The three windows that set your 2027 coverage

Three enrollment windows set your 2027 coverage — two for Medicare, one for the Marketplace. The dates are different, the rules are different, and missing your window can mean waiting a full year. Here’s the plain-English version.

Medicare: October 15 – December 7, 2026

This is the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP). If you’re on Medicare, this is your once-a-year chance to change your Medicare Advantage or Part D drug plan for 2027. Your new coverage starts January 1, 2027.

Why look even if you’re happy: plan details can change year to year — formularies, provider networks, premiums, and cost-sharing. Nothing about your health has to change for your coverage to fit differently. A yearly check is how you catch it.

What you can do during AEP:

• Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another
• Switch from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage (or back)
• Join, switch, or drop a Part D prescription drug plan

Medicare Advantage: January 1 – March 31, 2027

This is the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, and it’s only for people already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan. During this window you get one change: switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan, or drop your plan and return to Original Medicare (you can add a Part D drug plan at the same time). If you’re happy with your plan, you do nothing.

Marketplace (ACA): November 1, 2026 – January 15, 2027 (most states)

This is Open Enrollment for 2027 Marketplace health insurance. If you buy your own coverage (self-employed, between jobs, retired before 65), this is your window to enroll or change plans. The dates above follow the federal HealthCare.gov schedule — some states run their own exchanges with their own deadlines, so check your state’s exchange if that’s you.

Worth knowing:

• Financial help is based on your household income — many people qualify for subsidies that lower monthly premiums.
• Enroll by December 15, 2026 for coverage starting January 1, 2027.
• Outside this window you generally need a qualifying life event (losing job-based coverage, marriage, a new baby, a move) to enroll through a Special Enrollment Period.

How a no-cost review works

Bring your doctors, your medications, and your current plan (if you have one). We’ll walk through what’s changing for 2027 and whether your coverage still fits — in plain English, at no cost to you. If your current plan is already the right one, we’ll tell you that.

Call (803) 415-7794 or request a no-cost review.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to change plans during open enrollment?

No. Open enrollment is your opportunity to change, not an obligation. Many people keep what they have — the point of the window is that you can change if something better fits.

What happens if I miss the deadline?

Generally you wait until the next enrollment period, unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period from a life event like losing job-based coverage, getting married, or moving.

I’m still working at 65. Do these dates apply to me?

If you have qualifying employer coverage, you may be able to delay Medicare without penalty — different rules apply. This is worth a conversation before you assume either way.

Does it cost anything to have you check my options?

No. We’re paid by the insurance carriers, not by you.

Educational content only — not plan recommendations. Plan availability, benefits, and costs vary by area and carrier. We do not offer every plan available in your area; contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE for information on all of your options. Not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program.