Medicare Advantage

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: Your Jan. 1–March 31 Options

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — If you enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan last fall and are having second thoughts, you still have time. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 through March 31, giving people already in an Advantage plan one more chance to adjust their coverage before it locks in for the year.

This window is different from the Annual Enrollment Period that ended December 7. It is narrower, it has a shorter list of allowed changes, and it is only for people who are already in Medicare Advantage on January 1. Here is what Bridgeport residents can — and cannot — do with it.

Who this enrollment period is for

The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (sometimes shortened to MA-OEP) is designed for one specific group: people who already have a Medicare Advantage plan as of January 1. If you are in Original Medicare on January 1, this window does not apply to you, even if you'd like to move into an Advantage plan.

That distinction trips people up every year, so it is worth repeating. The Annual Enrollment Period (October 15–December 7) is the broad window when almost anyone can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period is a smaller second-chance window for current Advantage enrollees.

What you can change between January 1 and March 31

According to CMS, during MA-OEP you can:

• Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another Medicare Advantage plan.
• Drop your Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare (Parts A and B).
• If you return to Original Medicare, you can also join a stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.

You get one change during this period. Once you make it, the new coverage typically starts the first day of the following month.

What you cannot do in this window

The MA-OEP is not a do-anything window. You cannot:

• Join a Medicare Advantage plan for the first time if you started the year in Original Medicare.
• Switch from one stand-alone Part D drug plan to another stand-alone Part D drug plan (unless you are also leaving an Advantage plan).
• Sign up for a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policy with guaranteed acceptance simply because it is January. Medigap has its own rules, and outside your one-time Medigap open enrollment window, insurers in most states can use medical underwriting.

That last point matters if you are thinking about leaving Advantage for Original Medicare. Before you drop the plan, it is worth checking whether a Medigap policy will be available to you and at what terms.

Why people use this window

The most common reasons Bridgeport residents look at MA-OEP:

• A doctor or hospital they use is no longer in the plan's network.
• A prescription is not covered the way they expected.
• Referral or prior authorization rules are more restrictive than anticipated.
• They have decided Original Medicare plus a stand-alone drug plan fits their life better.

If any of these sound familiar, this is the window to act.

The 2027 Part D backdrop

Whatever you do with your Advantage or drug coverage, a few program-level facts apply across the board heading into 2027:

• Part D out-of-pocket drug costs are capped at $2,100 for the year.
• The Part D deductible cannot be higher than $615.
• The old coverage gap — the "donut hole" — is gone as of 2025. Part D now has three phases: deductible, initial coverage, and catastrophic.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your out-of-pocket drug costs across the calendar year in monthly amounts instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA income-based surcharges on Part B and Part D start above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

These rules apply whether your drug coverage comes through a Medicare Advantage plan that includes Part D or through a stand-alone Part D plan alongside Original Medicare.

How local availability works

Bridgeport is in Fairfield County, and Medicare Advantage and Part D plan availability is set at the county level, not the city level. That means every Bridgeport resident sees the same menu of plans as their neighbors elsewhere in Fairfield County. When you compare options on Medicare.gov, the tool will ask for your ZIP code and pull the plans available to your county.

Where to get unbiased help

For personalized answers, use official resources rather than mailers or unsolicited calls:

• Medicare.gov — the Plan Finder lets you compare plans side by side using your own drug list and pharmacies.
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) — available 24/7.
• CHOICES, Connecticut's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) — free, one-on-one counseling for Medicare questions. Bridgeport residents can reach CHOICES through the Southwestern Connecticut Agency on Aging.