Your AEP Checklist: 7 Things to Review Before Medicare Annual Enrollment Opens October 15

Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period, or AEP, runs from October 15 through December 7. That is your once-a-year chance to switch Medicare Advantage plans, change Part D drug plans, or move between Original Medicare and Advantage. The changes you make take effect January 1.

Most people wait until late November to look at their options and then rush a decision. Here is a checklist to work through now, before the window even opens, so you can compare plans calmly.

1. Read your ANOC letter

Your plan must send you an Annual Notice of Change by September 30. It spells out everything changing in your plan for 2027: premium, deductible, copays, drug tiers, and extra benefits. If you read nothing else this fall, read this.

2. List your prescriptions

Write down every medication, dose, and pharmacy. Formularies change every year, and a drug that was a $10 tier 1 copay can jump to a $47 tier 3 overnight. Your full list is the only way to compare plans accurately.

3. Confirm your doctors

Call your doctors' offices or check the plan's provider directory. Networks shrink and grow every year. If your primary care doctor or a key specialist leaves the network, that alone may justify switching.

4. Add up your real total cost

Premium is only part of the picture. Add your premium, expected copays, deductible, and drug costs for the year. A $0 premium plan with a high maximum out-of-pocket can cost more than a plan with a modest premium and lower cost sharing.

5. Check the maximum out-of-pocket

Medicare Advantage plans set an annual cap on what you pay for covered services. If your health changed this year, a lower cap matters more than dental or vision perks.

6. Review your Part D out-of-pocket cap

In 2026 the Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100, and plans may adjust how they structure costs around it. If you take expensive medications, confirm how your specific drugs are covered next year.

7. Decide what you actually want before you shop

More benefits, lower drug costs, or keeping specific doctors? Ranking your priorities before you compare plans keeps you from being swayed by advertising.

AEP is the busiest season of my year, and appointment slots fill fast. If you want help comparing every plan available in your county, reach out in September rather than December.