Medicare 2027 enrollment is open now through Dec. 7. Here’s what’s new.
Medicare experts recommend reviewing your coverage, including preferred doctors and medication lists.
New drug price controls for popular GLP-1 medications and improved plan-comparison tools are among the changes coming to Medicare for 2027.
Medicare’s fall enrollment period, which runs Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, offers an opportunity to review your coverage and make changes for the coming year. People who want to keep their current plan do not need to do anything, but Medicare experts recommend making sure the plan you have is still the best option.
“Shopping around is always in your best interest, every year,” said Louise Norris, health policy analyst for medicareresources.org, a Medicare education website that can connect people to brokers selling Medicare Advantage and supplemental Medicare plans.
Tips to navigate open enrollment include:
Check whether medications are still covered and whether the out-of-pocket cost has changed.
Make sure your preferred doctors are still in-network, and review any changes to extra benefits you use, such as fitness programs.
Use Medicare’s online Plan Finder tool — which has gotten some updates for 2027 — for a more detailed look at how your plan compares with others. Prior to the enrollment period, plans are required to send notice of change documents that highlight the most significant changes.
Avoid scams, which are abundant during enrollment season, by going directly to Medicare’s website or helpline (1-800-MEDICARE), rather than clicking links in emails or responding to unsolicited texts or phone calls.
Updated eligibility rules for immigrants are among the changes to be aware of. Here’s a look at some other Medicare updates coming for 2027:
Drug price controls
Negotiated prices for 15 high-cost drugs take effect in 2027 as part of a drug negotiation program created under President Joe Biden administration’s 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. Previously, Medicare had not been allowed to negotiate prices, a practice common among private insurers.
The government has since negotiated prices for about two dozen high-cost drugs.
In 2027, new Medicare price caps for popular (and pricey) GLP-1 medications Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus will take effect. Others added to the list for 2027 include Austedo, Breo Ellipta, Calquence, Ibrance, Janumet, Linzess, Ofev, Otezla, Pomalyst, Tradjenta, Trelegy Ellipta, Vraylar, Xifaxan, and Xtandi.
Medicare Rights Center, a nonprofit Medicare education organization, recommends that people who take those drugs check that they are enrolled in the most cost-effective plan, since all will be required to cover the medications.
Total out-of-pocket drug spending is going up by $300 in 2027, capped at $2,400, after which point people will pay $0 for medications. The cap applies to Medicare Advantage plans that include drug coverage and standalone Part D drug plans for people with original Medicare.
GLP-1 medications for weight loss
Medicare Advantage and Part D plans typically cover GLP-1 medications for Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, but not when they are prescribed exclusively for weight loss.
In July, Medicare launched a pilot program designed to test whether prescribing GLP-1 medications specifically for weight loss could reduce future healthcare costs by preventing other chronic conditions associated with obesity.
Through the program, which runs until the end of 2027, people with Medicare may be able to obtain a GLP-1 medication for as little as $50 a month. People who have existing health conditions that can be treated by GLP-1 medications, such as diabetes, are not eligible for the bridge program. People with other medical conditions that can be treated with GLP-1s can seek coverage through their Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.
Better window shopping
Medicare Plan Finder is a valuable online tool for comparing benefits across plans. This year, the online window-shopping tool will show more information about supplemental benefits, which are services that are not covered by original Medicare, but are often included in Medicare Advantage plans.
People with original Medicare can buy supplemental plans for dental and vision care. People can also compare in-network and out-of-network providers, cost sharing, and plan limits using Medicare Plan Finder.
Eligibility changes for immigrants
Beginning in 2027, thousands of people who legally immigrated to the United States and have spent years working and paying into Medicare will no longer be able to enroll, under new eligibility rules established by President Donald Trump’s 2025 signature spending and tax cut package.
Previously, certain groups of people who legally immigrated to the United States were able to enroll in Medicare when they turned 65, if they had paid into the program through an employer for at least 10 years. Others were able to enroll because of a qualifying disability, such as end-stage renal disease.
Beginning in January, only legal permanent residents and immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, and certain Pacific Island countries will continue to be covered. All others — including individuals granted asylum and those who are temporary humanitarian parolees — will no longer be eligible for Medicare.
