Medicare 2026

Chicago Medicare in 2027: the Part D numbers CMS has locked, and what still isn't out

CHICAGO — If you have Medicare and live in or near Chicago, the Annual Enrollment Period that opens Oct. 15, 2026 and closes Dec. 7, 2026 is your window to make changes for 2027 coverage. Some of the 2027 numbers are already confirmed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Others — including the 2027 Part B premium and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets — are still on the way, and CMS typically releases them later in the fall.

Here is what Cook County residents can plan around now, and what to watch for before Dec. 7.

What CMS has 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 reaches that cap, you pay $0 for covered Part D drugs for the rest of the calendar year.
• Part D maximum deductible: $700 in 2027, up from $615 in 2026. Plans can set a deductible lower than this ceiling, but not higher.
• Part D national base beneficiary premium: $41.33 for 2027. This is a formula input CMS uses, not what any specific plan charges you.

The coverage gap (the old "donut hole") was eliminated in 2025, so Part D now has three phases: deductible, initial coverage, and catastrophic. The optional Medicare Prescription Payment Plan is still available if you want to spread your drug costs across the year in monthly installments instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.

What CMS has not announced yet

Two figures Chicago readers often ask about are not out yet:

• The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible. CMS announces these in the fall, usually in November.
• The 2027 IRMAA income brackets and surcharges. These are published alongside the Part B numbers.

For comparison, in 2026 IRMAA surcharges begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer. We do not know yet whether or how that threshold shifts for 2027, and we won't quote any projection. Watch medicare.gov or the official CMS announcement when it posts.

The letter that matters most: your ANOC

If you are already in a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, the single most important piece of mail you'll get this fall is the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC). Plans must send it by late September. It lays out, in plain language, how your plan is changing for Jan. 1, 2027 — premium, deductible, copays, drug tier placement, provider and pharmacy network, and extra benefits.

A few tips:

• Read the ANOC alongside your pill bottles. Confirm each drug is still covered and check the tier.
• Check that your primary care doctor, specialists, and preferred hospitals are still in-network.
• If you do nothing, your plan simply renews for 2027 with the changes described in the ANOC. Nothing bad happens to you automatically — but you also won't get a second chance to react once Dec. 7 passes (outside of limited special circumstances).

How Chicago's plan lineup is moving

Chicago sits in Cook County, where plan availability is set. For the 2026 plan year, Cook County has 78 Medicare Advantage plans offered by 12 carriers, and every one of those plans includes drug coverage. There are no stand-alone Part D plans listed in the area data for Cook County in this snapshot; readers who want drug coverage without an MA plan should use Medicare Plan Finder to check current PDP availability in ZIP 606xx.

Looking ahead to 2027 in Cook County:

• 17 plans are not returning for 2027.
• 6 new plans are entering.
• 9 plans are being renamed (same contract, new name on the card).

If your plan is one of the ones leaving, you'll get a non-renewal notice and a Special Enrollment Period to choose a new plan. If your plan is renamed, your coverage can still change — read the ANOC.

The table below lists every Medicare Advantage plan offered in Cook County for the 2026 plan year, grouped by carrier (Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Centene/WellCare, Clear Spring Health, Devoted Health, Essence Healthcare, Humana, Longevity Health, Molina Healthcare of Illinois, Provider Partners Health Plans, UnitedHealthcare, and Zing Health). Use it to see what is available in your county — not as a ranking.

A simple timeline for Chicago readers

• Late September 2026: ANOC and Evidence of Coverage arrive from your current plan.
• October 15, 2026: Annual Enrollment Period opens. You can compare and switch plans on medicare.gov.
• November 2026 (typical): CMS announces the 2027 Part B premium, Part B deductible, and IRMAA brackets.
• December 7, 2026: Annual Enrollment Period closes. Changes take effect Jan. 1, 2027.
• January 1 – March 31, 2027: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment. If you are already in an MA plan, you get one chance to switch to a different MA plan or move back to Original Medicare.

Where to get personalized help

For personalized answers, three places are worth your time:

• medicare.gov — the official Plan Finder lets you enter your ZIP code and medications and compare every plan in Cook County side by side.
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) — available 24/7.
• Illinois SHIP — the state's free Senior Health Insurance Program offers unbiased, one-on-one counseling. In Chicago, trained counselors can walk you through your ANOC and compare options with you.