Medicare Advantage

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment in Vancouver, WA

People in Vancouver can choose from 57 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, against 76 this year. 30 of this year’s plans are gone, 11 are new to Clark County, and 37 that continue have changed their premium, deductible, plan type or name, 13 of them under a new name.

Vancouver, Wash. — If you signed up for a Medicare Advantage plan last fall and are now second-guessing that choice, you still have time to change course. From January 1 through March 31, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period gives current Advantage members one clean chance to switch plans or move back to Original Medicare — no special reason required.

Here's how the window works, what you can and can't do, and the mistakes that trip people up.

What the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period is

This three-month window is separate from the fall Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7). It exists to give Advantage enrollees a second look after their new coverage actually starts and they see how it works in real life — the network, the drug list, the prior authorization rules.

According to CMS, the change you make during this period takes effect the first day of the month after your new plan gets your enrollment.

Who can use it — and who can't

You can use the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period if you are already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan on January 1.

You cannot use it if you are on Original Medicare and want to jump into an Advantage plan for the first time this year, or if you only have Part A or Part B. Those moves generally have to wait for the fall enrollment window or a Special Enrollment Period.

What you're allowed to do between Jan. 1 and March 31

If you're eligible, you can:

• Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another (with or without drug coverage).
• Drop your Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare (Part A and Part B).
• Add a stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan if you go back to Original Medicare.

You get one change during this window. Once it takes effect, that's your move for the season.

What you can't do

This window is narrower than the fall one. During January through March, you cannot:

• Switch from one stand-alone Part D drug plan to another (if you're already on Original Medicare).
• Join a Part D plan if you're staying on Medicare Advantage with drug coverage.
• Enroll in Medicare Advantage for the first time if you were on Original Medicare on January 1.

Local context for Vancouver

Vancouver is in Clark County, where Medicare beneficiaries typically have a wide selection of Medicare Advantage plans offered by multiple carriers. Exact plan counts change each year, and CMS lists every option currently available in the county on the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov/plan-compare.

If you want to compare what's actually on the shelf in Clark County — network, drug list, and cost-sharing side by side — the Plan Finder is the official source. Washington's SHIBA program (the state's SHIP) also offers free, unbiased counseling.

2027 rules worth knowing before you switch

A few program-level facts to keep in mind as you weigh a change:

• Part D out-of-pocket cap: $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once your out-of-pocket drug spending hits that amount, you pay nothing for covered Part D drugs the rest of the year.
• Part D deductible: up to $615 in 2026 and up to $700 in 2027 (plans can set theirs lower).
• The coverage gap is gone. As of 2025, Part D has three phases instead of four — no more "donut hole."
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. You can ask to spread your yearly drug costs across monthly payments instead of paying at the pharmacy counter.
• IRMAA. Higher-income beneficiaries pay surcharges on Part B and Part D premiums; in 2026 those surcharges start above $109,000 for a single filer.

Common mistakes to avoid

Assuming your doctor is still in-network. Networks change every January. Check before you switch, not after.

Forgetting about drug coverage. If you leave Advantage for Original Medicare and don't pick up a Part D plan, you could face a late-enrollment penalty later.

Waiting until the last week of March. Paperwork takes time. Give yourself a cushion.

Confusing this with the fall window. October 15 – December 7 is when anyone with Medicare can make almost any change. January 1 – March 31 is narrower and only for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan.