Medicare Advantage
Why Lindenhurst Has a Winter Medicare Advantage Do-Over
LINDENHURST, N.Y. — If you signed up for a Medicare Advantage plan last fall and it isn't fitting the way you hoped, you get a second look. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs from January 1 through March 31, and it gives people already enrolled in an Advantage plan one chance to change course before the coverage year locks in.
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Key takeaways
- The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs Jan. 1 – March 31 and is only for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan.
- You can switch to a different Advantage plan or drop your Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare (with the option to add a stand-alone Part D plan).
- You only get to make one change during this window, and it takes effect the first of the month after the plan receives your request.
- If you're happy with your current coverage, you don't need to do anything.
This window is separate from the fall Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7). It's smaller in scope, but for Lindenhurst residents who realized in January that a doctor isn't in-network or a medication isn't covered the way they expected, it can be a real relief valve.
Who this window is for
This period is designed for people who are already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan as of January 1. If you're on Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) only, or on Original Medicare with a stand-alone Part D drug plan, this window doesn't apply to you — you'd generally wait for the fall Annual Enrollment Period or qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
If you turned 65 in January, February, or March and enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan through your Initial Enrollment Period, you also get a one-time chance to change that choice during this window.
What you can change
During the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, 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.
What you cannot do in this window: switch from Original Medicare into a Medicare Advantage plan, join a Part D plan if you're staying on Original Medicare without dropping an Advantage plan first, or make more than one change. You get one switch during this period, and it takes effect the first day of the month after your new plan gets your enrollment.
Why some Lindenhurst residents take another look in January
Lindenhurst is in Suffolk County, where Medicare beneficiaries typically have dozens of Medicare Advantage plans to choose from across multiple carriers. That's a lot of moving parts, and it's common to discover something in January you didn't catch in October — a specialist who left the network, a pharmacy that isn't preferred, a prior-authorization rule on a regular prescription, or a supplemental benefit that works differently than expected.
The January-to-March window exists specifically so a bad fit doesn't have to be a yearlong problem.
2027 drug cost rules worth knowing before you switch
If prescription costs are what's pushing you to reconsider, keep these program-level facts in mind for 2027:
- The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once your covered drug spending reaches that amount, you pay nothing for covered drugs the rest of the year.
- The maximum Part D deductible is $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027. Plans can set a lower deductible, but not higher.
- 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 drug out-of-pocket costs across monthly bills instead of paying at the pharmacy counter. It's optional and free to opt into.
- IRMAA — the income-related surcharge on Part B and Part D — starts above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.
These rules apply whether you stay in Medicare Advantage or move back to Original Medicare with a stand-alone Part D plan.
Before you make a change
A few practical steps can save you a headache:
- Check the provider network. Confirm your doctors, hospital, and preferred pharmacy are in-network for any plan you're considering.
- Check the drug formulary. Look up each medication you take and note the tier, restrictions, and pharmacy pricing.
- Think about supplemental coverage. If you switch back to Original Medicare, consider whether you want a stand-alone Part D plan and how a Medigap policy might factor in (Medigap has its own enrollment rules in New York — worth asking about).
- Use unbiased help. The plan finder at medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, and New York's HIICAP (the state's State Health Insurance Assistance Program, or SHIP) all offer free, one-on-one guidance.
By the numbers
Medicare Part B premium, 2006–2026
The standard monthly Part B premium has climbed from $88.50 in 2006 to $202.90 in 2026. Hover any point for that year’s premium.
Source: CMS. Standard premium shown; in some hold-harmless years many existing enrollees paid less. Confirm at Medicare.gov.
By the numbers
How people get Medicare in Suffolk County
(MA penetration in Suffolk County)
MA penetration from CMS enrollment data; Medigap share is an estimate. U.S. average is about 54% Medicare Advantage. These are area-level figures, not plan-specific.
Key dates
Medicare enrollment periods at a glance
- Around your 65thInitial Enrollment PeriodA 7-month window around the month you turn 65 — your first chance to sign up.
- October 15 – December 7Annual Enrollment PeriodAnyone with Medicare can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.
- January 1 – March 31Medicare Advantage Open EnrollmentIf you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can make one change.
- January 1 – March 31General Enrollment PeriodFor people who missed their first chance to sign up for Part B.
- VariesSpecial Enrollment PeriodTriggered by life events like moving or losing other coverage.
Dates are set by Medicare and apply nationwide. Confirm your personal windows at Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
Explore
When can you enroll? An interactive year
Enrollment windows are federal and the same nationwide. Confirm your personal dates at Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE.
Explore
The parts of Medicare
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
When does the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period start and end?
Can I use this window to join a Medicare Advantage plan for the first time?
How many changes can I make?
Where can Lindenhurst residents get free, unbiased help comparing options?
- CMS — Medicare enrollment periods (medicare.gov)
For personalized answers, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local SHIP.
Also for Lindenhurst
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This page was last updated: September 30, 2026.