Fall coverage review: what to check before December 7

In short: Each fall, from October 15 to December 7, anyone with Medicare can change their health or drug plan for next year. Changes start on January 1. You do not have to change anything, but plans change their costs and drug lists every year, so it is worth a short check. Free, unbiased help is available in every state, and nobody on this site sells plans or earns money if you switch.

Do you need to do anything?

If you are happy with your coverage and your plan has not changed in a way that affects you, you can do nothing. Your coverage carries on into next year.

It is worth checking if any of these are true:

Step 1: Read the notice your plan sent

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan or a drug plan, your plan mails an Annual Notice of Change in September. It lists next year's changes to your premium, coverage and covered drugs. Check whether your drugs are still covered and what they will cost.

If you have Original Medicare with a Medigap policy and no other plan, you will not get this notice from Medicare, but your drug plan (if you have one) sends its own.

Step 2: List what matters to you

Write down:

Step 3: Compare plans yourself

The free Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov/plan-compare shows the plans in your area. Add every drug you take regularly to see an estimate of each plan's monthly and yearly cost. You can join a plan there, or by calling the plan.

Drug cost limits:

Step 4: Get free, unbiased help

Every state has a State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). Its counselors give free, one-on-one help with no sales and no pressure. They are not connected to any insurance company or plan. In some states the program has another name, such as HICAP, SHINE or VICAP. Find yours in the table at the end of this page.

You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), TTY 1-877-486-2048, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (except some federal holidays).

Protect yourself from sales pressure and scams

Medicare will never call you to sell you anything or come to your home. Under Medicare's rules, people selling Medicare plans are not allowed to:

Do not give your Medicare number to anyone who calls you out of the blue, and do not join a plan over the phone unless you made the call. If you think something is a scam, call 1-800-MEDICARE.

If your income is limited

Not sure what you qualify for? Try the free, anonymous benefits check.

If you want to leave a Medicare Advantage plan

Free Medicare counseling in your state

Choose your state for its guide, which lists more local help.

Sources

Page last reviewed: 2026-10-18