Medicare Advantage

Medicare number protection for Jacksonville beneficiaries

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, Fla. — If you live in Jacksonville and you have Medicare, the calendar matters as much as the coverage itself. Miss a window and you may wait months to fix it. For 2027, Duval County residents have a wide field to sort through — 70 Medicare Advantage plans from 13 carriers, according to CMS Landscape data — and the smartest way to face that many choices is to know exactly when you can act, and what happens if you don't.

Why the dates matter more than the plan count

Jacksonville is in Duval County, where CMS lists 70 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. That's a lot of paperwork to wade through, and it's the reason so many neighbors put the decision off until the last week of AEP — and then run out of time. Knowing which enrollment window you're actually in tells you what you're allowed to change and by when.

The two windows most Jacksonville readers use

Annual Enrollment Period (AEP): Oct. 15 – Dec. 7. This is the big one. During AEP anyone with Medicare can join, drop, or switch a Medicare Advantage plan, and can join, drop, or switch a Part D drug plan. Whatever you pick takes effect Jan. 1.

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment (MA-OEP): Jan. 1 – March 31. This one is narrower. If you are already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan on Jan. 1, you may make one change — switch to a different Advantage plan, or drop back to Original Medicare and pick up a stand-alone Part D plan. You cannot use MA-OEP to jump from Original Medicare into an Advantage plan.

One note for Duval County: Florida has 10 stand-alone Part D plans for 2026, sold statewide, so anyone in the county with Original Medicare can join one of them. If you're planning to pair Original Medicare with a drug plan, confirm current availability on medicare.gov's Plan Finder before you assume your options.

What happens if you miss Dec. 7

For most people, missing AEP means your current coverage simply rolls into 2027. That's fine if your plan still fits. It's a problem if your plan is leaving the area, changing its drug list, or dropping a doctor you rely on — because you'll be locked in unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.

Special Enrollment Periods (SEPs) exist for specific life events: moving out of your plan's service area, losing other coverage, qualifying for Extra Help or Medicaid, or your plan losing its Medicare contract. If any of that describes you, call 1-800-MEDICARE — don't guess.

First-time enrollees: your own separate clock

If you're just turning 65 in Jacksonville, AEP is not your sign-up window. Yours is the Initial Enrollment Period — a seven-month stretch that starts three months before your 65th birthday month and ends three months after. Sign up in the three months before you turn 65 and coverage can start the month you turn 65. Wait until after, and coverage is delayed. Skip Part B entirely without other qualifying coverage and you can face a lifelong late-enrollment penalty.

There's also a General Enrollment Period each Jan. 1 – March 31 for people who missed their Initial window and don't qualify for an SEP.

How the dates interact — a quick walk-through

Say you're 70, live off Atlantic Boulevard, and you're on a Medicare Advantage plan. During AEP (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7, 2026) you compare and pick a new plan for 2027. On Jan. 2 you visit your doctor and realize the new plan's network isn't a fit. Because you're in an Advantage plan on Jan. 1, MA-OEP opens the door — you have until March 31 to switch once more or return to Original Medicare. After March 31, that door closes until next AEP.

Now say you're on Original Medicare with a Medigap policy and a Part D plan. MA-OEP does not apply to you. Your window to change drug coverage is AEP. Plan accordingly.

A few program facts worth writing down

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026.
• The Part D maximum deductible is $615.
• The coverage gap (the old "donut hole") is gone — Part D now has three phases.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread drug costs across the year in monthly installments; you have to opt in.
• IRMAA income surcharges begin above $109,000 for a single filer in 2026.

Where Jacksonville residents can get unbiased help

• medicare.gov/plan-compare — the official Plan Finder, updated for the current year.
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24/7.
• Florida SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) — the state's free SHIP counselors. Call the Elder Helpline at 1-800-963-5337 to be connected to a Jacksonville-area volunteer.
• Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 for Part A and Part B enrollment questions.