Medicare Advantage

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment in Shreveport: What Changes Apply

For 2027, Shreveport is looking at 49 Medicare Advantage plans: 11 new, 10 gone since 2026, and 22 still here but changed on premium, deductible, plan type or name, 9 of them under a new name. Below, how the lineup shifted in Caddo Parish and what to compare, with no plan ranked or recommended.

SHREVEPORT, La. — If you signed up for a Medicare Advantage plan last fall and it isn't fitting the way you hoped, you have a second chance this winter. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 through March 31, and it gives people already enrolled in an Advantage plan one shot to make a change before the year locks in.

This window is smaller and quieter than the fall Annual Enrollment Period, but for Shreveport-area retirees who realized their plan's doctor network, drug list, or referral rules aren't a good match, it can matter a lot.

What this enrollment window actually is

The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period — sometimes called MA OEP — is a yearly "do-over" for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan. It starts January 1 and ends March 31. It is separate from the fall Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7), which is open to everyone with Medicare.

Think of it this way: fall is when everyone shops. Winter is when Advantage members get a chance to fix a choice that isn't working.

What you can — and cannot — do

During January 1 to March 31, if you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can:

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

What you cannot do in this window:

• Join a Medicare Advantage plan for the first time if you are in Original Medicare.
• Switch from one stand-alone Part D drug plan to another (unless you qualify for a separate Special Enrollment Period).
• Add a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policy with guaranteed acceptance — in most states, including Louisiana, medical underwriting may apply outside your initial Medigap window.

You only get to use this period once. If you switch plans in February and change your mind in March, that second change generally won't be allowed.

When your change takes effect

Any change you make during this window takes effect on the first day of the following month. Switch in January, coverage starts February 1. Switch in March, coverage starts April 1. Plan on a short overlap where you're still using your old ID card until the new one arrives.

Why people use this window

Common reasons Shreveport-area readers tell us they revisit their plan after January 1:

• Their preferred doctor or specialist at a local health system is not in the new plan's network.
• A prescription they take is not on the plan's drug list, or landed in a higher pricing tier than expected.
• The plan requires referrals or prior authorizations they weren't expecting.
• Extra benefits — like dental, vision, or transportation — don't work the way they thought.

None of those are reasons to panic, but they are all reasons the MA OEP exists.

A quick note on 2027 drug costs

Even if you decide not to switch, it's worth knowing what's changing in Part D. The out-of-pocket cap on covered prescriptions is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027, and the maximum Part D deductible any plan can charge is $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027. The old coverage gap (the "donut hole") was eliminated in 2025, so Part D now works in three phases instead of four. Medicare also offers the Prescription Payment Plan, which lets you spread your drug costs across the year in monthly amounts instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.

Local snapshot: Shreveport and Caddo Parish

Shreveport sits in Caddo Parish, which is where Medicare Advantage plan availability is actually set. Caddo Parish residents typically have a wide range of Advantage plans and carriers to choose from during any given enrollment period. Because plan lineups, networks, and drug lists change every year, the plan you compared last October may look different today — another reason the January–March window can be useful.

For a current, personalized look at what's offered in your ZIP code, the Plan Finder at medicare.gov is the official source.

How to get unbiased help

Before you make a switch, it helps to talk with someone who isn't trying to sell you anything:

• medicare.gov — official plan comparisons and rules.
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) — 24/7 help from Medicare itself.
• Louisiana SHIIP (the State Health Insurance Assistance Program, run through the Louisiana Department of Insurance) — free, one-on-one Medicare counseling from trained volunteers.