Medicare Advantage

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: Waterbury's Jan. 1–March 31, 2027 Window

WATERBURY, Conn. — For Waterbury residents already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, a second chance to adjust coverage is coming. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 through March 31, 2027, and it gives current Advantage members one opportunity to make a change if their plan isn't working out.

This window is smaller and quieter than the fall Annual Enrollment Period, but it matters. Many people don't realize they can still switch plans in the new year — especially after seeing how their coverage actually plays out at the pharmacy counter or a doctor's office in January.

What this period is — and who it's for

The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (often shortened to MA OEP) is different from the fall Annual Enrollment Period, which ended December 7. The MA OEP is only for people who are already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan as of January 1.

If you're in Original Medicare, this window does not apply to you. You cannot use it to jump into a Medicare Advantage plan for the first time.

What you can change

During January 1 through March 31, 2027, you can:

• Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another Medicare Advantage plan (with or without drug coverage).
• Drop your Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare. If you do that, you can also add a stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan.

You can only make one change during this period. Whichever move you make, coverage begins the first day of the month after your new plan receives the enrollment request.

What you cannot do in this window

The MA OEP is narrower than the fall window. It does not let you:

• Switch from one stand-alone Part D drug plan to another if you're in Original Medicare.
• Join a Medicare Advantage plan if you're currently in Original Medicare.
• Enroll in a stand-alone Part D plan if you already have one and just want a different one.

Those kinds of changes generally had to happen during the Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15–Dec. 7) or require a Special Enrollment Period tied to a life event.

Why Waterbury residents might use it

Waterbury is in New Haven County, where a wide range of Medicare Advantage plans are offered. That variety is a good thing, but it also means the plan you picked in the fall may not feel right once you actually use it. Common reasons people revisit their choice in January or February include:

• A preferred doctor or hospital turns out to be out of network.
• A prescription is priced differently than expected under the plan's drug list.
• Referral or prior-authorization rules feel more restrictive than anticipated.
• A move within — or out of — the plan's service area.

2027 Part D changes worth knowing

Even if you don't make a change, some program-wide rules for 2027 are worth understanding, because they affect the drug coverage inside most Medicare Advantage plans:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once your covered drug spending reaches that amount, you pay the plan's reduced cost-share for covered Part D drugs the rest of the year.
• The Part D maximum deductible is $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027.
• The old coverage gap, or "donut hole," was eliminated in 2025. Part D now has three phases instead of four.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your out-of-pocket drug costs across monthly payments instead of paying all at once at the pharmacy. It's optional and free to opt into.
• Higher-income beneficiaries pay IRMAA surcharges on Part B and Part D. In 2026, IRMAA begins above $109,000 in income for a single filer.

How to make a change

Before switching, it helps to gather:

• Your Medicare number.
• A current list of your prescriptions and dosages.
• The names of doctors and hospitals you want to keep using.

You can compare plans at medicare.gov using the Plan Finder tool, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For free, unbiased local help, Connecticut's State Health Insurance Assistance Program is called CHOICES. Waterbury-area residents can reach CHOICES counselors through the Western Connecticut Area Agency on Aging or by calling 1-800-994-9422.