Medicare Advantage
Jan.–March: Medicare Advantage Switch — Honolulu
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.
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HONOLULU — If you signed up for a Medicare Advantage plan during fall enrollment and something about it isn't sitting right, you have a second chance. From January 1 through March 31, 2027, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period gives Advantage members a limited window to make one change. That window matters, because the Part D out-of-pocket cap on prescription drug spending rises to $2,400 in 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026) — a shift that changes the math on how the pieces of your coverage fit together.
Key takeaways
- The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 to March 31 and lets Advantage members make one change.
- The Part D out-of-pocket drug cap is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. The Part D maximum deductible is $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027.
- IRMAA surcharges on Part B and Part D start above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.
- For unbiased help in Honolulu County, call your local SHIP or 1-800-MEDICARE — never a plan's sales line.
What the January–March window actually allows
This window is narrower than the fall Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15–Dec. 7). During Jan. 1–March 31, if you are already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, you may do one of the following, one time:
- Switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan (with or without drug coverage).
- Drop your Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare, and add a stand-alone Part D drug plan if you want one.
If you are in Original Medicare on January 1, this window is not for you. You cannot use it to jump into an Advantage plan or to pick up a Part D plan for the first time. Those moves generally wait for fall.
Look at the cost pieces, not just the premium
The most common mistake during this window is comparing plans on premium alone. Medicare's cost structure has several moving parts, and a few of them are set at the program level in 2027 — meaning they apply no matter which plan you choose:
- Part B premium. Most people pay the standard Part B premium every month, whether they're in Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan.
- Part D deductible. No Part D plan can charge a deductible higher than $615 for 2026 or $700 for 2027. Some charge less; some charge nothing at that stage. That is a plan-by-plan detail worth checking.
- Part D out-of-pocket cap. Once your out-of-pocket spending on covered drugs hits the annual cap — $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027 — you pay nothing more for the rest of the calendar year on those drugs. The old "donut hole" coverage gap is gone as of 2025; there are now three phases instead of four.
- IRMAA. If your 2024 income was above $109,000 (single) or $218,000 (joint), you'll pay an income-related surcharge on top of your Part B and Part D premiums in 2026. Switching plans does not change IRMAA.
Put together, these are the guardrails. Everything else — copays for a doctor visit, what a specialist costs, what your specific medications run — varies by plan, and that's what you're really comparing during this window.
The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan
Continuing in 2027: anyone with Part D can ask to spread their drug costs into level monthly payments instead of paying a large amount at the pharmacy counter. It doesn't lower what you owe overall, but it smooths the timing. If a big January refill under a new plan would be hard to absorb, this is worth asking about. You sign up through your drug plan, not through Medicare directly.
A Honolulu note on getting help
Honolulu is in Honolulu County, where a wide selection of Medicare Advantage and Part D plans is offered each year. That's a lot to sort through, especially in a three-month window. Two things worth remembering:
- The State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) in Hawaii — called Hawaii SHIP — offers free, unbiased counseling. Counselors do not sell plans.
- 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) is staffed 24/7 and can look up your enrollment and answer questions about the rules.
If you do nothing
That's a valid choice. If your current Medicare Advantage plan still works for you — your doctors are in-network, your prescriptions are covered at a cost you can manage, and the plan's rules make sense — you do not have to act between January and March. Your coverage continues.
The window exists for people whose fall choice didn't land the way they hoped, or whose situation changed. Use it deliberately; you only get one switch.
By the numbers
Medicare Part B premium, 2006–2026
The standard monthly Part B premium has climbed from $88.50 in 2006 to $202.90 in 2026. Hover any point for that year’s premium.
Source: CMS. Standard premium shown; in some hold-harmless years many existing enrollees paid less. Confirm at Medicare.gov.
By the numbers
How people get Medicare in Honolulu County
(MA penetration in Honolulu County)
MA penetration from CMS enrollment data; Medigap share is an estimate. U.S. average is about 54% Medicare Advantage. These are area-level figures, not plan-specific.
Key dates
Medicare enrollment periods at a glance
- Around your 65thInitial Enrollment PeriodA 7-month window around the month you turn 65 — your first chance to sign up.
- October 15 – December 7Annual Enrollment PeriodAnyone with Medicare can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.
- January 1 – March 31Medicare Advantage Open EnrollmentIf you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can make one change.
- January 1 – March 31General Enrollment PeriodFor people who missed their first chance to sign up for Part B.
- VariesSpecial Enrollment PeriodTriggered by life events like moving or losing other coverage.
Dates are set by Medicare and apply nationwide. Confirm your personal windows at Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
Explore
When can you enroll? An interactive year
Enrollment windows are federal and the same nationwide. Confirm your personal dates at Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
Explore
The parts of Medicare
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the January–March window to join Medicare Advantage for the first time?
If I drop my Advantage plan and go back to Original Medicare, can I get a Medigap policy?
Does the $2,100 Part D cap apply to my Medicare Advantage plan's drug coverage?
Where can I get help that isn't a sales pitch?
- CMS — Medicare enrollment periods (medicare.gov)
For personalized answers, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local SHIP.
Also for Honolulu
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This page was last updated: October 1, 2026.