Annual Enrollment Period · Plan Year 2027
Medicare Annual Enrollment Period 2026-2027: Dates, Deadlines & What to Do
Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period for 2027 coverage runs October 15 through December 7, 2026. During this window you can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D drug plan. Changes take effect January 1, 2027.
Written by the licensed advisor team at Pinnacle Insurance Advisors · Last updated July 29, 2026
Is this AEP 2026 or AEP 2027? (Both, sort of.)
The naming trips almost everyone up. The enrollment window happens in fall 2026, but the coverage you pick takes effect January 1, 2027. So the same season gets called "Medicare open enrollment 2026" and "AEP 2027" depending on who's talking.
What matters is the window itself: October 15 through December 7, 2026. Whatever you choose during those weeks is the plan you'll live with for 2027.
What you can do during AEP
Switch Medicare Advantage plans: move from one Medicare Advantage plan to another, including between HMO and PPO plans.
Leave Medicare Advantage: return to Original Medicare (Parts A and B), and add a standalone Part D drug plan.
Join Medicare Advantage: move from Original Medicare into a Medicare Advantage plan.
Change your drug coverage: join, switch, or drop a standalone Part D prescription drug plan.
The part almost nobody explains: Medigap is different
Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans are not tied to AEP. You can apply for or switch a Medigap plan any time of the year. The catch: outside your one-time Medigap open enrollment window, switching usually requires medical underwriting, so approval is not guaranteed.
This matters most if you're thinking about leaving Medicare Advantage for Original Medicare plus Medigap. Dropping your Advantage plan during AEP is easy. Qualifying for the Medigap policy that makes that move safe is the step to check first, before December 7, not after.
New to Medigap? Start with how Medicare Supplement works.
AEP vs. the other enrollment windows
| Window | When | Who | What You Can Do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) | October 15 - December 7, every year | Everyone with Medicare | Join, switch, or drop Medicare Advantage and Part D plans; effective January 1 |
| MA Open Enrollment (MA-OEP) | January 1 - March 31 | Medicare Advantage enrollees only | One switch to another MA plan, or back to Original Medicare (+ Part D) |
| Special Enrollment Periods (SEP) | Year-round, event-based | Qualifying events (moving, losing coverage, etc.) | Plan changes triggered by the specific life event |
| 5-Star SEP | December 8 - November 30 | Anyone with a 5-star plan available locally | One switch into a 5-star rated plan |
| Medigap | Any time of year | Original Medicare enrollees | Apply or switch anytime; medical underwriting may apply after your initial window |
Your ANOC letter arrives by September 30. Read it.
Every Medicare Advantage and Part D plan mails an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) in September listing exactly what changes January 1: premium, copays, drug formulary, provider network, and extra benefits. It's the single most useful document of your Medicare year, and most people never open it.
What's changing for Medicare in 2027
CMS releases the final 2027 premiums, deductibles, and plan landscape in late September 2026. We update every number on this page the week those figures drop.
What's already known: prescription prices negotiated under the drug-pricing law continue phasing in, and the Part D out-of-pocket cap (which was $2,100 in 2026) will be updated for 2027. Carriers also adjust networks, formularies, and extra benefits every single year, which is exactly why an annual review exists.
Current figures live on Medicare Parts A, B & D costs.
Free AEP plan review: we check your ANOC, your doctors, and your drug list against every 2027 plan in your county.
Annual Enrollment Period questions, answered
October 15 through December 7, 2026. Changes you make during this window take effect January 1, 2027.
Don't wait until December to think about December 7
Reviews book up fast once AEP opens. Grab a spot now and walk in prepared.
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