Medicare 2026

Medicare AEP in Eagle Mountain runs Oct 15 to Dec 7

From October 15 through December 7, people with Medicare across Eagle Mountain can review their coverage and make changes that take effect January 1, 2027. This yearly window — known as the Annual Enrollment Period, or AEP — is the main chance most people get to switch plans, and skipping the review is one of the more common (and costly) mistakes.

Eagle Mountain, Utah — The Fall Window Is Open

The stakes are a little different this year. In 2027, the Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,400 and the maximum Part D deductible is $700. Plans are also refreshing their drug lists, pharmacy networks, and provider networks. Even if you like your plan, the plan itself may not look the same in January.

What You Can Actually Do Between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7

The Annual Enrollment Period is broader than many people realize. According to Medicare.gov, during this window you can:

• Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan, or the other way around.
• Change from one Medicare Advantage plan to another — with or without drug coverage.
• Join a stand-alone Part D drug plan, drop one, or switch to a different one.

Any change you make during AEP takes effect January 1, 2027. After December 7, your options narrow considerably until the next open window.

The Deadline That Matters: December 7

December 7 is a hard deadline. Miss it, and in most cases you'll be locked into your current coverage for the year, with limited exceptions:

• If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (Jan. 1 – March 31) lets you switch to a different Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare — but you can't use it to join Advantage for the first time from Original Medicare.
• Special Enrollment Periods may apply if you move, lose other coverage, qualify for Extra Help, or experience certain life events.

For most people, though, December 7 is the day that counts.

Common Mistakes to Avoid This Season

A few patterns show up every year at SHIP counseling desks and on 1-800-MEDICARE calls:

1. Auto-renewing without reading the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC). Your plan mails this in September. It spells out what's changing — premiums, drug tiers, network, extras — for 2027. Read it before you decide to stay. 2. Assuming your doctor or pharmacy is still in-network. Networks change every January. Verify before you renew. 3. Ignoring the drug list. A medication covered in 2026 may sit on a different tier — or drop off — in 2027. 4. Not checking whether Extra Help or the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan could help. The payment plan lets you spread Part D drug costs across the calendar year in monthly amounts instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.

What's New for 2027

A few program-level facts worth knowing as you compare:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,400 in 2027. Once your out-of-pocket drug spending hits that amount, you pay nothing more for covered Part D drugs the rest of the year.
• Part D deductible ceiling: $700 in 2027. Plans can charge less, but not more.
• The coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone. Since 2025, Part D has three phases: deductible, initial coverage, and catastrophic.
• IRMAA surcharges — the higher-income adjustments on Part B and Part D — begin above $109,000 for a single filer in 2026, based on your 2024 tax return.

Eagle Mountain and Utah County

Eagle Mountain sits in Utah County, where Medicare Advantage and Part D plan choices are set at the county level by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). That means residents of Eagle Mountain, Saratoga Springs, Lehi, and Provo generally see the same menu of plans. The specific number of plans and carriers available in Utah County for 2027 is in each plan's ANOC and on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder, which is the best place to see what's offered before you decide.