Medicare Advantage

Medicare Scams in Kansas City: How to Protect Yourself

Jackson County has 65 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. Compared with 2026, 11 plans are not coming back, 12 are new, and 36 continuing plans changed in some way you should check before December 7, 16 of them under a new name. This guide covers what those numbers mean for Kansas City, not which plan to pick.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Medicare gives you a lot of choices, but it also gives you a calendar. And the calendar is strict. Miss the wrong window and you could pay a penalty every month for as long as you have Medicare — not a one-time fee, a permanent one.

In Jackson County, where Kansas City sits, older adults have plenty of coverage to sort through: 64 Medicare Advantage plans from 9 carriers are available in the area this year, according to CMS Plan Finder data. With that many options in front of roughly 114,000 residents age 65 and up, knowing when to act matters as much as knowing what to pick.

The deadline that starts it all: turning 65

Your Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) is a seven-month window: the three months before the month you turn 65, your birthday month, and the three months after. This is when most people first sign up for Part A and Part B.

Miss it without other qualifying coverage, and two things can happen:

• Part B penalty: 10% added to your monthly premium for each full 12-month period you could have had Part B but didn't. That surcharge sticks with you for life.
• Part D penalty: 1% of the national base premium for every month you went without creditable drug coverage. Also permanent.

If you're still working past 65 and have employer coverage, different rules apply — but you have to document it. Don't guess.

October 15 – December 7: the Annual Enrollment Period

This is the window most people mean when they say "open enrollment." During AEP you can:

• Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan, or vice versa.
• Change from one Medicare Advantage plan to another.
• Join, drop, or switch a Part D drug plan.

Any change you make during AEP takes effect January 1. One important local note on drug coverage: Missouri has 10 stand-alone Part D plans for 2026, sold statewide, so Jackson County residents with Original Medicare can choose from that same list, while many people here get drug coverage bundled into a Medicare Advantage plan (MA-PD). If you rely on Original Medicare and want a separate drug plan, confirm what's available before December 7.

January 1 – March 31: the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period

If you're already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan on January 1, you get one more shot. During MA-OEP you can:

• Switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan (once).
• Drop your Medicare Advantage plan and go back to Original Medicare — and pick up a Part D plan if one is offered.

What you can't do here: use this window to leave Original Medicare for Advantage, or make repeated changes. It's a one-move window.

Special Enrollment Periods: the safety valve

Life doesn't always line up with the calendar. You may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) if you:

• Move out of your plan's service area (a real consideration in the Kansas City metro, which crosses state lines).
• Lose employer or union coverage.
• Qualify for Medicaid or Extra Help.
• Live in a facility like a nursing home.

SEPs have their own tight deadlines — usually 60 days from the qualifying event. Don't sit on the paperwork.

How the dates interact

Here's the piece that trips people up: these windows overlap, and each one has its own rules about what you can change.

• Turned 65 in November? Your IEP and AEP are both open — but they do different things.
• Made a Medicare Advantage choice during AEP that isn't working? MA-OEP starting January 1 gives you a do-over.
• Had a life change in July? You're probably looking at an SEP, not AEP.

If you're not sure which window applies, ask before you act. The wrong move in the wrong window can lock you in for a year.

Where to get straight answers

• Medicare.gov/plan-compare to see what's offered in ZIP codes across Kansas City and Jackson County.
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24/7.
• Missouri SHIP (CLAIM): free, unbiased Medicare counseling from trained volunteers. No sales pitch.