Medicare Advantage

Honolulu Medicare Advantage changes allowed Jan 1–Mar 31

Honolulu County has 29 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. Compared with 2026, 4 plans are not coming back, 5 are new, and 13 continuing plans changed in some way you should check before December 7, 3 of them under a new name. This guide covers what those numbers mean for Honolulu, not which plan to pick.

HONOLULU — If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan and January's mail brought some surprises — a new drug tier, a specialist who's no longer in network, a cost share that doesn't match what you expected — you still have a window to act. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 through March 31, and it's the once-a-year chance to correct a plan choice that isn't working for you in 2027.

This piece focuses on the cost pieces of Medicare itself — the program-level dollars — so you can weigh a change with clear numbers in mind.

What the Open Enrollment Period actually lets you do

The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA OEP) is narrower than the fall Annual Enrollment Period. Between January 1 and March 31, if you're enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can:

• Switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan (with or without drug coverage).
• Drop your Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare (Part A and Part B). If you do, you can also join a stand-alone Part D drug plan.

You get one change during this window, and it takes effect the first of the month after the plan receives your request. If you're in Original Medicare on January 1, this window is not for you — you would generally wait until the next Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7).

The 2027 cost pieces to keep in mind

Whether you stay put or switch, the same program-level numbers shape what you'll pay for prescriptions in 2027:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once your covered drug spending reaches that amount in the year, you pay nothing more for covered Part D drugs for the rest of that year.
• Part D maximum deductible: $615. Individual plans can set a lower deductible, but not higher.
• Three phases, no donut hole: Since 2025, the coverage gap has been eliminated. Part D now moves through a deductible phase, an initial coverage phase, and a catastrophic phase — that's it.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: This is an optional program that lets you spread your out-of-pocket drug costs across the calendar year in monthly installments instead of paying a big bill at the pharmacy counter. It doesn't lower your total — it smooths it.

How premiums, deductibles and the cap fit together

Think of your drug costs in layers:

1. Premium — a monthly amount you pay to have coverage, whether you use it or not. 2. Deductible — what you pay before the plan starts sharing costs. The Part D maximum deductible is $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027. 3. Cost sharing — copays or coinsurance during the initial coverage phase. 4. The out-of-pocket ceiling — a hard stop on your out-of-pocket costs for covered Part D drugs ($2,100 in 2026, $2,400 in 2027).

When you review a plan during the MA OEP, look at all four layers together, not just one. A lower monthly premium can pair with a higher deductible, and vice versa. What matters is your total for the year, based on the drugs you actually take.

The IRMAA piece for higher-income households

If your income is above $109,000 as a single filer in 2026 (or the corresponding threshold for joint filers), you may owe an Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) on top of your standard Part B and Part D premiums. IRMAA is set by Social Security using your tax return from two years earlier. If your income has dropped because of a life event — retirement, loss of a spouse, reduced work hours — you can ask Social Security to reconsider.

Honolulu-specific context

Honolulu is in Honolulu County, and Medicare Advantage plan availability is set at the county level. The number of plans and carriers offered in Honolulu County is set by CMS each year, and while that count matters when you're comparing, the cost rules above — the $2,100 cap, the $615 maximum deductible, the three Part D phases — apply the same way statewide and nationwide.

For a side-by-side comparison of what's offered in your ZIP code, use the Plan Finder at medicare.gov.

Common mistakes to avoid in the Jan.–March window

• Assuming you get unlimited switches. You get one change during MA OEP.
• Forgetting drug coverage. If you leave Advantage for Original Medicare, remember to add a stand-alone Part D plan or you could face a late enrollment penalty later.
• Ignoring the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC). Your plan mailed this in late September. It spells out what's different for 2027.
• Making a decision based on a friend's plan. Your drug list, your doctors, and your income are what shape your best fit — not theirs.