Medicare 2026

Long Beach Medicare: What AEP Lets You Change by Dec 7

LONG BEACH, Calif. — The window to review your Medicare coverage for 2027 is open now and closes December 7. This stretch, called the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), runs every year from October 15 to December 7, and it is the main chance most people get to change how their Medicare works for the year ahead.

If you live in Long Beach and you already have Medicare, this is the time to check that your plan still fits — before the deadline passes and your choices narrow.

What you can actually do during AEP

AEP is not just for signing up for the first time. During these weeks, you can:

• Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan, or the other way around.
• Change from one Medicare Advantage plan to another.
• Join, drop, or switch a stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan.

Any change you make before December 7 starts on January 1, 2027. You do not need to cancel your old plan separately — enrolling in a new one usually does that automatically.

Why next year is worth a closer look

A few program-level changes make 2027 different from past years:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100. Once your covered drug costs hit that amount, you pay $0 for covered prescriptions the rest of the year.
• The coverage gap (the old "donut hole") is gone. Part D now has three phases instead of four, which took effect in 2025 and continues in 2027.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your Part D costs across the year in monthly payments instead of paying big amounts at the pharmacy counter. It is optional and free to join.
• IRMAA, the higher-income surcharge on Part B and Part D, starts above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

These pieces can change how a plan feels in practice, even if your health did not change.

How to decide if you should switch

You do not have to change plans during AEP. Many people look and stay put. But it is worth checking a few things:

1. Your drug list. Plans update their formularies every year. A medication that was covered in 2026 might be tiered differently — or not covered — in 2027. 2. Your doctors and hospitals. If you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, confirm your providers are still in the network for next year. 3. Your pharmacy. Preferred pharmacies can change, and that affects what you pay. 4. Your budget. Look at premiums, deductibles, and cost-sharing together, not just one number.

Long Beach is in Los Angeles County, where the number of Medicare Advantage and Part D plans available is set at the county level. The Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov lets you compare what is offered based on your ZIP code and your specific drug list.

Where to get help in Long Beach

You do not have to figure this out alone, and you should not have to pay for basic guidance.

• Medicare.gov — the official Plan Finder tool.
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) — open 24/7.
• California's SHIP program, called HICAP (Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program). HICAP counselors give free, unbiased, one-on-one help to people on Medicare. Los Angeles County residents can reach the local HICAP office by phone or set up an appointment.

Be careful with unsolicited calls, texts, and door-knockers this time of year. Medicare will not call you out of the blue to sign you up for a plan, and no legitimate agent will pressure you to decide on the spot.

What if I miss December 7?

If AEP ends and you wish you had made a change, you still have options — just fewer of them.

• If you are in a Medicare Advantage plan on January 1, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31) lets you switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare (and add a Part D plan). You get one change during that window.
• Special Enrollment Periods may open if you move, lose other coverage, or qualify for Extra Help.

Still, AEP is the widest door. Using it now saves you from having to hunt for an exception later.