Medicare 2026

Chicago Medicare open enrollment: your Oct. 15–Dec. 7 playbook for 2027 coverage

CHICAGO — Fall 2026. From October 15 through December 7, 2026, people on Medicare in Chicago can change how they get their coverage for next year. Whatever you pick — or if you pick nothing at all — the decision locks in on January 1, 2027.

This is the one stretch of the year when almost anyone with Medicare can make a move: join a Medicare Advantage plan, switch to a different one, drop it and go back to Original Medicare, or add, change or drop a Part D drug plan. Cook County, where Chicago sits, has 78 Medicare Advantage plans from 12 carriers for 2026, so there is a lot to sort through — but you only have to decide if a change makes sense for you.

What you can actually change between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7

The Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) is broad on purpose. During the window you can:

• Join a Medicare Advantage plan for the first time, if you already have Part A and Part B.
• Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another.
• Drop a Medicare Advantage plan and go back to Original Medicare (Parts A and B).
• Join a stand-alone Part D drug plan, switch to a different one, or drop drug coverage.

The last change you submit before 11:59 p.m. on December 7, 2026, is the one that counts. New coverage starts January 1, 2027.

One note on supplemental coverage: this window is not a guaranteed time to buy a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policy. Medigap has its own rules, and in most cases, outside your initial six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, an insurer in Illinois can use medical underwriting. If you are thinking about switching from a Medicare Advantage plan back to Original Medicare plus a Medigap, call your SHIP counselor before you cancel anything.

Read your Annual Notice of Change first

By late September, your current plan should have sent an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC). It is the single most useful piece of mail you will get this fall. It spells out, side by side, what is changing from 2026 to 2027: the premium, the deductible, copays, the drug list (formulary), and whether your doctors and pharmacies are still in network.

For 2027 in Cook County, CMS data show 17 Medicare Advantage plans are not being offered again, 6 are new, and 9 are being renamed. “Not returning” is the one that matters most — if your plan is on that list, you will get a non-renewal letter and you do need to pick something else, or you will be moved to Original Medicare on January 1.

What's confirmed for 2027 — and what isn't

A few 2027 numbers are already set by CMS:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,400 in 2027, up from $2,100 in 2026.
• Part D maximum deductible: $700 in 2027, up from $615 in 2026.
• Part D national base beneficiary premium: $41.33 for 2027. This is a formula input, not what any specific plan charges.

The coverage gap (the old “donut hole”) is gone — Part D has had three phases since 2025. There is also an optional Medicare Prescription Payment Plan you can ask your drug plan to turn on, which spreads your yearly drug costs into level monthly payments instead of big one-time hits at the pharmacy.

What is not out yet: the 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets (the higher Part B and Part D amounts people with higher incomes pay). CMS usually publishes those in the fall, often in November. We will update when it does.

The Chicago lineup, at a glance

Chicago is in Cook County, where 78 Medicare Advantage plans are offered for 2026 from 12 carriers: Aetna (CVS Health), Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC), Centene (WellCare), Clear Spring Health, Devoted Health, Essence Healthcare, Humana, Longevity Health, Molina Healthcare of Illinois, Provider Partners Health Plans, UnitedHealthcare and Zing Health. By plan type, that includes HMO, HMO-POS, PPO and PFFS options, plus 20 Special Needs Plans (SNPs) for people who qualify based on income (dual-eligible), a chronic condition, or living in a nursing home.

The table below lists every Medicare Advantage plan available in Cook County for 2026 by carrier. Use it as a starting point for the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov/plan-compare, which is the only tool that will show you 2027 premiums, drug costs and star ratings once they publish.

How to decide — without getting overwhelmed

You don't need to compare all 78 plans. A short, honest checklist does most of the work:

1. List your doctors and hospitals. Are they in network for the plan you're considering in 2027? 2. List your prescriptions, with dose and quantity. The Plan Finder will show your actual yearly cost under each plan's drug list. 3. Think about how you want to use coverage. Original Medicare plus a Part D plan (and often a Medigap) lets you see any provider that takes Medicare. Medicare Advantage usually uses a network and may include extras like dental or vision, but you'll follow the plan's rules. 4. Check the Star Ratings on medicare.gov as one input — they measure quality and member experience — but don't let a single number decide for you. 5. Factor in income-based costs. If your 2024 income was above the IRMAA threshold (above $109,000 single / $218,000 joint for 2026 rules), you'll pay more for Part B and Part D. The 2027 brackets will come out this fall.

Where to get free, local help in Chicago

You do not have to pay anyone to help you choose a plan. In Illinois, the Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP) offers free, unbiased, one-on-one counseling. It is run by the Illinois Department on Aging and is not tied to any insurance company.

• Illinois SHIP: 1-800-252-8966 or ilaging.illinois.gov
• Medicare: medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24/7, including TTY 1-877-486-2048
• AgeOptions (the Area Agency on Aging for suburban Cook County) and the City of Chicago Department of Family & Support Services both host SHIP counselors and can point you to in-person help at senior centers.

If you miss December 7, there is one more limited chance for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan: the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1 to March 31, 2027. During that window, you can switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan or drop back to Original Medicare (and pick up a Part D plan). It does not let someone on Original Medicare join a Medicare Advantage plan for the first time.