Last checked . Picks are based on the prices, rates, fees and terms each provider publishes, checked at the source. We never rank products by commission. See how we’re funded.
Medicare open enrollment started October 15 and runs through December 7, and this year’s window comes with a few numbers that changed. If you’re on Medicare or helping a parent sort it out, this is the stretch where a little checking can save real money. Here’s what we know, what we don’t, and how to avoid the scams that show up every year.
The Medicare open enrollment dates that matter
Medicare open enrollment lets you switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan, move back, change Advantage plans, or swap your standalone drug plan. Your request has to reach the plan by December 7, and the new coverage starts January 1, 2027, according to Medicare.gov and CMS.
There’s a second window for people already in an Advantage plan. The Medicare Advantage open enrollment period runs January 1 through March 31. In that stretch you can move to a different Advantage plan or go back to Original Medicare and add a drug plan. You can’t use it to join Advantage for the first time, so treat December 7 as the main deadline.
What changes for drug coverage in 2027
The Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 in 2027, up from $2,100 this year. The maximum deductible also goes up, to $700 from $615, and some plans charge none at all. Medicare.gov and an Associated Press report carried by PBS agree on those figures. After you meet your deductible, you generally pay 25% of drug costs until you hit the cap. After that, covered drugs cost nothing for the rest of the year.
Premiums look steadier. CMS says the average standalone drug plan premium moves from about $35 this year to about $36 next year, a rise of less than a dollar. CMS also says 88% of enrollees who don’t get low-income help can find a basic plan for $10.30 a month or less. Your own plan may differ, so check the specific one you’re in.
What changes for Medicare Advantage
CMS expects the average Medicare Advantage premium to fall from $14.37 to $12.00 a month. It projects about 34 million people will enroll, roughly 47% of everyone with Medicare, and counts about 5,532 plans nationally, down slightly from 5,553. The agency says about eight in ten enrollees can keep their plan at the same or a lower premium.
Averages hide a lot. A plan with a low premium can still have narrow doctor networks or high costs when you actually need care. The 2027 Star Ratings came out October 8 on Medicare’s Plan Finder, and CMS says about 71% of enrollees in Advantage drug plans are in contracts rated four stars or higher. Stars are a starting point, not a verdict.
The $50 weight-loss drug benefit, explained
You may have seen headlines about Medicare covering obesity drugs for $50 a month. The detail that trips people up: this program isn’t new for 2027. According to Medicare.gov, the GLP-1 Bridge started July 1, 2026, and KFF Health News reports it runs through December 31, 2027. Medicare.gov itself calls the program temporary, so that end date comes from KFF alone.
Here’s how it works. You pay $50 for a one-month supply of Wegovy, the Zepbound KwikPen or Foundayo. To qualify you need to be 18 or older with a Part D drug plan, plus meet a weight-and-health test. Medicare.gov lists, for example, a BMI of 35 or higher, or a BMI of 30 or higher with certain heart or kidney conditions, or a BMI of 27 or higher with prediabetes or a history of heart attack or stroke. Your prescriber has to get prior authorization.
A few catches matter. People with type 2 diabetes aren’t eligible under this program. The $50 doesn’t count toward your Part D deductible or the new $2,400 cap. And people whose Part D plan already covers these drugs aren’t eligible either. Talk to your doctor and your plan before assuming it applies to you. The AP report adds that Medicare’s negotiated prices for 15 drugs, including Wegovy, take effect January 1, 2027. That’s a separate program from the $50 bridge.
What about Part B?
Part B is the one big number Medicare open enrollment can’t tell you yet. No official 2027 premium or deductible has been announced, and CMS usually does that in the fall. Outside estimates based on the Medicare Trustees Report put the premium near $209.50 a month, up from $202.90 this year. Treat that as a projection, not a bill. Our earlier piece on the 2027 Social Security raise and the Medicare line on your statement explains why the Part B number matters for your take-home benefit.
How to avoid Medicare open enrollment scams
The Federal Trade Commission warned in late September that scam sites imitate Medicare.gov and Healthcare.gov using look-alike addresses and official-sounding names. Paid ads can show up at the top of search results, including ones from sellers that aren’t honest. The FTC’s advice is simple: type Medicare.gov into your browser yourself, skip results marked “Ad” or “Sponsored,” and check that the web address ends in .gov.
If something looks off, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) if it involves Medicare fraud. The FTC also points people to State Health Insurance Assistance Programs, known as SHIPs, and your local Senior Medicare Patrol for free, unbiased help.
What we don’t know yet
A few things are still open. The official Part B figures haven’t been released. The end date of the $50 weight-loss benefit rests on one outlet. And our general advice about what to compare, such as drug lists and doctor networks, is common sense that we haven’t checked against Medicare’s own pages. This isn’t medical or insurance advice. Your plan’s materials and a licensed counselor know your situation better than we do.
Editor’s take
Medicare open enrollment rewards people who spend an hour on it. The big shifts this year are a higher drug cap, a lower average Advantage premium, and a weight-loss benefit that’s already live but narrow. The danger isn’t missing a headline. It’s staying in a plan on autopilot, or clicking the wrong search result. Set aside time before December 7, start at Medicare.gov, and call a free counselor if the choices feel like too many.
