Medicare Advantage

Jan 1 to March 31: Medicare Advantage Rules in Meridian

People in Meridian can choose from 27 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, against 32 this year. Nine of this year’s plans are gone, 4 are new to Ada County, and 15 that continue have changed their premium, deductible, plan type or name, 5 of them under a new name.

MERIDIAN, Idaho — If you signed up for a Medicare Advantage plan during the fall and are now second-guessing that choice, you have a built-in do-over. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 through March 31, and it gives people already enrolled in an Advantage plan one chance to make a change before the year is locked in.

This window is different from the fall Annual Enrollment Period, and it comes with tighter rules about what you can and cannot switch. Here is what Meridian residents should know before the March 31 deadline.

What this enrollment window is for

The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (often shortened to MA-OEP) is a second-chance window. It exists because plan details can look different on paper than they do once you start using them. Maybe your doctor is not in the network after all. Maybe the pharmacy is inconvenient. Maybe a drug you take is not covered the way you expected.

During this window, you get one change. After you use it, you are generally set for the rest of the calendar year unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.

What you can change between Jan. 1 and March 31

If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan on January 1, you may:

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

What you cannot do in this window

The MA-OEP is narrower than the fall enrollment period. You cannot:

• Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan if you were not already in one on January 1.
• Join a stand-alone Part D plan if you are staying on Original Medicare and did not already have drug coverage.
• Make more than one change. Once you switch, that decision holds until the next enrollment period.

Also worth knowing: leaving Medicare Advantage for Original Medicare does not automatically get you a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policy. Outside of certain guaranteed-issue situations, Medigap insurers in Idaho can use medical underwriting, which may affect whether you qualify or what you pay. It is worth checking on this before you drop an Advantage plan.

2027 figures worth keeping in mind

A few program-level numbers may factor into your decision for 2027 coverage:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once your covered drug spending hits that ceiling, you pay nothing for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• The maximum Part D deductible is $615 for 2026 and $700 for 2027.
• The old coverage gap, or "donut hole," was eliminated in 2025. Part D now has three phases instead of four.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your drug costs across the year in monthly installments instead of paying large amounts at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA (income-related) surcharges for Part B and Part D begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

Meridian and Ada County specifics

Meridian is in Ada County, where Medicare beneficiaries typically have access to a substantial number of Medicare Advantage and Part D plans from multiple carriers. Plan availability, networks, and formularies are set at the county level, so two neighbors in Meridian generally see the same options — but a friend across the state line in Oregon may not.

If you want an unbiased look at what is offered locally, the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov lets you enter your ZIP code and your prescriptions to compare plans side by side.

When a change takes effect

Any change you make during the MA-OEP takes effect the first day of the month after the plan receives your request. If you switch plans in February, for example, your new coverage generally begins March 1.

Where to get free, personal help

Choosing between plans is not a decision to make from a TV ad. For one-on-one help that does not cost anything and does not come from a sales agent:

• Medicare.gov — official plan comparisons and enrollment.
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) — available 24/7.
• Idaho SHIBA (Senior Health Insurance Benefits Advisors) — Idaho's State Health Insurance Assistance Program, which offers free, unbiased counseling to Meridian and Ada County residents.