Medicare Advantage

Oct 15–Dec 7: Jacksonville Medicare AEP 2027

Duval County has 87 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. Compared with 2026, 18 plans are not coming back, 15 are new, and 48 continuing plans changed in some way you should check before December 7, 17 of them under a new name. This guide covers what those numbers mean for Jacksonville, not which plan to pick.

JACKSONVILLE — If you have Medicare and you live in Duval County, the calendar matters more than almost anything else this fall. The Annual Enrollment Period runs from October 15 through December 7, 2026, for coverage that starts January 1, 2027. Miss the window, and in most cases you are locked into your current coverage for the year — with only a few narrow exceptions.

This guide is about the timing: which windows apply, what happens if you miss one, and how the dates fit together for Jacksonville residents.

The main deadline: December 7

The Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) is the once-a-year window when almost anyone with Medicare can make changes. From October 15 to December 7, 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, drop, or switch a Part D prescription drug plan.

Whatever you choose, the new coverage begins January 1, 2027. If December 7 passes and you have done nothing, your current plan generally rolls over into next year — even if its costs, drug list, or provider network have changed. That is why reading your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC), which arrives by late September, matters. It tells you what will be different in 2027.

A second window — but only for some

If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan on January 1, you get one more chance: the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, January 1 – March 31, 2027. During those three months you may:

• Switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan, or
• Drop your Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare (and add a stand-alone Part D plan if needed).

This window is only for people already in Medicare Advantage. If you are on Original Medicare on January 1, you cannot use it to jump into an Advantage plan. You would have to wait until the next AEP in the fall — a full year away.

What if you miss December 7?

Missing AEP is not the end of the world, but your options shrink sharply.

• Original Medicare with Part D: You are generally stuck with your current drug plan for the year unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
• Medicare Advantage members: You still have the January 1 – March 31 window described above.
• Special Enrollment Periods (SEPs): These are triggered by specific life events — moving out of your plan’s service area, losing employer coverage, qualifying for Extra Help or Medicaid, or a plan leaving Medicare, among others. If any of those apply, call 1-800-MEDICARE to ask what SEP you qualify for and how long it lasts.

There is also a General Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31) for people who did not sign up for Part B when first eligible, but that is a different situation from changing plans.

New enrollees: your own clock

If you are turning 65 in Jacksonville, your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) is a seven-month window: the three months before your 65th birthday month, your birthday month, and the three months after. That personal window runs on its own schedule and does not depend on AEP. Signing up during the first three months means coverage can start the month you turn 65.

How the Jacksonville landscape shapes your timing

Jacksonville is in Duval County, where 70 Medicare Advantage plans are being offered for 2027 by 13 carriers, according to CMS Landscape data. That is a lot of ground to cover in the eight-week AEP window, especially if you also need to compare Part D drug coverage.

A few timing tips that follow from that:

• Start early in October. Use the Plan Finder at medicare.gov as soon as your ANOC arrives. Do not wait until Thanksgiving week.
• Check your prescriptions. Drug formularies change every year. The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026, and the maximum deductible is $615, but which drugs are covered still varies plan to plan.
• Ask about the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. This optional program lets you spread your drug costs across the year in monthly payments. You can opt in for 2027.
• Watch the income thresholds. IRMAA surcharges on Part B and Part D premiums kick in above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

Where to get unbiased help

You do not have to figure this out alone, and you should not rely on TV commercials to make the call.

• medicare.gov — the official Plan Finder tool.
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) — 24/7, free.
• Florida SHINE program — the state’s SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program). SHINE counselors offer free, unbiased, one-on-one help. Call the Elder Helpline at 1-800-963-5337 to be connected.

Put December 7 on the fridge. If you use the time between now and then to read your notice, price out your prescriptions, and make one phone call for help, you will head into 2027 with your coverage on solid footing.