It’s Time to Shop Medicare, and This Year, It’s Extra Important

It’s always a good idea to do a checkup on your Medicare coverage this time of year. But it’s especially important this year, during the annual fall enrollment period that got underway Thursday.

Changes in Part D prescription drug and Medicare Advantage plans will make for greater-than-usual disruption for 2027.

Premiums and other costs for Part D plans will rise sharply for some people. The number of Medicare Advantage plans is falling in some parts of the country, and some will increase cost-sharing and reduce supplemental benefits such as dental care. And expanding coverage of GLP-1 drugs will come with complications that may be difficult to navigate.

“The stakes this year may be higher for people who don’t compare plans during the open enrollment period,” says Juliette Cubanski, vice president and director of the program on Medicare policy at KFF, the health care research nonprofit. “You could definitely be leaving more money on the table.”

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/17/business/medicare-coverage-retirement.html