year’s Open Enrollment period will take effect on January 1, 2027, regardless of the date on which the request was submitted.
Therefore, beneficiaries will continue with their current coverage through December 31, 2026, inclusive, and will begin using the new coverage as of the first day of 2027, provided the enrollment has been processed correctly.