Medicare Advantage

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: What You Can Change by March 31

FORT DODGE, Iowa — If you signed up for a Medicare Advantage plan during fall enrollment and are now second-guessing that choice, you still have time to fix it. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 through March 31, giving Fort Dodge residents a three-month window to make one change to their coverage before it locks in for the rest of the year.

This period is different from the fall Annual Enrollment Period, and the rules about what you can — and can't — do are narrower than many people realize. Here's a plain-English look at how it works.

What the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period is

The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (often shortened to MA OEP) is a yearly window from January 1 to March 31. It's only for people who are already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan as of January 1.

Think of it as a "do-over" period. If your new plan isn't working the way you expected — maybe your doctor isn't in the network, a medication isn't covered the way you thought, or the plan feels like a poor fit — you get one chance to switch.

If you're happy with your coverage, you don't need to do anything.

What you can change between January 1 and March 31

During the MA OEP, you can:

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

You are allowed one such change during this window. Once you use it, that's your move for the season.

What you cannot change during this window

The MA OEP is not a full re-do of fall enrollment. During January through March, you cannot:

• Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan.
• Join a stand-alone Part D plan if you're staying on Original Medicare and weren't already in one.
• Switch from one stand-alone Part D plan to another if you're on Original Medicare.

For those moves, you generally have to wait for the next Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7) unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.

Why this matters in 2027

A few program-level changes make it worth double-checking your coverage:

• Part D has an out-of-pocket cap for covered drugs — $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027. Once you hit it, you pay nothing more for the rest of the year on covered prescriptions.
• The Part D deductible can be no more than $615 in 2026 and no more than $700 in 2027.
• The old "donut hole" coverage gap is gone — Part D now has three simpler phases.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan lets you spread your drug costs into monthly payments instead of paying big amounts at the pharmacy counter. You can opt in through your drug plan at any time.
• IRMAA surcharges — the extra amount higher-income enrollees pay for Part B and Part D — begin above $109,000 in income for a single filer in 2026.

If any of these changes affect how your current plan feels in practice, the MA OEP is your chance to adjust.

How to decide whether to switch

Before making a change, it helps to sit down with a few basics:

1. Pull out your plan's Evidence of Coverage or Summary of Benefits for 2027 and read what actually applies to you — not what you assumed at signup. 2. Check that your doctors and hospitals are in-network. In Fort Dodge, that includes confirming access to the providers and specialists you already use. 3. Look up each of your prescriptions on the plan's formulary to see the tier and any restrictions like prior authorization. 4. Consider the total picture — premium, deductible, copays, out-of-pocket maximum — not just one number.

Fort Dodge is in Webster County, where multiple Medicare Advantage plans from several carriers are offered. The exact count changes year to year, and you can see the current lineup for your ZIP code using the Plan Finder at medicare.gov.

Where to get unbiased help

You don't have to figure this out alone, and you don't have to talk to a salesperson to get answers.

• Medicare.gov — the official Plan Finder lets you compare plans side-by-side using your own drug list and pharmacies.
• 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) — available 24/7.
• Iowa SHIIP (Senior Health Insurance Information Program) — Iowa's State Health Insurance Assistance Program offers free, one-on-one counseling from trained volunteers. They don't sell insurance and aren't tied to any plan.