Medicare Open Enrollment begins October 15 and runs through December 7, 2026. During this period, people with Medicare can review their current coverage and make changes that will take effect January 1, 2027.
And this year, reviewing that coverage is particularly important.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released finalized information about Medicare Advantage and Part D coverage for 2027. At first glance, the national numbers look relatively stable. But national averages don’t necessarily tell you what will happen with your plan, your prescriptions, or your costs.
For older adults and family members helping them manage their care, there are several changes worth understanding before Open Enrollment begins.
The Big Picture for Medicare in 2027
According to CMS’s newly released 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D information, the national picture looks relatively stable:
- The average premium for a stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan is projected to increase slightly, from $35.09 in 2026 to $36 in 2027.
- The average Medicare Advantage monthly premium is projected to decrease 16.5%, from $14.37 to $12.
- For Medicare Advantage plans that include prescription drug coverage, the average Part D portion of the premium is projected to decrease from $11.32 to $7 per month.
- Supplemental hearing, dental, and vision benefits are expected to remain generally stable.
- More than 99% of Medicare beneficiaries are expected to have at least one Medicare Advantage option available.
Those numbers sound reassuring. But they shouldn’t be a reason to put your Medicare coverage on autopilot.
CMS’s projections indicate that approximately one in five Medicare Advantage members may not be able to keep their current plan at the same or a lower premium in 2027.
Your individual plan is what matters.
What Medicare Looks Like in Kansas and Missouri for 2027
For families in the Kansas City area, Medicare options can look different depending on which side of the state line you live on. CMS’s 2027 state-by-state Medicare data shows changes in both Kansas and Missouri.
Kansas
Kansas will have 80 Medicare Advantage plans available in 2027, down from 87 in 2026. The average monthly Medicare Advantage premium is projected to decrease from $9.78 to $5.90.
CMS also reports that:
- 100% of Kansas Medicare beneficiaries will have access to a Medicare Advantage plan.
- 100% will have access to at least one Medicare Advantage plan with a $0 monthly premium.
- 12 stand-alone Part D prescription drug plans will be available.
- The lowest stand-alone Part D premium will be $5.30 per month.
- 51.46% of people currently enrolled in a stand-alone Part D plan will have access to a plan with a lower premium than they paid in 2026.
That last number deserves attention. Nearly half of Kansas residents currently enrolled in a stand-alone Part D plan may not have a lower-premium option available in 2027.
That doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll pay more overall, but it does reinforce the importance of reviewing coverage rather than simply allowing an existing plan to renew.
Missouri
Missouri’s Medicare Advantage market is expanding in 2027. The state will have 174 Medicare Advantage plans, up from 157 in 2026, while the average monthly Medicare Advantage premium is projected to decrease from $8.19 to $4.24.
CMS also reports that:
- 100% of Missouri Medicare beneficiaries will have access to a Medicare Advantage plan.
- 100% will have access to at least one Medicare Advantage plan with a $0 monthly premium.
- Nine stand-alone Part D plans will be available.
- The lowest stand-alone Part D premium will be $5.30 per month.
- All current stand-alone Part D members will have access to at least one plan with a lower premium than what they paid in 2026.
More choices and lower premiums can be good news, but they can also make comparison shopping more complicated.
A lower premium doesn’t necessarily mean lower total healthcare costs. Prescription coverage, deductibles, copayments, provider networks, and supplemental benefits still need to be compared carefully.
Part D Costs Are Changing
Regardless of whether you live in Kansas or Missouri, two important Part D amounts will increase in 2027.
The maximum standard Part D deductible increases from $615 in 2026 to $700 in 2027.
The annual out-of-pocket cap for covered Part D prescriptions increases from $2,100 to $2,400.
These amounts are part of the 2027 Medicare Part D benefit parameters finalized by CMS.
The cap remains an important protection for people with high prescription costs. Once you reach $2,400 in out-of-pocket spending on covered Part D medications, you owe no additional cost-sharing for covered prescriptions for the remainder of the year.
There are some important qualifications, however. Your monthly premiums don’t count toward that limit, and medications that aren’t covered by your plan don’t count either.
That’s one reason checking your plan’s formulary (the list of medications it covers) should be part of your annual Medicare review.
A Temporary Part D Premium Program Is Ending
Another change may affect what some people pay for prescription drug coverage.
When the Medicare prescription drug benefit was redesigned in 2025, CMS created a temporary Premium Stabilization Demonstration for participating stand-alone Part D plans. In 2026, participating plans received a reduction in the base beneficiary premium and agreed to limits on year-over-year premium increases.
CMS has announced that the Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration will end on December 31, 2026.
This does not mean every Part D premium will suddenly increase substantially. CMS projects only a modest increase in the national average.
But premiums are determined plan by plan, which means some plans may increase more than others while some may decrease.
The national base beneficiary premium used as a starting point in calculating plan premiums will also increase from $38.99 in 2026 to $41.33 in 2027.
The Inflation Reduction Act limits increases in that base amount to 6% annually through 2029. That limit, however, does not necessarily cap the increase an individual Part D plan can charge its members.
Medicare Plan Finder Is Getting Easier to Use
Comparing Medicare plans isn’t always easy, particularly when you’re trying to determine whether prescriptions are covered and how much they will actually cost.
CMS is making improvements to the Medicare Plan Finder for the 2027 enrollment season, including easier access to plan formularies and Summaries of Benefits, additional preventive-benefit information, and more prominent notices about changes affecting a person’s current plan.
The improvements should make comparisons easier, but preparation still matters.
Before you begin comparing plans, gather a complete list of your current medications, including dosages, along with the pharmacy or pharmacies you prefer to use.
The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan Continues
The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan, sometimes called M3P or prescription smoothing, will remain available in 2027.
The program allows people with Medicare Part D to spread their out-of-pocket prescription expenses across the remaining months of the year rather than paying a large amount at the pharmacy all at once.
This can be particularly helpful when an expensive prescription is filled early in the year.
It’s important to understand what the program does not do: it doesn’t reduce the amount you owe. It changes when you pay it.
Participation is voluntary. People expecting significant prescription expenses may want to ask their plan whether the program could make those costs easier to budget.
Some Medicare Beneficiaries May Qualify for $50 GLP-1 Medications
Another relatively new Medicare program may be important for some beneficiaries.
The Medicare GLP-1 Bridge began July 1, 2026. It allows certain eligible Medicare Part D beneficiaries to receive designated GLP-1 medications for weight management with a $50 copay for a monthly supply.
The program is now scheduled to continue through December 31, 2027.
Eligibility is limited and depends on specific medical criteria, the medication prescribed and other program requirements. The medications provided through the Bridge are also handled outside the regular Part D benefit, so the $50 copay does not count toward a beneficiary’s Part D out-of-pocket spending.
CMS provides current Medicare GLP-1 Bridge eligibility and program information here.
Some Medicare Advantage Plans May Limit Enrollment
There’s another change Medicare Advantage shoppers should know about.
Beginning in 2027, certain Medicare Advantage plans may use enrollment capacity limits established through the bidding process.
If one of these plans reaches its approved enrollment limit, it may stop accepting new members, even if Medicare Open Enrollment is still underway.
The limits are optional and do not apply to stand-alone Part D plans.
That doesn’t mean you should rush into a Medicare Advantage decision. Comparing your options carefully remains important. But once you’ve made a decision, waiting until the final days of Open Enrollment to enroll could carry additional risk.
What Should You Review During Medicare Open Enrollment?
Even if you’re happy with your current coverage, take time to review what’s changing for 2027.
Look at:
- Your plan’s Annual Notice of Change
- Your monthly premium and deductible
- Copayments and coinsurance for your prescriptions
- Whether all of your medications remain on the plan’s formulary
- Whether any medications have moved to a different pricing tier
- Prior authorization, step therapy or quantity-limit requirements
- Preferred pharmacies and mail-order options
- Provider and hospital networks if you have Medicare Advantage
- Changes to dental, vision, hearing or other supplemental benefits
When comparing Part D plans, don’t focus on the monthly premium alone.
A plan with a low premium can ultimately cost considerably more if it doesn’t cover your prescriptions well. Look at the estimated total annual cost based on the medications you actually take.
Free Medicare Counseling Is Available in Kansas and Missouri
You don’t have to sort through Medicare options alone.
Kansas residents can contact Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas (SHICK). The program provides free, confidential Medicare counseling through trained counselors who are not affiliated with insurance companies. SHICK can be reached at 800-860-5260.
Missouri residents can contact Missouri SHIP, the state’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program. Its trained counselors provide free, unbiased assistance with Medicare, Medicare Advantage, prescription drug plans, Medigap and other Medicare-related questions. Missouri SHIP can be reached at 800-390-3330.
You can also compare 2027 coverage options at Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE for help comparing plans and costs.
Helping a Parent with Medicare? Don’t Overlook the Legal Side
For adult children helping aging parents, Medicare Open Enrollment can reveal a problem that has nothing to do with premiums or prescriptions:
Do you actually have the authority you need to help?
Medicare, insurance companies, healthcare providers and other organizations have privacy requirements. Being someone’s son, daughter or caregiver doesn’t automatically give you access to their private information or the legal authority to act on their behalf.
That’s why Medicare planning and legal planning often intersect.
Appropriate Powers of Attorney, Medicare authorization forms, and other planning documents can make it much easier for a trusted person to obtain information, communicate with providers and insurers, and step in when help is needed.
And it’s far easier to address those issues before a health crisis occurs.
This becomes especially important when a parent is experiencing cognitive decline. Families may want to understand what legal steps to take after a dementia diagnosis before a crisis makes planning more difficult.
Use Medicare Open Enrollment as an Annual Planning Check-In
Medicare Open Enrollment isn’t only an opportunity to review insurance coverage. For families with an aging loved one, it can also serve as an annual reminder to ask some bigger questions.
Is the estate plan current?
Are Powers of Attorney in place?
Do the right people know where important documents are located?
If care needs increase, does the family know what the next step might be?
At Lifescape Elder Care Law & Estate Planning, we don’t select or sell Medicare plans. We help families put the legal and long-term care planning pieces in place so the people they trust have the authority and tools they need when circumstances change.
Through Life Care Planning, Lifescape helps families look beyond today’s immediate legal needs and prepare for the challenges that may arise as an older adult’s health, care needs, and living situation change.
Learn more about Life Care Planning and how an integrated approach can help your family prepare for what’s ahead.
If it’s time to review your estate plan, Powers of Attorney, or long-term care plan, call Lifescape at 816.291.4143 to schedule a conversation.
Recent Comments