Medicare 2026
Your 2027 ANOC Letter: What San Jose Should Look For
SAN JOSE — Fall 2026 is here, and with it the Annual Enrollment Period for Medicare coverage that starts January 1, 2027. For San Jose residents weighing a change, some of the most important 2027 numbers are already confirmed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Others — the ones that get the most headlines — are still a few weeks away.
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Key takeaways
- The Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 in 2027, up from $2,100 in 2026, and the Part D maximum deductible moves to $700, up from $615.
- CMS has not yet released the 2027 Part B premium, Part B deductible, or IRMAA income brackets; those typically come out later in the fall.
- Your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) is the single document that tells you what your current plan is doing in 2027 — read it before December 7, 2026.
- San Jose is in Santa Clara County, where 46 Medicare Advantage plans from 12 carriers are offered for 2026; the full plan list is in the table below.
Here is what is set, what is not, and how to use the time between October 15 and December 7, 2026 wisely.
What CMS has already confirmed for 2027
Three Part D figures are locked in:
- Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,400 in 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026). Once your out-of-pocket spending on covered drugs hits that cap, you pay $0 for the rest of the year.
- Part D maximum deductible: $700 in 2027 (up from $615 in 2026). Plans can set a lower deductible, but not higher.
- Part D national base beneficiary premium: $41.33 for 2027. This is a formula input CMS uses behind the scenes — it is not the premium any specific plan charges.
The coverage gap (the old "donut hole") remains gone, as it has been since 2025. Part D now has three phases: deductible, initial coverage, and catastrophic (where you pay nothing once the cap is reached).
The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan — the option to spread your yearly drug costs into monthly bills instead of paying at the pharmacy counter — continues in 2027. You can opt in through your Part D plan.
What CMS has not announced yet
Two big numbers are still pending as of this writing:
- The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible. CMS typically announces these in the fall, often in November.
- The 2027 IRMAA income brackets and surcharges. These are the extra amounts higher-income beneficiaries pay for Part B and Part D. They are usually published alongside the Part B figures.
Ignore any "projection" circulating now. Until CMS publishes the official numbers, there is no 2027 Part B premium to quote. For comparison, 2026 IRMAA surcharges begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer.
The one letter every San Jose enrollee should read
If you are already on a Medicare Advantage plan or a stand-alone Part D plan, your insurer mailed (or will mail) your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) in September. It spells out exactly what is changing in your plan for 2027: premium, deductible, drug tiers, copays, provider network, extra benefits, and service area.
Nothing happens to you if you do nothing — your current plan renews January 1, 2027 with the changes listed in your ANOC, as long as the plan is still offered. That is why reading the ANOC matters: it is the only document that tells you what your plan is doing next year.
We cannot tell you what any specific plan changed; the ANOC can.
How plan availability is moving in Santa Clara County
San Jose is in Santa Clara County, where Medicare plan availability is set at the county level. For 2026, the CMS Landscape file shows 46 Medicare Advantage plans from 12 carriers in the county, all of them including drug coverage. By plan type: 38 HMO, 5 HMO-POS, and 3 PPO. Twenty are Special Needs Plans (for people with specific conditions, dual Medicare-Medicaid eligibility, or who live in institutions).
For 2027 in the county, there is movement in the lineup: some plans are not returning, a handful are new, and others have been renamed. If your plan is one that is leaving or being renamed, your ANOC (or a separate non-renewal letter) will tell you. If you lose your plan because it is discontinued, you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period to pick a new one.
Separately, Santa Clara County has 0 stand-alone Part D plans listed in the 2026 landscape data for this market segment. If you have Original Medicare and want drug coverage, that is worth checking carefully on Medicare's Plan Finder before December 7.
The table below lists every Medicare Advantage plan offered in the county for 2026, by carrier — from Aetna and Alignment Health Plan through Kaiser Permanente, SCAN Health Plan, and UnitedHealthcare.
What to do between now and December 7, 2026
- Read your ANOC. Flag anything that changed: premium, drug tier for medications you take, your doctor's network status.
- Check your drugs on Plan Finder. Go to medicare.gov/plan-compare, enter your ZIP code and your prescriptions, and see how 2027 formularies and costs line up.
- Check your providers. Networks change year to year. Call your doctor's office and confirm they will accept your plan in 2027.
- Wait on Part B / IRMAA questions. If your decision depends on the 2027 Part B premium or IRMAA brackets, those come later in the fall. You will still have time before December 7.
- Ask for free help. California's SHIP is called HICAP (Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program). Counselors do not sell plans.
By the numbers
Medicare Part B premium, 2006–2026
The standard monthly Part B premium has climbed from $88.50 in 2006 to $202.90 in 2026. Hover any point for that year’s premium.
Source: CMS. Standard premium shown; in some hold-harmless years many existing enrollees paid less. Confirm at Medicare.gov.
By the numbers
How people get Medicare in Santa Clara County
(MA penetration in Santa Clara County)
MA penetration from CMS enrollment data; Medigap share is an estimate. U.S. average is about 54% Medicare Advantage. These are area-level figures, not plan-specific.
Key dates
Medicare enrollment periods at a glance
- Around your 65thInitial Enrollment PeriodA 7-month window around the month you turn 65 — your first chance to sign up.
- October 15 – December 7Annual Enrollment PeriodAnyone with Medicare can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.
- January 1 – March 31Medicare Advantage Open EnrollmentIf you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can make one change.
- January 1 – March 31General Enrollment PeriodFor people who missed their first chance to sign up for Part B.
- VariesSpecial Enrollment PeriodTriggered by life events like moving or losing other coverage.
Dates are set by Medicare and apply nationwide. Confirm your personal windows at Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
Explore
When can you enroll? An interactive year
Enrollment windows are federal and the same nationwide. Confirm your personal dates at Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
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The parts of Medicare
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
What is the Part D out-of-pocket cap in 2027?
When will CMS announce the 2027 Part B premium?
What happens if I do nothing during Annual Enrollment?
How many Medicare Advantage plans are available where I live?
- CMS — Medicare Part D program rules (medicare.gov)
- CMS — Medicare enrollment periods (medicare.gov)
- CMS — MA/Part D Landscape & Plan Finder data
For personalized answers, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local SHIP.
Also for San Jose
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This page was last updated: October 2026.