Medicare Open Enrollment (also known as the Annual Election Period) begins today! From October 15 to December 7, you can change your Medicare coverage options without restrictions. During this time, you can switch between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, or you can sign up for a new Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. You can also purchase a Medigap policy to help pay your original Medicare costs, depending on the state where you live. Changes you make during this time will take effect on January 1, 2026.
notes: During the current government shutdown, many Medicare services remain available. 1-800-MEDICARE is up and running to provide enrollment assistance, and you can continue to use Medicare.gov to research plans.
How to Make the Most of Medicare Public Enrollment
To ensure you have the best health and drug coverage in the coming year, you should review your current Medicare health and drug coverage and compare it to the options available to you. If you currently have Original Medicare, please inquire Medical insurance and you 2026 Brochure to find out what your coverage will cost next year. If you currently have a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, you should receive an annual Change Notice and/or Evidence of Coverage document outlining coverage and costs, including any changes for the next year. Everyone is different, so keep your personal health needs in mind when comparing plans, such as which providers and specialists you see frequently and your most expensive prescription drugs. Even if you're happy with your current coverage, it's a good idea to check to see if there are options in your area that are more affordable, have fewer coverage restrictions, or better suit your needs.
Medicare Rights Chairman Fred Riccardi talks about the importance of reviewing Annual Notice of Change (ANOC)
The best way to enroll in a new plan is through the Medicare Plan Finder website or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). Plan Finder can help you compare Medicare Advantage and prescription drug costs across plans in your area, taking into account the drugs you take and the pharmacy you use. To confirm program information you read online, call the program directly and always write down everything about the conversation, including the date, the name of the representative you spoke with, and any results. Enrolling directly through these official Medicare platforms can protect you if you receive incorrect information from a Medicare source or encounter plan issues. In 2026, taking into account changes to plan information on Plan Finder, people who registered directly through the online platform will receive a special registration period if Plan Finder provides incorrect network information.
Other enrollment periods
Open enrollment is the Medicare enrollment period that covers the broadest range of beneficiaries and plans because you can make any number of changes to your original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, or Part D coverage. But there are other registration periods that may be important to you.
The Medicare Advantage open enrollment period begins January 1 and ends on March 31. If you selected a Medicare Advantage plan during open enrollment and are not satisfied with the plan after it goes into effect, you can choose to switch a Medicare Advantage plan or switch to Original Medicare. However, if you enter the year of Original Medicare, you will not be able to open your enrollment period with Medicare Advantage.
If you receive notice that your Medicare Advantage plan will be terminated at the end of the year, you will have an additional special enrollment period from December 8, 2025, to February 28, 2026. Any changes you make will take effect on the first day of the next month, so you should make important health and drug coverage changes before December 31 so that you don't have a coverage gap after your current coverage ends.
How we can help
At the Medicare Rights Center, our helpline (800-333-4114) is ready to help you navigate open registration. Our expert advisors can guide you through a plan finder appointment for plan comparisons, explain new and changing benefits, and help you resolve enrollment questions as they arise. Last year, we completed more than 200 plan finds with beneficiaries across the country, helping callers find the best, most affordable Medicare Advantage and Part D plans based on their personalized coverage and prescription drug needs.
Mark P. is one of the people who called Plan Finder in 2024, unsure if he should change his prescription drug coverage during open enrollment. Like many people who are new to plan comparison, he finds the process “confusing and daunting.” When he called the Medicare Rights Center for a plan finder appointment, one of our consultants thoroughly reviewed his specific prescription and helped him conduct a detailed evaluation of coverage, cost, and review of multiple plans. “She gave me all the time I needed to understand the information and called back a few days later to answer my additional questions,” Mark said. “She made it clear and gave me the confidence to make the decision.”
Our online education platform, Medicare Interactive, also has an open enrollment toolkit with detailed resources. The Medicare Open Enrollment Guide, written by Medicare rights experts, can help you understand your options and make your enrollment decisions with confidence. This resource explains important upcoming changes to Medicare, includes expert advice from our advisors, and helps you avoid confusing or misleading marketing. Log in or sign up for Medicare Interactive for free to access guides and many other downloadable interactive educational resources.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, and YouTube to stay up to date with open enrollment news and see tips and reminders from our team during this critical time.
