Medicare Advantage

Miami's Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: What You Can Change by March 31

For 2027, Miami is looking at 101 Medicare Advantage plans: 16 new, 30 gone since 2026, and 61 still here but changed on premium, deductible, plan type or name, 20 of them under a new name. Below, how the lineup shifted in Miami-Dade County and what to compare, with no plan ranked or recommended.

MIAMI — From January 1 through March 31, people already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan get a second look at their coverage. It's called the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA-OEP), and it exists for one reason: to give you a way out if the plan you picked during fall enrollment isn't working the way you thought it would.

This window matters most for Miami-Dade County residents who signed up during the Annual Enrollment Period last fall and have since discovered a problem — a doctor who isn't in-network, a prescription that isn't covered the way they expected, or a plan that just doesn't fit their day-to-day care.

Here's what you can and cannot do between now and March 31.

Who the MA-OEP is for

The MA-OEP is a narrower window than the fall enrollment period. To use it, you must already be enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan on January 1.

If you're still on Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) with or without a stand-alone Part D drug plan, this window is not for you. You would need to wait for the next Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7) or qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.

What you can change

During the MA-OEP, you have two options:

1. Switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan — with or without drug coverage, depending on what the new plan includes. 2. Drop your Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare. If you do this, you can also join a stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan.

You get one change during this window. Whatever you pick, coverage begins the first day of the month after your new plan receives your enrollment.

What you cannot do

The MA-OEP is not a wide-open window. According to CMS (medicare.gov), you cannot:

• Join a Medicare Advantage plan for the first time if you're currently on Original Medicare.
• Switch from one stand-alone Part D drug plan to another if you're on Original Medicare.
• Enroll in, drop, or switch a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policy through this window — Medigap has its own separate rules, and in Florida, medical underwriting may apply outside your initial open enrollment.

That last point catches many Miami residents off guard. If you leave Medicare Advantage and go back to Original Medicare, buying a Medigap policy is a separate process with its own eligibility questions.

Common mistakes to avoid

Waiting until the last week of March. Applications take time to process. If you want your new coverage to start April 1, don't push it to the deadline.

Assuming your doctor is in-network. Networks change every year. Before switching plans, call the provider's office directly and confirm they accept the specific plan you're considering for 2027.

Forgetting about your prescriptions. Each plan has its own formulary — the list of drugs it covers and how. If you take regular medications, check the formulary of any plan you're considering before you enroll.

Overlooking the Part D changes. The out-of-pocket cap on covered prescription drugs is $2,100 for 2026 and $2,400 for 2027, and the maximum Part D deductible is $615 for 2026 and $700 for 2027. The coverage gap ("donut hole") has been eliminated as of 2025. If drug costs have been a strain, the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan also lets you spread those costs across the year.

The local picture

Miami is in Miami-Dade County, one of the most competitive Medicare markets in the country. There are many Medicare Advantage plans available here from multiple carriers, which is good news if you're shopping — but it also means it's worth taking the time to compare carefully rather than picking the first name you recognize.

For unbiased help, Florida SHINE (Florida's State Health Insurance Assistance Program, known nationally as SHIP) offers free one-on-one Medicare counseling. You can also compare plans directly on medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), which is available 24 hours a day.