Medicare Advantage

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment in Baltimore: The Basics

Baltimore city has 24 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. Compared with 2026, 9 plans are not coming back, 2 are new, and 9 continuing plans changed in some way you should check before December 7, 1 of them under a new name. This guide covers what those numbers mean for Baltimore, not which plan to pick.

BALTIMORE — If you signed up for a Medicare Advantage plan during the fall and you're already second-guessing it, take a breath. You get another window. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 through March 31, and it gives Baltimore residents a real chance to fix a choice that isn't working — without waiting until next year.

Here's what this period is, what you can change, and what stays locked in until fall.

What the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period actually is

The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (often shortened to MA OEP) is different from the fall Annual Enrollment Period. AEP, which ended December 7, was the big open window when almost anyone with Medicare could switch almost anything. MA OEP is narrower — but for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan, it's a valuable second look.

If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan on January 1, you can make one change during this window. The change takes effect the first day of the month after your new plan gets your request.

What you CAN change between January 1 and March 31

During MA OEP, you're allowed to:

• Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another Medicare Advantage plan. That includes moving to a plan with or without drug coverage.
• Drop your Medicare Advantage plan and go back to Original Medicare (Parts A and B). If you do this, you can also join a stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan during the same window.

That's it — but those are meaningful moves. If your new plan's provider network doesn't include the Baltimore-area doctor or hospital you actually use, or your prescriptions aren't covered the way you expected, this is your chance to correct course.

What you CANNOT change during this window

MA OEP is not a free-for-all. You cannot:

• Switch from Original Medicare into a Medicare Advantage plan (if you weren't already in one on January 1).
• Join a stand-alone Part D drug plan if you're staying on Original Medicare without any recent Advantage enrollment.
• Make more than one change. Once you use your switch, you're done until the next enrollment window — unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (for example, if you move, lose other coverage, or qualify for Extra Help).

Why this matters more in 2027

A few program-wide changes make it worth double-checking your coverage heading into next year:

• Part D has a $2,100 out-of-pocket cap on covered prescription drugs in 2026, rising to $2,400 in 2027. Once you hit that number, you pay nothing for the rest of the year on covered drugs.
• The Part D deductible maxes out at $615 in 2026 ($700 in 2027), though many plans set it lower.
• The coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone. Part D now has three phases instead of four.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your yearly drug costs across monthly payments instead of paying big amounts at the pharmacy counter. You can opt in anytime.
• IRMAA surcharges (higher Part B and Part D premiums for higher earners) kick in above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026, based on your 2024 tax return.

If your current plan's drug list, pharmacy network, or provider list doesn't line up with how you actually use care, MA OEP is the moment to act.

What Baltimore residents should check

Baltimore is in Baltimore city, where Medicare Advantage plan availability is set at the county level. That means the plans you can pick from are the ones offered in Baltimore city — not necessarily the same list a friend in Anne Arundel or Baltimore County sees.

Before making a switch, review:

1. Your doctors and hospitals. Confirm they are in the new plan's network. Johns Hopkins, University of Maryland Medical Center, MedStar and LifeBridge facilities may participate with different plans in different ways. 2. Your prescriptions. Check the new plan's formulary for each medication, and note the tier and any prior-authorization rules. 3. Extra benefits you actually use. Dental, vision, hearing, transportation and over-the-counter allowances vary widely. 4. Referral and prior-authorization rules. HMOs and PPOs handle specialist visits differently.

How to make a change

You have a few ways to switch:

• Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), available 24/7.
• Compare plans at Medicare.gov using the Plan Finder.
• Call the plan directly to enroll.
• Get free, unbiased help from Maryland's SHIP — the State Health Insurance Assistance Program — through the Maryland Department of Aging's Senior Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) at 1-800-243-3425.

Star Ratings, published by CMS on a 1-to-5 scale, can help you compare plan quality on things like customer service and care coordination. They're one input, not the whole picture.