Medicare Advantage

Why Fargo Has Until March 31 to Change Medicare Advantage

FARGO, N.D. — If you signed up for a Medicare Advantage plan during fall enrollment and are already having second thoughts, you still have time to fix it. From January 1 through March 31, 2027, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period gives people already in an Advantage plan one more chance to change course for 2027.

This window is easy to miss because it comes right after the busier fall enrollment season. But for Fargo-area retirees who feel stuck with the wrong plan, it can be the difference between a smooth year and twelve months of frustration.

What the January–March window actually is

The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (often shortened to MA-OEP) is a three-month window built into the Medicare calendar for one specific reason: to give Advantage enrollees a do-over.

Maybe your new plan's pharmacy network doesn't include the drugstore you've used for years. Maybe your doctor isn't in-network after all. Maybe the plan simply doesn't fit the way you thought it would. This window lets you correct that without waiting until next fall.

According to CMS, the period runs January 1 through March 31 every year, and it is separate from the fall Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7).

Who can use it — and who can't

This is the part people trip over most often. The MA-OEP is only for people who are already in a Medicare Advantage plan as of January 1.

You can use it if:

• You joined an Advantage plan during fall enrollment and it starts January 1.
• You have been in an Advantage plan and want to try something else.

You cannot use it if:

• You are on Original Medicare only and want to jump into an Advantage plan for the first time.
• You only want to switch stand-alone Part D drug plans (that requires a different election period).

If you're unsure which category you're in, that's exactly the kind of question 1-800-MEDICARE or a SHIP counselor can answer in a few minutes.

The changes you're allowed to make

During the MA-OEP, you get one change. That's the important word — one. Whatever you do first is what sticks until the next enrollment window.

Your options are:

• Switch from your current Medicare Advantage plan to a different Advantage plan.
• Drop your Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare (Parts A and B). If you do this, you can also join a stand-alone Part D drug plan at the same time.

Your change takes effect the first day of the month after the plan gets your request. So a switch made in February starts March 1.

What's different about 2027 that might affect your choice

A few program-level changes are worth understanding before you switch anything.

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: The annual cap on what you pay out of pocket for covered prescriptions is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. This cap applies whether your drug coverage is stand-alone or bundled into an Advantage plan.
• Part D deductible: The maximum allowable deductible is $615 for 2026 and $700 for 2027, though individual plans may set it lower.
• No more donut hole: As of 2025, Part D has three phases instead of four. The old coverage gap is gone.
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: If prescription costs hit hard early in the year, you can ask to spread payments across the calendar year in predictable monthly amounts. It doesn't lower what you owe — it smooths it.
• IRMAA: Higher-income enrollees pay an income-related surcharge on Part B and Part D premiums, starting above $109,000 for a single filer in 2026.

Local context: how availability works in Fargo

Medicare plan availability is set at the county level, not the city level. Fargo is in Cass County, where a range of Medicare Advantage plans from multiple carriers were offered for 2026. The 2027 lineup is described in each plan's Annual Notice of Change and on the Plan Finder at Medicare.gov.

To see the current list for Cass County, the cleanest tool is the Plan Finder at medicare.gov, which lets you enter your ZIP code and your prescriptions to compare what's actually available where you live.

A few common mistakes to avoid

• Waiting too long. March 31 is a hard deadline. There's no grace period.
• Making a change before you've compared. You only get one switch — use it after you've checked networks and drug lists, not before.
• Assuming a Star Rating alone tells you the plan fits you. Star Ratings measure plan quality generally; they don't reflect whether your doctor is in-network or your medication is covered.
• Confusing this window with Medigap. Switching to a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policy has its own rules and, in most cases, medical underwriting outside your initial enrollment window.