![]()
The annual Medicare open enrollment period is quickly approaching, and the 2026 edition is shaping up to be a busy one. From Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, many beneficiaries will start their Medicare benefits or consider changing plans.
kAm&?7@CEF?2E6=J[ |65:42C6 @A6? 6?C@==>6?E D42>>6CD 92G6 2=C625J D6E E96:C D:89ED @? A@E6?E:2= G:4E:>D] %96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^962=E96DJDE6>D]4@>^H@C<6CD4@>AC696?D:G6^6D42=2E:?8\4@DED\EC6?5D\:?\5FC23=6\>65:42=\6BF:A>6?E\5>6^Qm32==@@?:?8 4@DEDk^2m @7 >65:42= D6CG:46D 2?5 6BF:A>6?E >62? E92E D42>>6CD 2C6 C62=:K:?8 8C62E6C C6EFC?D E92? 6G6C[ 2?5 E96 =F4C2E:G6 C24<6E D9@HD 76H D:8?D @7 D=@H:?8 5@H?]k^Am
kAmx7 J@F @C 2 =@G65 @?6 :D A=2??:?8 E@ A2CE:4:A2E6 :? E9:D J62C’D 2??F2= 6?C@==>6?E A6C:@5[ :E’D 4CF4:2= E@ F?56CDE2?5 9@H |65:42C6 D42>D @A6C2E6 2?5 H92E J@F 42? 5@ E@ AC@E64E J@FC 42C5 ?F>36C]k^Am
kAmq6=@H[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]A6@A=67:?56CD]4@>Qm!6@A=6u:?56CDk^2m 6IA=2:?D H92E J@F ?665 E@ 5@ E@ 96=A AC@E64E J@FCD6=7 7C@> |65:42C6 D42>>6CD E9:D 72==]k^Am
k9bm(92E s@6D 2 |65:42C6 ~A6? t?C@==>6?E $42> {@@< {:<6nk^9bm
kAm%96 7:CDE E9:?8 E@ <?@H 23@FE |65:42C6 @A6? 6?C@==>6?E D42>D :D E92E E96J C6G@=G6 2C@F?5 J@FC 2==\:>A@CE2?E |65:42C6 42C5 ?F>36C] %92E’D E96 4@56 J@FC 5@4E@CD FD6 E@ C6:>3FCD6 E96>D6=G6D 2?5 E96:C DE277 7@C >65:42= D6CG:46D E96J C6?56C E@ J@F]k^Am
kAms6E6C>:?65 D42>>6CD DE@A 2E ?@E9:?8 E@ 86E |65:42C6 ?F>36CD 7C@> G:4E:>D[ 2?5 E96J’== ECJ 6G6CJ EC:4< :? E96 3@@<] *@F >:89E 6?4@F?E6C E96 7@==@H:?8 EJA6D @7 D42>D 5FC:?8 @A6? 6?C@==>6?E]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m`] p DEC2?86C 42==D J@F 367@C6 D6?5:?8 2 ?6H |65:42C6 42C5]k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmq642FD6 >2?J A6@A=6 492?86 A=2?D 5FC:?8 @A6? 6?C@==>6?E[ >2?J |65:42C6 42C5D 2C6 >2:=65 E@ 36?67:4:2C:6D 24C@DD E96 &]$] $42>>6CD @7E6? 42== 36?67:4:2C:6D 9@A:?8 E@ C6249 D@>6@?6 H9@ 6IA64ED 2 ?6H 42C5]k^Am
kAmx7 E96J 86E @?6 @? E96 A9@?6[ E96J >:89E 2D< E96> E@ “4@?7:C>” E96:C 42C5 ?F>36C D@ E92E E96J 42? “>2:=” :E E@ E96 36?67:4:2CJ 2D D@@? 2D A@DD:3=6] xE’D 4@>>@? 7@C D42>>6CD E@ E9C@H :? D@>6 D42C6 E24E:4Dj E96J @7E6? E9C@H @FE A9C2D6D =:<6[ “}@E 4@?7:C>:?8 J@FC |65:42C6 ?F>36C E@52J 4@F=5 C6DF=E :? :>>65:2E6 =@DD @7 36?67:ED]”k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8ma] $@>6@?6 E6==D J@F E92E J@F’G6 BF2=:7:65 7@C 2 36EE6C[ 4962A6C A=2?]k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm%96 2==FC6 @7 D2G:?8 >@?6J :D 6?@F89 E@ >2<6 >2?J A6@A=6 =6E E96:C 8F2C5 5@H?[ 2E =62DE E6>A@C2C:=J] $@[ H96? D@>6@?6 42==D E@ =6E J@F <?@H 23@FE 2 36EE6C |65:42C6 A=2? J@F’C6 6=:8:3=6 7@C—=@H6C 4@DED[ 36EE6C 36?67:ED—:E’D E6>AE:?8 E@ 5:G6 :? H:E9 E96>]k^Am
kAmqFE =68:E:>2E6 |65:42C6 C6AC6D6?E2E:G6D 5@ ?@E 4@=5 42== A6@A=6 23@FE DH:E49:?8 A=2?D] $@>6@?6 >:89E 42== J@F :7 J@F 2D<65 E@ 36 4@?E24E65 23@FE J@FC |65:42C6 36?67:ED[ 3FE 6G6? E96?[ E96J >FDE 23:56 3J k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^42962=E925G@42E6D]@C8^2C6\J@F\C646:G:?8\F?H2?E65\42==D\7C@>\>65:42C6\25G2?E286\A=2?D\E:AD\E@\DE@A\E96\@?D=2F89E^QmDEC:4E 4@?DF>6C AC@E64E:@? CF=6Dk^2m]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mb] p D42>>6C “DA@@7D” E96 A9@?6 ?F>36C @7 2 =68:E:>2E6 @C82?:K2E:@?]k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmp? :?D:5:@FD ?6H D42> E24E:4 :D 7=@@5:?8 A9@?6 =:?6Di 42== DA@@7:?8] (96? 2 D42>>6C DA@@7D 2 A9@?6 ?F>36C[ E96J >2<6 E96 42==6C xs 5:DA=2J ?F>36CD @7 =68:E:>2E6[ C6AFE23=6 @C82?:K2E:@?D[ DF49 2D 2 |65:42C6 D6CG:46D 56A2CE>6?E @C 962=E9 :?DFC2?46 4@>A2?J]k^Am
kAm$A@@765 A9@?6 ?F>36CD 255 2 =2J6C @7 4C65:3:=:EJ 7@C D42>>6CD[ 2D >2?J 46== A9@?6 AC@G:56CD 5:DA=2J E96 6?E:EJ’D ?2>6 H96? 2 4@?DF>6C C646:G6D 2 42==] $@[ :? 255:E:@? E@ E96 DA@@765 ?F>36C[ G:4E:>D >:89E D66 “)*+ :?DFC2?46 AC@G:56C” @C “|65:42C6 @77:46D” 7=2D9 @? E96:C D>2CEA9@?6 D4C66?D]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mc] %96 42==6C :?7@C>D J@F E92E J@F’C6 6=:8:3=6 7@C 7C66 E6DED[ 5FC23=6 >65:42= 6BF:A>6?E[ @C D6CG:46D]k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm}@E9:?8 :D 7C66 :? E96 >65:42= :?5FDECJ] xE’D 6I4:E:?8 E@ 962C J@F 42? 86E 7C66 @C 962G:=J 5:D4@F?E65 86?6E:4 E6DE:?8 @C @CE9@E:4 3C246D[ D:?46 3@E9 42? 36 :?4C65:3=J 6IA6?D:G6[ 3FE E96 @776C :D?’E C62=]k^Am
kAmw6C6’D 9@H E9:D D42> H@C<Di p7E6C J@F 8:G6 J@FC |65:42C6 42C5 ?F>36C E@ 2 D42>>6C[ E96J’== 3:== |65:42C6 2?5 4=2:> J@F C646:G65 J@FC E6DE @C 5FC23=6 >65:42= 6BF:A>6?E] x? 24EF2=:EJ[ J@F ?6G6C C646:G6 2?JE9:?8[ 3FE E96 D42>>6C DE:== 86ED E96 |65:42C6 C6:>3FCD6>6?E]k^Am
k9bm"F:4< $E2E:DE:4D @? |65:42C6 uC2F5k^9bm
kAmyFDE 2D |65:42C6 7C2F5 6?7@C46>6?E 5:G:D:@?D 92G6 FAA65 E96:C E649?@=@8:42= 42A23:=:E:6D[ D@ 92G6 D42>>6CD] |65:42C6 7C2F5 C6>2:?D 9:89[ 2D 6G:56?465 3J E96 C64@C5\3C62<:?8 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH];FDE:46]8@G^@A2^AC^?2E:@?2=\962=E9\42C6\7C2F5\E2<65@H?\C6DF=ED\bac\5676?52?ED\492C865\4@??64E:@?\@G6C\`ceQmS`c]e 3:==:@? 3FDEk^2m E96 &]$] s6A2CE>6?E @7 yFDE:46 2??@F?465 :? a_ad]k^Am
kAmpC@F?5 S`_]e 3:==:@? @7 E92E E@E2= DE6>>65 7C@> 7C2F5F=6?E 4=2:>D 7@C 5FC23=6 >65:42= 6BF:A>6?E[ :?4=F5:?8 42E96E6CD] yFDE 2D 2=2C>:?8 H6C6 E96 @?6 >:==:@? DE@=6? :56?E:E:6D FD65 E@ DF3>:E E9@D6 7C2F5F=6?E 4=2:>D]k^Am
kAmx? C6=2E65 ?6HD[ 2 DEF5J 7C@> E96 r6?E6C 7@C r@F?E6C:?8 s:8:E2= w2E6 7@F?5 E92E 25D 7@C 7C2F5F=6?E |65:42C6 p5G2?E286 36?67:ED C646:G65 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^4@F?E6C92E6]4@>^3=@8^>6E2\2==@H65\>65:42C6\D42>>6CD\E@\86?6C2E6\>@C6\E92?\a`d\>:==:@?\G:6HD\@?\25D\>@DE=J\7C@>\D6?:@CD^Qma`d >:==:@? G:6HDk^2m :? a_ad[ >@C6 E92? D:I E:>6D E96 E@E2= G:6HD 7C@> AC6G:@FD J62CD 4@>3:?65]k^Am
k9bm!C@E64E:?8 *@FCD6=7 7C@> |65:42C6 $42>Di b %:ADk^9bm
kAmx?7@C>2E:@? 2?5 F?56CDE2?5:?8 2C6 <6J :? AC6G6?E:?8 D42>>6CD 7C@> 86EE:?8 29@=5 @7 J@FC A6CD@?2= :?7@C>2E:@? 2?5 HC62<:?8 92G@4 @? J@FC |65:42C6 36?67:ED] vF2C5 J@FCD6=7 H:E9 E96D6 A:646D @7 25G:46 E9:D @A6? 6?C@==>6?E D62D@?]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8m`] }6G6C 8:G6 @FE J@FC |65:42C6 ?F>36C 27E6C 2? F?6IA64E65 42==]k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmxE’D H@CE9 C6:E6C2E:?8 E92E |65:42C6 C6AC6D6?E2E:G6D H:== ?@E 42== J@F F?=6DD J@F 92G6 2=C625J @A6?65 2 =:?6 @7 :?BF:CJ H:E9 E96>] *@F D9@F=5 AC@E64E J@FC |65:42C6 42C5 ?F>36C H:E9 E96 D2>6 42C6 2?5 42FE:@? J@F FD6 H:E9 J@FC $@4:2= $64FC:EJ 2?5 4C65:E 42C5 ?F>36CD] w2?8 FA :7 D@>6E9:?8 D66>D 7:D9J]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8ma] w2?8 FA :7 E96 42==6C AC@G:56D @?=J G28F6 56E2:=D 23@FE J@FC |65:42C6 36?67:ED]k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAm(96? D42>>6CD DF446DD7F==J DA@@7 ?F>36CD @7 =68:E:>2E6 @C82?:K2E:@?D[ :E 42? 36 6IEC2 5:77:4F=E E@ 56E6C>:?6 H9@[ 6I24E=J[ J@F’C6 562=:?8 H:E9 :7 E96J C6249 J@F @? E96 A9@?6]k^Am
kAm~?6 D:8? E92E 2 42== 7C@> 2 D66>:?8=J =68:E:>2E6 6?E:EJ :D 2 D42> :D E96 =24< @7 DA64:7:4:EJ @C 56E2:=D 23@FE J@FC |65:42C6 A=2?] $42>>6CD @7E6? :56?E:7J E96>D6=G6D 2D C6AC6D6?E2E:G6D @7 2 “|65:42C6 @77:46” @C “J@FC 962=E9 :?DFC2?46 AC@G:56C]” x7 E96J DE:4< E@ E96D6 86?6C2= :56?E:7:6CD[ 6CC @? E96 D:56 @7 42FE:@? 2?5 6?5 E96 42==]k^Am
kAmkDEC@?8mb] '6C:7J E96 :56?E:E:6D @7 42==6CD]k^DEC@?8mk^Am
kAmx7 J@F C646:G6 2 42== 7C@> 2? F?<?@H? ?F>36C 2?5 E96 A6CD@? @? E96 @E96C 6?5 4=2:>D E@ H@C< 7@C |65:42C6[ J@F 4@F=5 4@?D:56C A6C7@C>:?8 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]A6@A=67:?56CD]4@>^H9@\42==65QmC6G6CD6 A9@?6 ?F>36C D62C49k^2m E@ 7:?5 @FE E96 42==6C’D :56?E:EJ] %9:D 2AAC@249 H@?’E C@@E @FE DA@@765 ?F>36CD[ E9@F89[ D@ 2=H2JD C6=J @? J@FC :?EF:E:@? H96? 2 D42>>6C 4@?E24ED J@F]k^Am
k9bm(92E E@ s@ :7 *@F’G6 p=C625J q66? $42>>65k^9bm
kAmp7E6C >2<:?8 4@?E24E H:E9 D@>6@?6 J@F 36=:6G6 E@ 36 2 |65:42C6 D42>>6C[ J@F 42? >2<6 2? @?=:?6 C6A@CE H:E9 E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^D>AC6D@FC46]@C8^J@F\42?\96=A^C6A@CE\7C2F5^Qm$6?:@C |65:42C6 !2EC@=k^2m] *@F 42? 2=D@ 42== E96 w62=E9 2?5 wF>2? $6CG:46D ~77:46 @7 x?DA64E@C v6?6C2= 2E `\g__\ccf\gcff]k^Am
kAmx7 J@F 36=:6G6 J@F’G6 8:G6? J@FC |65:42C6 42C6 ?F>36C E@ 2 D42>>6C[ E96C6 2C6 D@>6 6IEC2 DE6AD J@F D9@F=5 E2<6 36J@?5 C6A@CE:?8 E96 D42>>6C]k^Am
kAmu@C 2 H9:=6 27E6C E96 DFDA64E65 D42>>6C 4@?E24ED J@F[ :E’D :>A@CE2?E E@ >@?:E@C J@FC |65:42C6 $F>>2CJ }@E:46 A286] pD D@@? 2D J@F D66 2? :==68:E:>2E6 4=2:>—2 C6BF6DE 7@C C6:>3FCD6>6?E 7@C 2 E6DE E92E J@F 92G6?’E E2<6?[ 7@C 6I2>A=6—42== `\g__\|tsxrp#t W`\g__\ebb\caafX E@ C6A@CE :E]k^Am
k9bm!C@E64E *@FC |65:42C6 q6?67:ED E9:D ~A6? t?C@==>6?E $62D@?k^9bm
kAmp7E6C H@C<:?8 7@C 564256D 2?5 A2J:?8 J@FC uxrp E2I6D[ J@F 56D6CG6 E@ D276=J 2446DD J@FC 8@G6C?>6?E 36?67:ED] $42>>6CD[ F?7@CEF?2E6=J[ 5@?’E D92C6 E92E 36=:67 2?5 H:== E2<6 6G6CJ @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ DE62= |65:42C6 ?F>36CD 2?5 :?7@C>2E:@? 5FC:?8 E96 a_ae 2??F2= @A6? 6?C@==>6?E D62D@?] $E2J D<6AE:42= 2?5 G:8:=2?E E9:D 72==]k^Am
kAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]A6@A=67:?56CD]4@>^3=@8^2G@:5\86EE:?8\D42>>65\>65:42C6\@A6?\6?C@==>6?E^Qmk6>m%9:D DE@CJk^6>mk^2m k6>mH2D AC@5F465 3Jk^6>m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]A6@A=67:?56CD]4@>Qmk6>m!6@A=6u:?56CDk^6>mk^2m k6>m2?5 C6G:6H65 2?5 5:DEC:3FE65 3Jk^6>m k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^9F3D]=2^"_b<=8$#_Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmk6>m$E24<6Ck^6>mk^2m]k^Am