Medicare Advantage

Leominster Medicare Advantage Changes Allowed Jan Through March

For 2027, Leominster is looking at 50 Medicare Advantage plans: 9 new, 17 gone since 2026, and 24 still here but changed on premium, deductible, plan type or name, 4 of them under a new name. Below, how the lineup shifted in Worcester County and what to compare, with no plan ranked or recommended.

LEOMINSTER, Mass. — If you signed up for a Medicare Advantage plan last fall and are already having second thoughts, you still have time to make a change. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 through March 31, and it gives people who are already in a Medicare Advantage plan one more chance to adjust their coverage for the year.

This window is smaller and more limited than the fall Annual Enrollment Period, but for the right person, it can be a lifesaver.

What the Open Enrollment Period actually is

The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (often called MA-OEP) is a yearly window from January 1 through March 31. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, it exists specifically for people who are already in a Medicare Advantage plan and want to reconsider that choice after the plan year begins.

It is not a second chance for everyone. If you are currently in Original Medicare, this window does not apply to you.

What you can change — and what you can't

During January through March, 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 Medicare Advantage plan and go back to Original Medicare. If you do that, you can also join a stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan.

You cannot:

• Switch from Original Medicare into a Medicare Advantage plan.
• Join a stand-alone Part D drug plan if you are staying in Original Medicare and did not have drug coverage before.
• Make more than one change. Once your new choice takes effect, this window is closed for you until 2028.

Why someone in Leominster might use this window

People often use MA-OEP after they realize something about their plan is not what they expected. Common reasons include:

• A preferred doctor or hospital is not in the plan's network.
• A regular prescription is not covered the way they thought it would be.
• The plan structure is not a good fit for their travel schedule or health needs.

Leominster is in Worcester County, where several Medicare Advantage plans are offered. That means residents generally have options if they need to switch — but which option fits depends on your doctors, your medications, and your budget.

A few 2027 program facts worth knowing

Whether you stay in Medicare Advantage or move back to Original Medicare with a Part D plan, some drug-coverage rules apply across the board in 2027:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once your drug spending hits that ceiling, you pay nothing for covered drugs the rest of the year.
• The maximum Part D deductible is $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027.
• The old coverage gap (the "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 into monthly payments across the year, at no extra charge, if that helps your cash flow.
• IRMAA surcharges — the extra amount higher-income beneficiaries pay for Part B and Part D — start above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

When your change takes effect

If you make a switch during the Open Enrollment Period, the new coverage generally starts the first day of the month after the plan gets your request. So a February switch usually means a March 1 effective date. That is a good reason not to wait until the last week of March if you know a change is coming.

Where to get help

You do not have to figure this out alone. For free, unbiased help:

• Visit medicare.gov to compare plans available in Worcester County using the Plan Finder tool.
• Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). In Massachusetts, SHIP is known as SHINE (Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone), and counselors offer free one-on-one help.