Technology and Scienceupdated 2h ago3 min read
Medicare Open Enrollment Starts Oct. 15 for 2027; New Jerseyans Weigh Medicare Advantage Changes
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Medicare Advantage open enrollment for 2027 runs Oct 15–Dec 7, 2026. More than 3 million MA enrollees must switch plans for 2027 due to reduced options.
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Open enrollment starts Oct. 15
Medicare open enrollment for 2027 begins Oct. 15 and lasts until Dec. 7, giving seniors age 65 and older a chance to review whether to switch to original Medicare or privately administered Medicare Advantage.
Toby Stark, a broker with Stark Associates Insurance Agency in Middletown and author of "Medicare, You Earned This!", urged people to "Don't just stay as is," and said, "You're only as good as the last year you're enrolled."
The Asbury Park Press article said Medicare covers about 1.8 million New Jerseyans, including about 754,000 who have Medicare Advantage plans, according to the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
The Commonwealth Fund's Gretchen Jacobson said, "People continue to have a lot of options to choose from," as Braven said it would exit the market and Devoted Health joined the Medicare Advantage market in New Jersey.
The article also warned that Medicare Advantage plans can have more restrictive provider networks than original Medicare, even as some plans offer a $0 premium.
Millions face plan changes
Medicare Advantage open enrollment for 2027 coverage begins on Thursday and ends on December 7, with experts urging enrollees to review plan options to avoid unexpected bills.
Nearly 3.2 million Medicare Advantage enrollees, or almost 11%, will have to shop for new policies for 2027 because their insurers are no longer offering their plans, and it contrasted that with about 2.9 million and 2 million enrollees whose plans were terminated for this year and for 2025.
CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said in a statement, "CMS is fighting to keep high-quality care options affordable and accessible for the millions of beneficiaries who rely on Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans," as insurers overhaul offerings.
Jared Strock, founder of Medicare Market Insights, said the disruption reflects insurers culling less profitable plans as medical costs outpace reimbursements from the federal government.
The average beneficiary will have 28 Medicare Advantage plans with prescription drug coverage to select from, down from a high of 36 plans in 2024, according to KFF.
Costs, networks, and risk
The New York Times described how the government improved the Medicare Plan Finder for open enrollment, but it also recounted Blythe Carey, 67, receiving a bill for $963 after a gynecologist was not in her Medicare Advantage plan's network.
The deadline for deciding is Dec. 7, and it noted that doctors and hospitals can leave the network plan any time, while Advantage members cannot with rare exceptions.
CMS projections cited by Telemundo Miami (51) said the average monthly premium for Medicare Advantage plans will drop from $14.37 in 2026 to $12 in 2027, while the standard monthly premium for Part B could rise from $202.90 in 2026 to $209.50 in 2027.
Telemundo Miami (51) also said the annual deductible for Part B could rise from $283 to $292, and it warned that beneficiaries whose Social Security has Part B premiums deducted could see money redirected to cover the expense.
UnitedHealthcare and Humana, which serve 46 percent of the Advantage market, will be discontinuing plans for nearly a million beneficiaries, and some industry analysts estimate as many as five million members may need new coverage because of a record number of plan cancellations.