Medicare Advantage

Second Thoughts on Your Advantage Plan? Trumbull Has Until March 31

TRUMBULL, Conn. — If the plan you signed up for during the fall rush isn't feeling like the right fit now that you're actually using it, you get a do-over. From January 1 through March 31, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period gives people already enrolled in an Advantage plan one chance to make a change — no special reason required.

This window is narrower than the fall Annual Enrollment Period, and it comes with its own rules about who can use it and what kinds of changes are allowed. Here's what Trumbull residents should know before the March 31 deadline.

Who this window is for

The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, sometimes shortened to MA-OEP, is specifically for people who are already in a Medicare Advantage plan on January 1, 2027. If you enrolled during the fall Annual Enrollment Period and your new plan started January 1, you qualify.

If you're on Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) without an Advantage plan, this window is not for you. You'd need to wait for the next Annual Enrollment Period in the fall, or qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.

What you can change between January 1 and March 31

You get one change during this window. That change can be:

• Switching from your current Medicare Advantage plan to a different Medicare Advantage plan.
• Dropping your Medicare Advantage plan and going back to Original Medicare. If you do this, you can also join a stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan.

That's it. You cannot use this window to switch from one stand-alone Part D plan to another if you're already on Original Medicare. And once you make your one change, the window closes for you — even if it's still February.

Why people use this window

Real life often reveals what a summary of benefits doesn't. Common reasons Trumbull residents revisit their plan choice in the new year include:

• A doctor or specialist you assumed was in-network turns out not to be.
• A prescription you take is covered differently than you expected, or requires prior authorization.
• You've moved, or you're spending more time out of the area than the plan's network supports.
• The plan's referral or approval process isn't working for how you actually get care.

None of these require you to justify the switch. You just make the change.

The local picture

Trumbull is in Fairfield County, where Medicare beneficiaries typically have a broad menu of Medicare Advantage plans offered by multiple carriers. Plan availability, provider networks, and drug formularies are set at the county level, so two neighbors in the same town generally see the same options — but the "right" plan depends on your doctors, your prescriptions, and how you use care.

The Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov lets you enter your ZIP code and your prescriptions to compare what's available in Fairfield County.

A few 2027 numbers worth knowing

Even if you don't touch your Advantage plan, some Medicare figures reset for 2027 and are useful context:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once your covered drug spending hits that amount, you pay nothing for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• The Part D maximum deductible is $615 for 2026 and $700 for 2027.
• The old coverage gap ("donut hole") was eliminated in 2025, and Part D now has three phases.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your drug costs across the year in monthly installments instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA surcharges — extra amounts higher earners pay for Part B and Part D — begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

Where to get unbiased help

Before you switch, it's worth talking to someone who doesn't sell plans:

• Medicare.gov — official plan comparisons and enrollment.
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) — 24/7 help line.
• CHOICES, Connecticut's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) — free, one-on-one counseling for Medicare beneficiaries, including Trumbull residents.