Medicare Advantage
One Do-Over: Your Jan.–March Medicare Advantage Fix
Tarrant County has 83 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027. Compared with 2026, 28 plans are not coming back, 22 are new, and 32 continuing plans changed in some way you should check before December 7, 10 of them under a new name. This guide covers what those numbers mean for North Richland Hills, not which plan to pick.
Compare Medicare Advantage options near you
Answer 3 quick questions to see Medicare Advantage listings from licensed insurance partners.
What’s your ZIP code?
Plan availability is set by your county, so we start here.
How old are you?
This helps match you with options you’re eligible for.
Do you have Medicare Parts A & B?
This affects which Medicare Advantage options you can choose.
These listings are provided by licensed insurance partners.
Medicare Advantage plans in your area are changing or leaving for 2027.
One call tells you whether your plan is on the list — before enrollment opens.
Available now — current wait: 0 min
A real person answers. No phone menu, ever.
Advertising disclosure: MyMedicarePlans.org may be compensated when you contact a partner or licensed agent. Listings are not ranked or endorsed by us, and we do not recommend specific plans. You can also contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local SHIP.
Speak to a Licensed Insurance Agent
Click to call 855-729-3240Found a plan you like online?
One free call confirms it's actually right for you — online directories are wrong more often than you'd think.
- Your doctors — confirmed in-network for 2027
- Your prescriptions — checked against the plan's 2027 drug tiers
855-729-3240 · free · about 5 minutes
NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, Texas — If you enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan for 2027 and already wish you had chosen differently, you get a second chance. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 through March 31, and it gives current Advantage members one shot to correct course before spring.
Key takeaways
- The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs Jan. 1 through March 31, 2027, and is only for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan.
- You may switch to a different Advantage plan once, or drop your Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare with a stand-alone Part D plan.
- You cannot use this window to join an Advantage plan for the first time or to add a stand-alone Part D plan if you stay on Original Medicare without leaving MA.
- For personal help, North Richland Hills residents can call 1-800-MEDICARE, visit medicare.gov, or contact the Texas SHIP (called HICAP) at no cost.
This window is narrower than the fall Annual Enrollment Period, and the rules about what you can and cannot change trip up a lot of people. Here is what North Richland Hills residents should know before making a move.
Who this window is actually for
The January–March period is for people who already have a Medicare Advantage plan on January 1. If you are on Original Medicare only, this window does not apply to you — you would generally need to wait for the fall Annual Enrollment Period (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7) or qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
If you are new to Medicare and your coverage started in January, you also have your own initial enrollment rules that may overlap with this window.
What you can change between Jan. 1 and March 31
During this period, you are allowed to make one change. Your options are:
- Switch from your current Medicare Advantage plan to a different Medicare Advantage plan.
- Drop your Medicare Advantage plan and go back to Original Medicare (Parts A and B).
- If you go back to Original Medicare, you can also join a stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan at the same time.
The change takes effect the first of the month after the plan gets your request.
What you cannot do in this window
There are real limits. You cannot:
- Join a Medicare Advantage plan for the first time if you are on Original Medicare.
- Switch from one stand-alone Part D drug plan to another while staying on Original Medicare.
- Make more than one change during the window.
It is also worth remembering that leaving Medicare Advantage for Original Medicare may raise questions about a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policy. Outside of your initial Medigap open enrollment or a guaranteed-issue right, insurers in Texas can use medical underwriting, meaning acceptance and price are not guaranteed. That is worth checking before you drop an Advantage plan.
Why 2027 is a year to pay attention
A few program-wide changes make it worth a fresh look at your coverage:
- Part D has a $2,400 annual out-of-pocket cap on covered prescription drugs in 2027, up from $2,100 in 2026.
- The Part D deductible cannot exceed $615 in 2026.
- The old coverage gap (“donut hole”) is gone — Part D now has three phases.
- The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your drug costs across the calendar year in monthly payments instead of paying large sums at the pharmacy counter. It is optional and free to opt into.
- IRMAA surcharges for higher-income enrollees begin above $109,000 for a single filer in 2026.
What’s available around North Richland Hills
North Richland Hills is in Tarrant County, where Medicare Advantage and Part D plan choices are set at the county level by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). If you want to compare what is offered in your ZIP code, the Plan Finder at medicare.gov lets you filter by your prescriptions, preferred pharmacies, and doctors.
Star Ratings — CMS’s 1-to-5 quality scores — can also help you gauge a plan’s customer service and care measures, but they are one data point, not a recommendation.
How to make the change
1. Log in at medicare.gov and use the Plan Finder to compare options, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), available 24/7. 2. Contact the Texas Health Information, Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP), the state’s SHIP, for free one-on-one counseling. 3. When you enroll in the new plan (or a stand-alone Part D plan after returning to Original Medicare), your previous Advantage plan will end automatically — you do not need to call and cancel it.
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 Tarrant County
(MA penetration in Tarrant 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
Can I switch Medicare Advantage plans more than once between January and March?
I’m on Original Medicare. Can I join a Medicare Advantage plan now?
If I drop my Advantage plan, will I automatically get drug coverage?
Where can North Richland Hills residents get unbiased help?
- CMS — Medicare enrollment periods (medicare.gov)
For personalized answers, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local SHIP.
Also for North Richland Hills
Content Integrity Standards
- No invented figures. Program-level numbers come from CMS / Medicare.gov; we never use placeholder data.
- No plan rankings or recommendations. This is educational content. We don't rank, score, or recommend specific plans.
- AI-assisted, human-reviewed. Articles are produced with AI-assisted tools and reviewed by the responsible desk before publishing.
- Inline sourcing. Facts and figures are cited to primary sources — CMS, SSA, and Medicare.gov.
- Correction transparency. We fix errors openly and note when a page was last updated.
- Not a government site. MyMedicarePlans.org is privately owned and not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare or any government agency.
This page was last updated: October 1, 2026.