Every fall, people with Medicare get one main chance to change their coverage for the coming year. For 2027 coverage, that window is October 15 to December 7, 2026. This guide explains what Open Enrollment is, what it is not, and what Kansas City people in particular should check before the deadline.
What Open Enrollment covers
Medicare Open Enrollment (also called the Annual Enrollment Period, or AEP) runs October 15 to December 7 every year. Anything you change starts January 1 of the next year. According to Medicare.gov, during this window you can:
- Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another, with or without drug coverage.
- Move from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan, or from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare.
- Join, drop or switch a Part D drug plan if you are in Original Medicare.
You can change your mind more than once during the window. The last choice the plan receives by December 7 is the one that counts.
What it does not cover
Open Enrollment is about Medicare Advantage and Part D. It is not a window for Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plans. Medigap has its own rules, and they depend on your state:
- Missouri (Belton, Raymore, Lee’s Summit, Grandview, Independence, Liberty, Gladstone, Blue Springs) has an anniversary rule. Each year, within 30 days before or after your policy anniversary, you can move to the same plan letter with a different company without health questions. That date is yours alone and has nothing to do with October 15.
- Kansas (Overland Park, Olathe, Shawnee, Lenexa, Leawood) has no anniversary or birthday rule. Outside your first six-month window, most Medigap switches require health questions unless a federal guaranteed issue right applies.
See Missouri vs Kansas for both sets of rules.
What to check this year in Kansas City
Most years, the changes are small. The last two have not been. Here is what we are watching for 2027.
Hospital networks. A Medicare Advantage plan only pays in-network rates at hospitals that have a contract with it, and those contracts are renegotiated every year.
- NKC Health (North Kansas City Hospital and Meritas Health) says it has been out of network for UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans since October 1, 2026. It says it will accept Original Medicare, Humana Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans in 2027. Source: NKC Health, page updated August 2026.
- Saint Luke’s says it will be out of network for Aetna Medicare Advantage plans starting January 1, 2027. Source: Saint Luke’s, as of October 2026.
If you use either system, confirm your plan for 2027 before December 7. Other hospitals may have changes too. Networks change every year, and we check them for you.
Your Annual Notice of Change. Your plan mailed this in September. It lists every change for 2027: premium, deductible, copays, drug list and network. Read it even if you like your plan.
Your medicines. Drug lists change. A medicine covered this year can move to a higher tier or drop off next year. Check each one and your pharmacy.
The total cost, not just the premium. A plan with no monthly premium beyond Part B can still cost more over a year if copays or the out-of-pocket limit went up. Our Medicare costs page has the 2027 Medicare figures.
New plans in your mailbox. A new plan name in your mailbox is not a reason to switch. It is a reason to ask what it is.
A simple checklist
| Step | When |
|---|---|
| Read your Annual Notice of Change | Late September or October |
| List your doctors, hospital and medicines | Early October |
| Check each against your plan’s 2027 details | Before Thanksgiving |
| Call us first if anything changed or you are unsure | Any time before December 7 |
| Make your change, or do nothing if your plan still fits | By December 7, 2026 |
The deadline that does not move
December 7 is firm. Medicare does not extend it for people who were busy, confused or waiting for one more letter. If you miss it and you are in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one more chance: from January 1 to March 31, 2027, you can switch to another Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare one time. If you are in Original Medicare with a Part D plan, there is no second chance until next fall unless a Special Enrollment Period applies to you.
What to do next
If your plan still fits, doing nothing is a fine choice, and we will tell you so. If something changed, you have until December 7 to fix it. Either way, call us first before you make a change. We are local, independent and here all year. There is no fee to work with us, and plan prices are the same as going direct. We check your doctors, your hospital and your medicines against the plans we offer, and you decide. Start with your doctors and hospitals, or see our Open Enrollment 2027 page to book a free review.