Every fall, from October 15 through December 7, Medicare’s Annual Election Period gives beneficiaries the chance to review their coverage and make changes for the coming year. Plans adjust their premiums, drug lists, and provider networks annually, so a plan that fit well last year may fit differently next year. The review does not have to be overwhelming if you work through it step by step. This 2026 checklist lays out a practical sequence: gather your documents, list your medications and providers, compare plans with Medicare’s free tools, and get unbiased help if you want it.
Step 1: Read your Annual Notice of Change
If you are in a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, your insurer sends an Annual Notice of Change, usually by the end of September. This document is the single most important piece of mail in your enrollment review, because it lists exactly what will change in your plan on January 1: premium, deductible, copayments, the drug formulary, the pharmacy network, and the provider network. Read it with a highlighter rather than filing it away. Pay particular attention to whether your medications are moving to a different tier or off the formulary entirely, and whether your out-of-pocket maximum is changing. If nothing meaningful changes and the plan still fits, your review may be short; if key items change, you know what to compare against.
Step 2: List your medications, doses, and pharmacy
Before comparing any plans, write down every prescription you take, including the exact name, dose, and how often you fill it, plus the pharmacy you prefer. This list is the raw material for an accurate drug cost comparison, because Part D and Medicare Advantage plans differ in which drugs they cover, which tier each drug sits on, and which pharmacies count as preferred. A comparison run without a complete drug list can rank plans in a misleading order. Include drugs you expect to start or stop in the coming year if you know about them, and note any that require special handling, since plan rules such as prior authorization or quantity limits vary.
Step 3: List the providers and facilities you want to keep
Next, write down the doctors, specialists, hospitals, and other providers you see or expect to see. If you are considering a Medicare Advantage plan, provider networks determine how much you pay and whether you need referrals, and networks change from year to year even within the same plan. Checking each provider against a plan’s current directory, or calling the provider’s office to ask which plans they expect to accept next year, protects you from an unwelcome January surprise. If you use Original Medicare with a Medigap policy, networks matter less for medical care, but this list still helps you sanity-check any switch you are contemplating.
Step 4: Reflect on how the past year actually went
A quick honest review of the past twelve months sharpens the comparison. Did you meet your deductible? Were there services you skipped because of cost? Did you struggle with referrals, prior authorizations, or finding in-network care? Did your health change in ways that suggest more, or different, care next year? Are extra benefits you were promised, such as vision or hearing allowances, ones you actually used? Answers to these questions turn an abstract plan comparison into a concrete one, because the best plan on paper is the one that handles the care you realistically use.
Step 5: Compare plans with the Medicare Plan Finder
With your lists in hand, use Medicare’s official Plan Finder tool to compare the plans available in your area. Enter your medications and preferred pharmacies, and the tool estimates total yearly drug costs, premiums plus what you would pay at the counter, for each plan, which is far more revealing than comparing premiums alone. You can filter by plan type, review star ratings that summarize quality and member experience, and see extra benefits side by side. Creating a Medicare account saves your drug list for future years. Run the comparison even if you plan to stay put; confirming your current plan is still competitive takes little time once your lists exist.
Step 6: Check the fine print before switching
If a different plan looks better, verify the details that comparisons can blur. Confirm your providers are in network for the coming year, not just the current one. Check the plan’s rules on referrals and prior authorization for services you use. If you are moving between Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare, understand how the change interacts with Medigap: outside protected situations, Medigap applications can be subject to medical underwriting in most states, so the sequencing of a switch matters. Note also that dental, vision, or hearing extras vary widely in scope, so read what an allowance actually covers rather than relying on the headline benefit.
Step 7: Get free, unbiased help if you want it
You do not have to do this alone, and the best-known help is free. Every state runs a State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) staffed by trained counselors who do not sell insurance and have no stake in your choice; they can walk through your Plan Finder results, explain trade-offs, and flag issues specific to your state. Licensed insurance agents can also explain and enroll you in the plans they represent. Be cautious with unsolicited calls and mailers during the fall window: legitimate helpers do not pressure you, and Medicare does not call beneficiaries to sell plans.
Step 8: Act before December 7 and keep records
Changes made during the Annual Election Period take effect January 1. If you decide to switch, complete the enrollment before December 7 and keep the confirmation number, the date, and the name of anyone who assisted you. If you decide to stay, no action is needed; your current plan continues automatically. In January, check that your new plan’s card arrives, that claims process as expected, and that your pharmacy has the new information. If something went wrong, Medicare Advantage enrollees have the January-through-March open enrollment window to make a correction.
How to use the official tools and free counseling
The comparison tool at the center of this checklist is the Medicare Plan Finder at Medicare.gov, which lets you compare drug plans and Medicare Advantage plans available at your address using your own medication list. For free one-on-one counseling, find your State Health Insurance Assistance Program at shiphelp.org or ask a licensed insurance agent about the specific plans they offer. Both routes can work from the same lists you built in steps 2 and 3.
Final thoughts
A good Medicare open enrollment checklist comes down to a handful of unglamorous steps: read the Annual Notice of Change, list your drugs and providers, review how the year went, compare real plans with the Plan Finder, verify the fine print, and get free help when useful. Done in order, the whole process often takes an afternoon or two, and it is the most reliable way to make sure the coverage you carry into 2027 still matches the care you actually use. Whatever you decide, decide it on your own information rather than a marketing pitch.
Disclaimer
This article is for general informational purposes only and is not medical, financial, legal, or enrollment advice. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by Medicare, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or any government agency. Plan details, dates, and rules can change and vary by location and individual circumstances. Always verify current information at Medicare.gov, and consider consulting a licensed insurance agent or SHIP counselor before making enrollment decisions.