Medicare Advantage

Charlotte Medicare Advantage Enrollees Get a Second Chance Jan-March

People in Charlotte can choose from 89 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, against 94 this year. 19 of this year’s plans are gone, 14 are new to Mecklenburg County, and 28 that continue have changed their premium, deductible, plan type or name, 10 of them under a new name.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — If you signed up for a Medicare Advantage plan during fall enrollment and are already having second thoughts, you still have time. From January 1 through March 31, people already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan get a second chance to make one change. It's called the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, and it exists to help you fix a plan choice that isn't working — not to start over from scratch.

Who this window is for

This period is only for people already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan as of January 1. If you're still on Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) and you missed the fall Annual Enrollment Period, this window is not for you — you'd generally need to wait for the next fall enrollment or qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.

If you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, though, this is your built-in do-over.

What you can do between January 1 and March 31

According to CMS guidance on Medicare enrollment periods (medicare.gov), during this window you may:

• Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another Medicare Advantage plan.
• Drop your Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare.
• If you return to Original Medicare, you can also join a standalone Part D prescription drug plan.

You get one change during this window. Once you make it, the window closes for you, and the new coverage generally starts the first day of the following month.

What you cannot do in this window

This period is narrower than the fall Annual Enrollment Period. You cannot:

• Switch from Original Medicare into a Medicare Advantage plan for the first time.
• Join a Part D plan if you're staying on a Medicare Advantage plan that already includes drug coverage.
• Switch from one standalone Part D drug plan to another (without a Medicare Advantage change involved).

If any of those apply to you, you'll usually need to wait for the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7) or see if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.

Why Charlotte residents may want to take a second look

Charlotte is in Mecklenburg County, where Medicare beneficiaries typically have a wide range of Medicare Advantage plans and carriers to consider. That's a lot of moving parts — provider networks, drug formularies, prior authorization rules, and extra benefits all vary by plan. It's common to enroll in the fall, use the plan in January, and only then realize your doctor isn't in-network or a medication isn't covered the way you expected.

There are also 2027 program changes worth understanding as you review your coverage:

• The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026. Once your drug spending reaches that amount, you pay $0 for covered Part D drugs the rest of the year.
• The Part D maximum deductible is $700 in 2027.
• The coverage gap (the old "donut hole") was eliminated as of 2025 — Part D now has three phases instead of four.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your out-of-pocket drug costs across the calendar year in monthly payments, rather than paying large amounts at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA income-related surcharges for Part B and Part D begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

None of these facts tell you which plan to pick. They do tell you that the rules around drug coverage have shifted, and that a plan that looked right in October may deserve a fresh look now.

How to make a smart change — not a rushed one

Before you switch, gather:

• Your list of current prescriptions with doses.
• The names of the doctors and hospitals you want to keep using.
• Any upcoming procedures or specialists you've been referred to.

Then use the Plan Finder tool at medicare.gov to compare plans available in Mecklenburg County, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For free, one-on-one, unbiased help in Charlotte, contact SHIIP — North Carolina's State Health Insurance Information Program — through the N.C. Department of Insurance. SHIP counselors do not sell insurance and do not work on commission.