Medicare's yearly open enrollment period began Oct. 15 and runs through Dec. 7. Choices made during that window take effect Jan. 1. People can pick traditional Medicare, a private Medicare Advantage plan, or a prescription drug plan 1.
What is getting more expensive
The most direct change is in Part D, Medicare's prescription drug coverage. The yearly cap on what a person pays out of pocket rises to $2,400 in 2027, up from $2,100 in 2026. The standard deductible rises from $615 to $700 1.
A temporary federal subsidy that held down Part D premiums ends at the close of the year 1. Kevin Moss of Checkbook.org, a consumer group, wrote that many standalone drug plans are raising premiums sharply, and that some will rise 200 percent 2. His example: one AARP Medicare Rx Saver plan sold by UnitedHealthcare in King County, Washington, goes from $38.40 to $105.50 a month 2.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which runs Medicare, projects only modest price increases for most people, according to the Associated Press. CMS did not respond to the AP's request for comment 1.
Fewer plan choices
Beneficiaries can choose from an average of 35 Medicare Advantage plans in 2027, down from 39 in 2026, according to KFF, a health policy research group 2. David Lipschutz of the Center for Medicare Advocacy said some plans are leaving areas and cutting benefits such as dental coverage 1.
it causes disruption to the system. And it looks like this time there's more disruption than usual.
Weight-loss drugs and the $90 payment
Since July 1, a temporary program called the GLP-1 Bridge has covered some weight-loss drugs for $50 a month. They include Zepbound, Wegovy and the pill Foundayo. The program ends Dec. 31, 2027 2. Patients need a qualifying body mass index and a prescription, and the $50 does not count toward the Part D deductible or the out-of-pocket cap 2.
KFF's Juliette Cubanski said of the bridge: "It is a temporary program. It is not a permanent change in Medicare coverage." Unless it is extended, patients could face higher cash prices starting in January 2028 3.
Separately, negotiated Medicare prices take effect Jan. 1 on a set of drugs that includes Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy. CMS projects this will lower drug costs for enrollees by $685 million in 2027 1.
The administration is also sending a one-time $90 payment toward Part B premiums to more than 20 million people. Part B covers doctor visits. People in Medicare Advantage are not eligible, and neither are some low-income and disabled enrollees 1. Moss noted that the payment "covers less than half of one month's Part B premium and doesn't lower your premium" 2.
What happens next
Trustees project the standard Part B premium at $209.50 in 2027, up from $202.90, with the Part B deductible rising from $283 to a projected $292. CMS usually announces the official figures in November 2. Social Security's 3.6% cost-of-living increase, about $75 more a month, begins in 2027 1.
That matters because the extra monthly benefit will not stretch as far for people who face higher drug costs. The enrollment window closes Dec. 7, and the midterm election is Nov. 3.
The Record
Sources
- AP (via WLOX), “Medicare open enrollment begins: What to expect for 2027” (2026-10-15). wlox.com/2026/10/15/medicare-open-enrollment-begins-what-exp
- KOMO News (Checkbook.org), “A $90 Part B payment is coming for 20M people, but many won't qualify—here's why” (2026-10-17). komonews.com/news/consumer/what-are-the-major-changes-for-me
- Anchorage Daily News (Washington Post), “Medicare is about to cover GLP-1 drugs for weight loss. Here's what to know” (2026-06-29). adn.com/nation-world/2026/06/29/medicare-is-about-to-cover-g
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