Annual Enrollment Period in Washington

Key dates for 2027 coverage

What you can do during the Annual Enrollment Period

• Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan, or the other way around
• Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another
• Join, drop or change a standalone Part D drug plan
• Join a Medicare Advantage plan with prescription drug coverage

Changes take effect January 1. You can make more than one change during the period; the last one you make before December 7 is the one that counts.

If your plan is ending on December 31, 2026

CMS's 2027 plan data shows that many Washington Medicare Advantage plans end on December 31, 2026, because some companies are leaving parts of the state or not renewing some plans. If yours is one of them, your plan sent you a non-renewal letter this fall. See Washington plans ending in 2027 for what's ending and where.

• You have a Special Enrollment Period through February 28, 2027 to join another Medicare Advantage plan or a Part D plan.
• Choose by December 31, 2026 for no gap. A plan you choose by then starts January 1. If you choose in January or February, the new plan starts the first day of the next month.
• If you do nothing, you'll be returned to Original Medicare on January 1, 2027, and you won't have drug coverage unless you join a Part D plan.
• You have a guaranteed right to buy a Medigap policy (Plan A, B, D, G, K or L, or C or F if you were eligible for Medicare before 2020). You can apply up to 60 days before your plan coverage ends and no later than 63 days after it ends, and the company can't turn you down or charge more for your health. Keep your non-renewal letter as proof. See Medigap in Washington.

What you can't do during the Annual Enrollment Period

The Annual Enrollment Period doesn't give you a guaranteed right to buy a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policy. Outside your Medigap open enrollment period and guaranteed-issue situations such as a plan ending, a company can ask about your health. Washington law also gives people who already have a Medigap policy some rights to replace it without health questions; see our Medigap page.

Why review your coverage every year

Plans change every year. A Medicare Advantage plan may change its network, drop your doctor, raise its out-of-pocket limit or change its copayments. Part D plans change their formularies: a drug may move to a higher tier or be dropped. Plans must send an Annual Notice of Change by September 30. Read it.

Washington-specific reasons to review

• Plans ending: many Washington Medicare Advantage plans won't be offered in 2027. See plans ending in 2027.
• Provider network changes: Washington hospital systems and clinics renegotiate contracts with Medicare Advantage plans. A clinic that's in network this year may not be next year, so check your doctors in any plan you consider.
• What's offered in your county: choices differ widely. CMS's 2027 data shows 30 Medicare Advantage plans open to everyone in King County and 25 in Spokane County. See your county's page.
• D-SNP eligibility: if you now have Apple Health as well as Medicare, you may qualify for a Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP), which coordinates Medicare and Apple Health benefits.
• PEBB and SEBB retirees: the Health Care Authority runs its own open enrollment for retiree coverage each fall, and your retiree Medicare plan may have a different premium or formulary. See PEBB retirees.

Other enrollment periods to know

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment (January 1 – March 31, 2027)

If you're in a Medicare Advantage plan on January 1, you can make one change during this window: switch to a different Medicare Advantage plan, or drop Medicare Advantage and return to Original Medicare (and join a standalone Part D plan). You can't use it to switch from Original Medicare into Medicare Advantage.

General Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31)

For people who missed their Initial Enrollment Period for Part A or Part B and don't qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. Coverage starts the month after you sign up. Late penalties may apply.

Special Enrollment Periods that matter in Washington

• Plan non-renewal: December 8, 2026 through February 28, 2027 for people whose plan ends December 31 (see above).
• Disaster or emergency: when FEMA or a state or local government declares an emergency, such as for a wildfire or windstorm, and it kept you from making a change on time. It generally lasts until 2 full months after the emergency period ends. See our wildfire and disaster SEPs page.
• Losing employer coverage: 8 months after the job or coverage ends to sign up for Part B without a penalty, and 2 months to join a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan.
• Moving: moving to or from Washington, or to a Washington county your plan doesn't serve, opens a Special Enrollment Period.
• Apple Health or Extra Help: if you have Apple Health (Medicaid) or Extra Help, you can make certain changes to your drug coverage once a month, and getting or losing Apple Health opens a Special Enrollment Period.
• 5-star plans: once a year you can switch into a plan CMS rates 5 stars overall, if one is offered where you live.

How to compare and decide

1. Medicare.gov Plan Finder: Medicare's own tool for comparing Medicare Advantage and Part D plans in your ZIP code, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048).
2. Your plan's letters: the Annual Notice of Change, or the non-renewal letter if your plan is ending.
3. A licensed insurance agent: can compare plans from the companies they work with, explain network differences and help you enroll, at no cost to you. Find a licensed insurance agent in Washington.

You can also see plans in your ZIP code, or call (206) SENIORS (206-736-4677), TTY 711 to reach a licensed insurance agent with Benefits Life.

Sources

• Medicare.gov — Joining a health or drug plan
• Medicare.gov — Special Enrollment Periods
• Medicare.gov — Understanding Medicare Advantage and Medicare drug plan enrollment periods
• Medicare.gov — Your yearly Medicare plan review
• Medicare.gov — When can I buy Medigap?
• CMS — CY2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape files
• Washington State Legislature — RCW 48.66.045 (Medicare supplement guaranteed issue)

Frequently asked questions

If I miss the December 7 deadline, can I still change my plan?

Generally no, unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. If your plan is ending on December 31, 2026, you can still choose new coverage through February 28, 2027. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31) is only for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan.

Will my new plan automatically cancel my old one?

Usually yes. Joining a new Medicare Advantage or Part D plan automatically ends your old one when the new plan starts. Don't cancel the old plan first, or you could be left without coverage. Switching from Medicare Advantage to Original Medicare is different: you join a standalone Part D plan, or contact your plan or 1-800-MEDICARE to leave.

Do I need to do anything if I want to keep my current plan?

If your plan is continuing in 2027, no: you stay in it. But read the Annual Notice of Change your plan sent by September 30, because premiums, networks, drug lists and copayments can change. If your plan is ending, you received a different letter, and you need to choose new coverage.

My Medicare Advantage plan ends December 31, 2026. What happens if I do nothing?

You'll be returned to Original Medicare on January 1, 2027, without drug coverage unless you join a Part D plan. You can choose a new plan through February 28, 2027, and you have a guaranteed right to buy certain Medigap policies until 63 days after your plan coverage ends.

What is the disaster Special Enrollment Period, and does it apply to Washington wildfires?

Yes, it can. When a federal, state or local government declares an emergency or major disaster, people in the affected area who couldn't make a Medicare change on time because of it may get a Special Enrollment Period, generally until 2 full months after the emergency period ends.

Medicare in your Washington county

Plans, local agents and help, county by county: Adams · Asotin · Benton · Chelan · Clallam · Clark · Columbia · Cowlitz · Douglas · Ferry · Franklin · Garfield · Grant · Grays Harbor · Island · Jefferson · King · Kitsap · Kittitas · Klickitat · Lewis · Lincoln · Mason · Okanogan · Pacific · Pend Oreille · Pierce · San Juan · Skagit · Skamania · Snohomish · Spokane · Stevens · Thurston · Wahkiakum · Walla Walla · Whatcom · Whitman · Yakima