Help Your Parent Review Her Medicare Plan for 2027
Last updated: October 28, 2026 · Educational guide, not insurance advice
It usually starts with the mailbox. A thick envelope from Mom’s insurance company sits on the kitchen counter, unopened, next to three glossy postcards promising “$0 premium” plans and “extra benefits.” Meanwhile the TV runs the same Medicare commercial every 20 minutes.
Mom says she’s fine. “I’ll just keep what I have.” And maybe that’s right. But this year, “keeping what you have” could mean a drug that’s no longer covered, a doctor who’s suddenly out of network, or a plan that won’t exist on January 1.
Here’s the good news: you don’t have to become a Medicare expert. You just need to ask the right questions before December 7. This guide and the free checkup below will walk you through it, one kitchen-table conversation at a time.
The short answer
Medicare Open Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, 2026. Changes made by December 7 start January 1, 2027. To help your parent review her plan:
- Find her Annual Notice of Change letter (and any “plan ending” letter).
- Write down every medication, with the dose.
- Confirm her doctors, hospital and pharmacy for 2027.
- Compare plans on Medicare Plan Finder.
- Book a free, unbiased call with her state’s SHIP counselor.
What’s changing in Medicare for 2027
Think of it like your car insurance renewal. The policy has the same name, but the price and the fine print can change every year. Here’s what we know right now:
| What | 2026 | 2027 | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part D (drug) deductible | $615 | $700 | Final |
| Part D yearly out-of-pocket cap | $2,100 | $2,400 | Final |
| Part B standard monthly premium | $202.90 | about $209.50 | Projected |
| Part B yearly deductible | $283 | about $292 | Projected |
Projected numbers come from the 2026 Medicare Trustees Report. Medicare usually announces the official Part B premium in the fall, often in November.
Two more changes worth knowing:
1. A temporary drug-plan premium subsidy is ending. A federal program that helped keep stand-alone Part D premiums down ends at the close of 2026, so some drug plan premiums may go up.
2. Many Medicare Advantage plans are shrinking or disappearing. Several large insurers are pulling plans from hundreds of counties. KFF estimates about 638,000 people live in counties with no regular Medicare Advantage drug plan for 2027, many of them rural. Even if Mom’s plan survives, it may have trimmed benefits, changed its doctor network, or moved her drugs to a pricier tier.
The 2-Minute Medicare Checkup
Sit down with Mom (or answer for her), tap one answer per question, and get a personal to-do list you can print and bring to her SHIP call. Nothing you tap is saved or sent anywhere.
Step by step: how to help without taking over
A little wisdom from someone who’s been there: Mom doesn’t want a manager. She wants a teammate. Start with, “Can we look at your Medicare mail together? I’m doing it so nobody gets surprised in January.” That’s an offer, not a takeover.
- Find the two letters that matter. Every plan member should have received an Annual Notice of Change (often called the “ANOC”) explaining what’s different for 2027. If her plan is ending, there’s also a separate non-renewal letter. Everything else in the mailbox is mostly advertising.
- Make the medication list. Write down every prescription: the exact name, the dose, and how often. This one list drives most of the decision. A plan that looks cheap can cost hundreds more if one key drug isn’t on its list.
- Check the “people and places.” Look up her main doctors, specialists, hospital, and pharmacy in the plan’s 2027 directory, or call the office and ask, “Are you in network with [plan name] for 2027?” If a doctor leaves her plan’s network but the plan continues, she generally doesn’t get a special window, so this is the time to act.
- Compare on Medicare’s own website. Enter her ZIP code and drug list into Medicare Plan Finder. Compare the total yearly cost (premium plus drugs plus copays), not just the monthly premium. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
- Get a free, unbiased second opinion. Every state has a SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program). Their trained counselors don’t sell insurance and don’t earn commissions. In California it’s called HICAP. Book early; December fills up fast.
- Make the change, or decide not to. Keeping her current plan is a perfectly good choice if you checked. The mistake is staying put by accident.
The 3 traps I see most often
Trap 1: The “$0 premium” headline
A $0 premium is like a “free” phone with a two-year contract. The cost shows up somewhere else, in copays, drug costs, or a narrow network. Always compare the total yearly cost.
Trap 2: Switching back to Original Medicare without a backup plan
Leaving Medicare Advantage for Original Medicare is allowed during Open Enrollment. But in many states, buying a Medigap (supplement) policy afterward can involve health questions, and she could be charged more or turned down. A few states have extra protections. Ask the SHIP counselor about Mom’s state before she switches.
Trap 3: The friendly phone call
Scammers love Open Enrollment. Teach Mom this one rule: Medicare will not call out of the blue asking for her Medicare number or bank information. If someone calls “from Medicare,” she hangs up and calls 1-800-MEDICARE herself. Numbers on TV ads usually connect to private sales agents, not to Medicare.
One form that saves hours of frustration
Medicare can’t discuss Mom’s account with you unless she gives permission. Ask 1-800-MEDICARE about Form CMS-10106 (Authorization to Disclose Personal Health Information), or have Mom add you while she’s on the phone with them. Do it now, while things are calm, not during a crisis.
Your kitchen-table Medicare kit
These simple tools make the review (and the rest of the year) easier. I picked them for big print and easy handling.
Large Weekly Pill Organizer (AM/PM)
Makes the medication list easy to build, because everything’s in one place. Look for big lids and large letters.
See optionsFireproof Document Organizer
One home for the Medicare card, plan letters, ANOC and permission forms. No more digging through drawers.
See optionsLarge-Print Monthly Planner
Write “Dec 7: Medicare deadline” and the SHIP appointment where she’ll actually see them.
See optionsAs an Amazon Associate, EunoWell earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked questions
When is Medicare Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage?
October 15 through December 7, 2026. Changes made in that window take effect January 1, 2027.
What if we miss December 7?
People already in a Medicare Advantage plan get a second, more limited chance from January 1 to March 31: one switch to another Advantage plan, or back to Original Medicare. If her plan isn’t renewing, she has a special window through February 28, 2027.
Does Mom have to change plans every year?
No. If her plan is renewing and still covers her drugs, doctors and pharmacy at a cost she’s comfortable with, she can keep it and do nothing. The point is to check, not to switch.
Is SHIP counseling really free?
Yes. SHIP is a government-funded program with trained counselors who don’t sell insurance. Find your state’s program at shiphelp.org.
Can I make changes for my parent?
Your parent makes the decision. To speak with Medicare on her behalf, she’ll need to give permission, for example by filing Form CMS-10106 or adding you while on the phone with 1-800-MEDICARE. If she can no longer make decisions, a power of attorney may apply.
If you’re carrying a lot right now
If you’re juggling your own work, your kids and your parents’ paperwork, you’re in good company. Read The Sandwich Generation Money Squeeze for a plan that protects your finances too, and The Retirement Savings Gap for Women so your own future doesn’t get pushed to the back burner.
Important: EunoWell is an educational site. We are not licensed insurance agents and don’t recommend specific plans. Medicare rules, costs and plan availability vary by state and county. Confirm details with Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your SHIP counselor before making changes.
Sources: Associated Press (Oct. 2026) · Kiplinger · Straight Arrow News / KFF estimate · WUNC / NPR · Indiana SHIP · Medicare Plan Finder
