Medicare 2026
Before You Open Your ANOC Letter in Houston
HOUSTON — Fall 2026 is here, and so is the stretch when Medicare decisions for next year actually get made. The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and any change made in that window takes effect January 1, 2027. CMS has already locked in the 2027 Part D figures, but the Part B premium and IRMAA brackets are still to come — so Houston residents will be weighing some confirmed numbers alongside some blanks.
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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 maximum Part D deductible moves to **$700**.
- CMS has **not yet released** the 2027 Part B standard premium, Part B deductible, or IRMAA income brackets; those are typically announced later in the fall.
- Your plan's **Annual Notice of Change (ANOC)** — mailed in September — is the only document that shows exactly what your current plan is changing for 2027.
- Houston sits in Harris County, where **114 Medicare Advantage plans from 15 carriers** are offered for the current plan year; the full roster is in the table below.
What CMS has confirmed for 2027
Three Part D numbers are already set, and they apply nationwide — Houston included:
- Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,400 in 2027 (it is $2,100 in 2026). Once your covered drug spending hits that cap, you pay $0 for covered drugs the rest of the year.
- Part D maximum deductible: $700 in 2027 (it is $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 — it is not what any specific plan charges you.
The coverage gap (the old "donut hole") is gone as of 2025, so Part D now has three phases: deductible, initial coverage, and catastrophic. The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan — the option to spread your drug costs across the year in monthly installments — continues in 2027. You have to opt in; it does not happen automatically.
What CMS has not announced yet
Two important pieces are still pending:
- The 2027 Part B standard premium and Part B deductible. CMS usually publishes these in the fall, often in November.
- The 2027 IRMAA income brackets and surcharge amounts for higher-income enrollees. These come out with the Part B figures. (For context, in 2026 IRMAA begins above $109,000 in income for a single filer.)
We will not estimate these numbers or quote projections. When CMS releases them, that is the figure to plan around.
Read your ANOC — it is the document that matters
If you already have a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, your carrier mailed you an Annual Notice of Change in September. It spells out, in your plan specifically, what is changing on January 1, 2027: premium, deductible, drug tiers, provider network, extra benefits, and the pharmacies considered preferred.
Nothing happens to you if you do nothing — your current plan simply renews with the ANOC changes baked in, as long as the plan is still offered in Harris County next year. Set the booklet next to this year's and compare page by page. The copays and the formulary (the covered drug list) are where most people find a surprise.
How plan availability is moving in Harris County
Houston is in Harris County, where 114 Medicare Advantage plans from 15 carriers are available for the current plan year, according to the CMS Landscape file. All 114 include drug coverage, and 45 are Special Needs Plans (SNPs) built for people with Medicaid, specific chronic conditions, or who live in an institutional setting.
For the 2027 plan year, the local lineup is shifting: some plans are not returning, some are new, and some are being renamed. The ANOC will tell you if your plan is one of them. If your plan is leaving the Harris County market, you will get a non-renewal letter and a Special Enrollment Period to choose something else.
One note specific to this area: there are no stand-alone Part D plans listed in the Harris County MA Landscape file we draw from. Stand-alone Part D plans do exist in Texas — you can see them on Medicare's Plan Finder — but anyone comparing drug coverage locally should check Plan Finder directly for the full picture.
The table below lists every Medicare Advantage plan offered in Harris County, by carrier. Big names in that mix include Aetna (CVS Health), Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC), Centene (WellCare), Devoted Health, Elevance Health (Anthem), Humana, Memorial Hermann Health Plan, SCAN Health Plan, and UnitedHealthcare, along with several smaller and specialty carriers like Community Health Choice, Molina Healthcare of Texas, ProCare Advantage, Provider Partners Health Plans, Texas Independence Health Plan, and Verda Health Plan of Texas.
What to actually do between now and December 7
A simple sequence works for most people:
1. Open the ANOC and compare your 2026 plan to its 2027 version. 2. List your prescriptions and your doctors. Then confirm each is still covered under your 2027 plan. 3. Use Medicare's Plan Finder at medicare.gov to see your 2027 options side by side with your drugs plugged in. 4. Call for help if you want it. 1-800-MEDICARE is open 24/7. In Texas, the free SHIP counseling service is the Texas Health Information, Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP), reachable at 1-800-252-9240. 5. Decide by December 7, 2026. If you want to keep what you have and it is still offered, you do not need to do anything.
If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you also have the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1 to March 31, 2027, to switch MA plans or go back to Original Medicare once.
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 Harris County
(MA penetration in Harris 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 happens if I do nothing by December 7, 2026?
Why can't you tell me the 2027 Part B premium?
Is the $2,000 Part D cap still in place?
Where can I get unbiased help comparing plans in Houston?
- 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 Houston
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This page was last updated: October 2026.