Medicare Advantage

Second Chance on Medicare Advantage? You Have Until March 31

DULUTH, Ga. — If you looked at your Medicare Advantage plan in January and thought, "this isn't what I signed up for," you still have time to fix it. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 through March 31, and it gives current Advantage enrollees one more chance to change course before the year locks in.

Unlike the fall Annual Enrollment Period, this window is narrower in what it lets you do — but for the right person, it can be a lifesaver.

Who this window is for

This period is specifically for people who are already in a Medicare Advantage plan as of January 1. If you're on Original Medicare only, this isn't your window — you'd generally wait for the fall Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7) unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.

Duluth is in Gwinnett County, where Medicare-eligible residents typically have a wide selection of Advantage plans and stand-alone Part D plans available from multiple carriers. That variety is part of why this second look matters — the plan that seemed right in December may not be the one that fits how you actually use care.

What you can change

During January 1 – March 31, you can:

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

You get one change during this window. Whatever you pick becomes effective the first day of the month after the plan receives your enrollment.

What you can't do

This period isn't a free-for-all. You cannot:

• Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan for the first time.
• Join a Part D plan if you're staying on Original Medicare and weren't already enrolled in one on January 1.
• Change from one stand-alone Part D plan to another stand-alone Part D plan.

Those moves generally belong to the fall Annual Enrollment Period or a Special Enrollment Period tied to a life event.

Why people use this window

A few common reasons Duluth-area readers tell us they revisit their coverage in the first quarter:

• A doctor or hospital they use turned out to be out-of-network.
• A prescription they take isn't on the plan's formulary the way they expected.
• The plan's rules around referrals or prior authorization aren't a good match for their care needs.
• They realized after January 1 that the plan they picked doesn't include a benefit they need.

If any of that sounds familiar, it's worth a fresh look — not a panic move.

Part D figures worth knowing

Whether you switch or stay, these program-level figures shape your year:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once you hit that in covered drug costs, you're done paying for covered drugs for the year.
• Part D maximum deductible: $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027.
• Coverage gap: The old "donut hole" is gone as of 2025. Part D now has three phases.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: An optional way to spread your drug costs into monthly payments through your plan, at no extra charge.
• IRMAA: Higher-income surcharges on Part B and Part D begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

How to make a change

You can compare plans and enroll at medicare.gov using the Plan Finder, which lets you enter your prescriptions and preferred pharmacies to see how plans handle your specific drugs. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For free, unbiased, one-on-one help from trained counselors, Georgia's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) — known locally as GeorgiaCares — can walk you through your options. SHIP counselors don't sell plans and aren't paid on commission.