Medicare Open Enrollment: Compare 2027 Part D Plan Costs

Medicare open enrollment runs through December 7, 2026. If you want to change your prescription drug coverage for 2027, use the remaining weeks to compare what you could pay over the full year. Medicare says changes made during this window take effect January 1 when the plan receives your enrollment request by December 7.

Start with the prescriptions you actually fill and the pharmacies you can realistically use. A plan with a low monthly premium can still cost more over a year if it charges more for one of your regular drugs or offers its lowest prices at a pharmacy you rarely visit.

People with Original Medicare can compare stand-alone Part D plans. If you have Medicare Advantage with drug coverage, check the prescriptions and the medical benefits together before deciding whether to change plans. Medicare’s Plan Compare tool has a 2027 view for checking options by ZIP code.

Build your list from the prescription labels

Write down the name, strength, quantity, and refill frequency for each prescription. A bottle marked 20 milligrams with 30 tablets can produce a different estimate from the same drug at a different strength or quantity. Check the label against your latest refill, especially if your clinician changed the dose this year.

Include the drugs you take only part of the year when you expect to refill them in 2027. For a prescription with an upcoming change, run a separate comparison with the expected drug and dose if you have those details. That gives you a way to see how much the uncertainty matters without treating a possible change as a certainty.

Next, make a short list of pharmacies you can use regularly. Consider whether you can get there during business hours or pick up a refill after an appointment. If you already use home delivery, compare that option separately and verify whether it applies to each prescription you want delivered.

Compare a year of costs with the same inputs

Enter the same drugs and quantities for each plan. Compare the annual estimate at the pharmacy you expect to use and look at the premium, deductible, and drug charges separately. The premium is what you pay to have the plan, and the amount you pay at the counter can vary by drug and plan.

A deductible can matter most early in the year. If a drug is subject to it, a January fill can cost more than later fills even when the total annual estimate looks manageable. Check the details for the medications you refill first and make a note of any costs that could bunch up in one month.

Keep the monthly premium in view even if you have few prescriptions. A lower annual estimate based on a single drug could change if your prescription changes or you start using a different pharmacy. Run a second estimate with another convenient pharmacy so you know how much that choice affects the numbers.

Read the coverage rules behind the estimate

Check each plan’s formulary, the list of drugs it covers. Then look for a restriction beside each medication. Prior authorization means the plan requires approval before it covers the prescription under its rules. Step therapy can require trying another drug first, and quantity limits restrict how much the plan covers in a given period.

Give extra attention to a regular drug that appears on a higher tier, has a restriction, or is missing from the list. Ask the plan to confirm the exact strength and form before relying on a price. If you need to discuss an alternative medication, take the plan information to your prescriber.

Look at pharmacy status as well as drug status. Two pharmacies can both participate in a plan while offering different cost sharing. Check your specific location in the plan’s directory and make sure the estimate corresponds to the pharmacy you chose.

Check what changes before submitting

Read the Annual Notice of Change from your current plan alongside the new estimates. Look for changes in 2027 premiums, drug tiers, pharmacy access, and restrictions. Saving the comparison with the date and plan name can help you check later whether you are looking at the same option.

Medicare Advantage members who are considering a switch should also check provider and hospital networks, referral rules, and other medical costs. If you have retiree coverage or drug coverage through a spouse’s employer, contact the benefits administrator before signing up for a different plan. Ask how the switch would affect other people covered by the same arrangement.

When you are ready, keep the confirmation number or written record of the enrollment request. If you are still comparing plans as December 7 approaches, Medicare lists free, personalized counseling through State Health Insurance Assistance Programs. Have your drug list, current plan name, and preferred pharmacies handy when you call.

Try setting up a simple comparison with one row per plan. Write down the monthly premium, the annual drug estimate at your usual pharmacy, and any coverage rule you need to confirm. Keep the plan names as they appear in the tool so you can find the same option again when you speak to the insurer.

Sources

• Medicare open enrollment dates and coverage changes
• Medicare Part D costs
• Medicare Plan Compare for 2027

Illustrative photo: Wikimedia Commons, public domain, cropped. Original image · License