Medicare 2026

Before Dec. 7 in Benton: the Medicare moves you can still make this fall

BENTON, Ark. — The window Medicare beneficiaries have been waiting for is open, and the clock runs out on December 7. Between now and then, people with Medicare in Benton can compare, switch, add, or drop coverage for 2026 — and whatever they choose (or don't choose) will shape their care and drug costs starting January 1.

Medicare 2026Benton, AR

This is the Annual Enrollment Period, or AEP. It runs every year from October 15 through December 7, and it is the one stretch when almost every Medicare choice is on the table at once.

What you can actually do between now and December 7

AEP is broader than most people realize. During this window, you can:

• Switch from Original Medicare (Parts A and B) to a Medicare Advantage plan, or the other way around.
• Change from one Medicare Advantage plan to another.
• Join a stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan, switch to a different one, or drop it.
• Add a Part D plan if you have Original Medicare and don't have drug coverage.

Any change you make during AEP takes effect on January 1, 2026. If you do nothing and you're happy with your current plan, most plans renew automatically — but "automatic" doesn't mean "unchanged." Premiums, drug lists (formularies), pharmacy networks, and provider networks can all shift year to year.

Why this year is worth a closer look

Part D drug coverage looks different in 2026 than it did just two years ago. A few program-level facts to keep in mind:

• $2,100 out-of-pocket cap. Once your out-of-pocket spending on covered Part D drugs hits $2,100 in 2026, you pay $0 for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• $615 maximum deductible. That's the ceiling a Part D plan can set; some plans set theirs lower.
• No more donut hole. The coverage gap phase is gone. Part D now has three phases: deductible, initial coverage, and catastrophic.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. This is an optional program that lets you spread your drug costs across the calendar year in monthly bills instead of paying at the pharmacy counter. It doesn't lower the total — it just smooths it out.

These changes are why even a plan that worked fine last year deserves a second look this fall.

How Benton fits in

Medicare Advantage and Part D plan availability is set by county, not by city. Benton sits in Saline County, so when you shop on Medicare.gov, enter your Benton ZIP code and you'll see the plans offered where you live. Neighbors a county over may see a different list.

If you use specific doctors, hospitals, or pharmacies in the Little Rock–Benton area, check that they're still in-network for any plan you're considering for 2026. Networks are one of the most common things to change quietly between plan years.

A simple checklist before December 7

1. Read your plan's Annual Notice of Change (ANOC). Your current plan mailed this in September. It spells out what's changing for 2026. 2. List your prescriptions with doses. You'll need this to compare Part D coverage accurately. 3. List your doctors and preferred pharmacy. Confirm they'll be in-network next year. 4. Compare on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder using your ZIP code, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), available 24/7. 5. Ask about the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan if a big drug bill early in the year would strain your budget. 6. Decide by December 7. If you miss it, your next chance to change a Medicare Advantage plan is the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, January 1 – March 31, and it's more limited.

Where to get free, unbiased help

You don't have to figure this out alone, and you don't have to talk to a salesperson to get answers.

• Medicare.gov — official plan comparisons and coverage rules.
• 1-800-MEDICARE — 24/7 help from Medicare directly.
• Arkansas SHIIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) — free, one-on-one counseling for Arkansas residents. SHIP counselors don't sell plans and don't earn commissions.