Medicare 2026

Springville Medicare Enrollment: Review, Switch, or Drop by Dec 7

SPRINGVILLE, Utah — The clock is ticking on Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period. Between now and December 7, people with Medicare in Springville can review, switch, or drop their coverage for 2027 — and the choices they make (or skip) will shape their costs and care starting January 1.

This window comes once a year. If you like your current coverage, you don't have to do anything. But if your plan is changing, your doctors are moving out of network, or your prescriptions have shifted, this is the time to look.

What you can actually do during AEP

The Annual Enrollment Period is the main once-a-year window when almost anyone with Medicare can make a change. During AEP you can:

• Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan, or the other way around.
• Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another.
• Join a stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan, switch to a different one, or drop it entirely.

Whatever you choose, your new coverage begins January 1, 2027. After December 7, your options narrow considerably.

Read your Annual Notice of Change first

Every fall, Medicare Advantage and Part D plans mail an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) to current members. It spells out what will be different next year — the premium, the drug list, the pharmacy network, the doctor network, and cost-sharing.

Before you decide to keep or leave your plan, read that notice side-by-side with your prescriptions and your list of doctors. A plan that fit last year may not fit next year, and vice versa.

What's new for 2027

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

• $2,400 Part D cap in 2027. Once your out-of-pocket spending on covered prescription drugs hits $2,400 in 2027, you pay nothing for the rest of the year on those drugs. (The 2026 cap is $2,100.)
• $700 maximum Part D deductible in 2027. No Part D plan can charge more than this before drug coverage kicks in. (The 2026 maximum is $615.)
• No more donut hole. The old coverage gap was eliminated in 2025. Part D now has three phases instead of four.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. This optional program lets you spread your drug costs across monthly payments instead of paying big amounts at the pharmacy counter. You can opt in through your Part D or Medicare Advantage drug plan.
• IRMAA thresholds. Higher-income beneficiaries pay extra for Part B and Part D. For 2026, the surcharge starts above $109,000 in income for a single filer.

Where Springville fits in

Springville is in Utah County, and Medicare plan availability is set at the county level. That means when you use Medicare's Plan Finder at medicare.gov and enter your ZIP code, you're seeing the plans offered across Utah County — not just Springville.

That's useful to know when you're comparing: the pool of plans is the same whether you live in Springville, Provo, or Spanish Fork, but the doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies in each plan's network can differ.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Doing nothing without checking. Auto-renewing is fine — but only if you've read the ANOC and confirmed your drugs and doctors are still covered.
• Choosing on premium alone. A low monthly premium can come with higher copays, a narrower network, or a drug list that leaves out your prescriptions.
• Missing the deadline. After December 7, most people can't change Medicare Advantage or Part D plans until next fall. (People already in a Medicare Advantage plan get one more chance during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, January 1 – March 31.)
• Relying on a single source. Ads and mailers show one slice of the market. The full picture is on medicare.gov.

Where to get unbiased help

• medicare.gov — the official Plan Finder lets you enter your prescriptions and compare every plan available in Utah County.
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) — available 24/7.
• Utah SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) — free, one-on-one counseling from trained volunteers who don't sell insurance.