Medicare Advantage

January 1 to March 31: Medicare Advantage Changes in Fayetteville

For 2027, Fayetteville is looking at 64 Medicare Advantage plans: 8 new, 7 gone since 2026, and 25 still here but changed on premium, deductible, plan type or name, 9 of them under a new name. Below, how the lineup shifted in Cumberland County and what to compare, with no plan ranked or recommended.

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — If you signed up for a Medicare Advantage plan last fall and now think it isn't the right fit, you have a second chance. From January 1 through March 31, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period lets you make one change to your coverage — no penalty, no special reason required.

This window is different from the fall Annual Enrollment Period, and it has stricter rules about who can use it and what moves are allowed. Here is what Fayetteville-area readers should know before the March 31 deadline.

Who can use this window

The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, sometimes called MA-OEP, is for people who were already in a Medicare Advantage plan as of January 1. If you are on Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) and want to add an Advantage plan now, this is not your window — you would generally need to wait for the fall Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 to December 7) or qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.

If you turned 65 in early 2027 and picked an Advantage plan during your Initial Enrollment Period, you can also use this window to change your mind.

What changes you can make

During January 1 through March 31, you can:

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

You are allowed one change during this window. Once you make it, the window closes for you until next year. The new coverage begins on the first day of the month after the plan gets your request.

What you cannot do in this window

The MA-OEP is narrower than the fall enrollment period. During January through March, you cannot:

• Move from Original Medicare into a Medicare Advantage plan for the first time.
• Join, switch, or drop a stand-alone Part D drug plan if you are staying on Original Medicare the whole time.
• Switch from one stand-alone Part D plan to another.

For those kinds of moves, you generally need the fall Annual Enrollment Period or a qualifying life event.

How to decide whether to switch

A few honest questions can help you decide if a change is worth making:

• Are your doctors and hospitals still in-network? Provider networks can change from year to year. Fayetteville is in Cumberland County, and residents often use providers in nearby counties too — check that all of them are covered.
• Are your prescriptions still on the plan's drug list? Formularies change every January. If a medication moved to a higher tier or came off entirely, that matters.
• Did your out-of-pocket costs change? Look at your plan's 2027 Annual Notice of Change, which was mailed to you in the fall.
• How does Part D look for 2027? The Part D out-of-pocket cap on covered drugs is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027, and the maximum Part D deductible is $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027. The old coverage gap ("donut hole") is gone as of 2025. If drug costs still feel heavy month to month, ask about the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan, which spreads what you owe across the calendar year.

What's available locally

Plan availability is set at the county level, not the city level. Fayetteville is in Cumberland County, where 55 Medicare Advantage plans from 8 carriers are offered for 2027 (compared with 63 plans from 8 carriers in 2026). Of the 2027 plans, 47 are continuing, 8 are new, 7 are not returning, and 9 have been renamed; 16 continuing plans change something in their terms, which the ANOC spells out. To see the full list side by side, use the Plan Finder tool at Medicare.gov, which lets you enter your ZIP code, your prescriptions, and your preferred pharmacies.

Star Ratings, published by CMS, can also give you a general sense of how members and Medicare rate a plan on things like customer service and care coordination. They are one data point among many — not a shortcut.

Watch out for higher-income surcharges

If your income is above $109,000 as a single filer (or $218,000 filing jointly) based on your 2024 tax return, you may pay an Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA) on top of your Part B and Part D premiums in 2026. Switching plans doesn't change IRMAA, but it's good to know why your total monthly cost may be higher than a neighbor's.

Where to get unbiased help

You do not have to figure this out alone, and you do not have to talk to a salesperson to get answers.

• Medicare.gov — compare plans in your ZIP code with the Plan Finder.
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) — 24/7 help from Medicare directly.
• North Carolina SHIIP — the State Health Insurance Information Program offers free, one-on-one counseling from trained volunteers. It is North Carolina's official SHIP.