Medicare Open Enrollment 2026: Exact Dates and What You Can Change

By the Between the News desk · researched with AI tools, checked and edited by a human editor

Open Enrollment: October 15 - December 7Changes take effect January 1 of the following yearCan switch Advantage, Original Medicare, or Part D plansPlan must receive your request by Dec. 7Source: medicare.gov / CMS

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Medicare's Open Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7 every year, and 2026 is no exception — this is the one guaranteed window when anyone with Medicare can change their coverage for the following year, no special circumstances required.

During those seven weeks, you can switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan, or drop a Medicare Advantage plan and go back to Original Medicare. You can also move from one Medicare Advantage plan to another, add or drop prescription drug coverage, or switch which Part D drug plan you're enrolled in.

Timing matters more than people expect: whatever change you make has to reach your plan by December 7, and the new coverage doesn't start until January 1 of the following year — there's no early activation, even if you make the switch the day the window opens.

This window is different from the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, which runs January 1 through March 31 and only lets people already in a Medicare Advantage plan make one additional switch. If you miss the October-December window entirely and aren't eligible for a special enrollment period, you'll typically have to wait until the following October to make changes.

Before switching anything, compare plans directly at medicare.gov's Plan Finder using your specific prescriptions and preferred doctors — the "best" plan varies enormously by individual medical needs, not just premium cost.

“Switch plans the day the window opens and you still won't see new coverage until January 1 — there's no early start.”