Is Your Medicare Plan Costing You More in 2027? What to Check Before Dec 7

Every fall, Medicare plans change their prices and rules for the next year. If you do nothing, you usually stay in the same plan, with its new costs. That is how many people in Broward County end up paying more in January without noticing until the first pharmacy bill.

Medicare Open Enrollment runs from October 15 to December 7, 2026. Any change you make in that window starts on January 1, 2027. Here is what is changing for 2027, and what I check with my clients before the deadline.

What Is Changing in Medicare for 2027

The Part D deductible and out-of-pocket cap go up

In its 2027 Rate Announcement (April 6, 2026), CMS set the standard Part D drug deductible at $700 for 2027, up from $615 in 2026. The annual out-of-pocket cap on covered drugs goes to $2,400, up from $2,100. After you reach the cap, you pay nothing more for covered drugs for the rest of the year. Plans can set a lower deductible, so check your own plan's number. Source: CMS CY 2027 Rate Announcement, Attachment V.

Premiums move, and averages do not tell you your number

On September 28, 2026, CMS projected that the average Medicare Advantage premium will go from $14.37 to $12.00 a month in 2027, and that the average stand-alone Part D plan premium will go from $35.09 to $36. CMS is also ending the Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration after 2026. Source: CMS press release, September 28, 2026.

These are national averages. Your plan's premium can go up while the average goes down. The only number that matters is the one in your plan's letter.

The Part B premium for 2027 is not announced yet

CMS usually announces the next year's Part B premium and deductible in the fall. I will not guess a number here. When it is announced, it applies to you whether you have Original Medicare, a Medicare Supplement, or a Medicare Advantage plan.

Your 2027 Checklist

1. Read your Annual Notice of Change

Your plan must send this letter by September 30. It lists every change for 2027: premium, deductible, copays, drug list, network, and service area. Put it next to your 2026 costs and look for anything that went up. Medicare explains the letter on its Annual Notice of Change page.

2. Confirm your doctors and hospital for 2027

Networks change every year. Check your primary care doctor, your specialists, and the hospital you would use in Broward, whether that is Broward Health, Memorial, Cleveland Clinic in Weston, or another system. Look them up in the plan's 2027 directory, then call the office to confirm they will take the plan in 2027.

3. Run your prescriptions against the 2027 drug list

A drug can move to a higher tier, need prior authorization, or leave the list completely. Enter your exact drugs, doses, and pharmacy in Medicare Plan Compare for 2027 plans. If you take several medications, the higher Part D deductible and cap can change your yearly cost. My Part D guide explains how the drug phases work.

4. Add up the full year, not only the premium

A $0-premium plan is not a $0 plan. For each plan, add the premium, the medical deductible, the copays for the visits you actually make, your drug costs, and the plan's out-of-pocket maximum. Compare a normal year and an expensive year.

5. Check the extras you rely on

Dental, vision, hearing, and over-the-counter allowances change often. If you chose your plan for its dental coverage, confirm the 2027 dollar limits in the plan documents.

6. Check the service area if you split your time

Medicare Advantage plans are sold by county. If you spend part of the year outside South Florida, or you plan to move from Broward to Palm Beach or Miami-Dade, confirm how the plan covers you there before you renew.

Compare Your 2026 and 2027 Plan Side by Side

Common Questions

What happens if I do nothing during Medicare Open Enrollment?

If your plan is still offered in 2027, you generally stay in it. You keep the plan, but you also get its 2027 premiums, copays, drug list, and network, whether or not they still fit you.

When does a plan I choose during Open Enrollment start?

A change you make between October 15 and December 7 takes effect January 1.

Can I still change plans after December 7?

Only in limited cases. If you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1 to March 31 lets you make one change. Other changes need a Special Enrollment Period, for example after a move.

If you are under 65 and buy your own coverage, the Marketplace (ACA) has a separate window that opens November 1. That is a different set of rules, and I will cover it in its own guide.