Medicare Open Enrollment 2026: Check This Letter Before Deciding

Medicare Open Enrollment 2026 runs October 15 – December 7. Here are 5 steps to review your plan, check costs and coverage, and know where to get help. If you have a Medicare plan, there may be a letter sitting in your drawer right now. It may look like ordinary paperwork, but inside, you could find changes to what you pay, what is covered, or both. In this video, you'll learn a calm five-step way to review your coverage during the fall 2026 enrollment season, for coverage in 2027: 1. Read your plan's Annual Notice of Change 2. Make your own list of medicines, doctors, and pharmacy 3. Remember that national averages are not your plan 4. Compare plans with the official Medicare Plan Finder on Medicare.gov 5. Decide before your own deadline We also cover simple scam-safety rules, the January–March window for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan, and where to find free help. Which part of the plan notice is hardest to read? And who do you ask when Medicare questions come up? Tell us in the comments. CHAPTERS 0:00 Why that letter in your drawer matters 0:55 Step 1: Read your plan's notice 2:14 Steps 2–3: Your list, and why averages aren't your plan 4:49 Step 4: Compare with Medicare Plan Finder 6:04 Step 5: Decide before the deadline 7:21 Scam rules to protect your decision 9:51 Who can help This video is general information, not personal plan advice. Dates and figures are for the 2026 season and may change. For your own situation, check Medicare.gov, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), or find your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program at shiphelp.org. Resources mentioned: Medicare.gov, ReportFraud.ftc.gov, smpresource.org, ssa.gov/medicare/part-d-extra-help. #Medicare #OpenEnrollment #After50