Part of our Medicare and Medicaid Help for Families guide
Medicare Open Enrollment: A Kitchen-Table Checklist for Helping a Parent
Picture this: a thick envelope from Dad's plan has been on the counter since September.
That envelope is often the Annual Notice of Change. Medicare Open Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7. Use those weeks to read the notice, compare drugs and doctors, and decide whether to stay or switch. Changes you make by December 7 usually start January 1.
This guide is for adult children helping a US parent with Medicare paperwork. You will find a kitchen-table checklist, a self-check for whether to compare plans, and a free printable page.
Did you know? Medicare Advantage and drug plans mail an Annual Notice of Change in September so families can review next year's changes before Open Enrollment opens on October 15. CMS: Guide to consumer mailings
When is Medicare Open Enrollment, and what can we change?
Open Enrollment runs from October 15 to December 7 each year. In that window you can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage Plan with or without drug coverage, move between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, or change a standalone drug plan if you have Original Medicare. Coverage usually starts January 1.
Medicare.gov spells out those options on its joining a plan page. If Mom or Dad is already in a Medicare Advantage Plan, there is also a separate Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1 to March 31, but the fall window is when most families compare for the coming year.
What should we look for in the Annual Notice of Change?
Look for next year's premium, deductible, drug list changes, doctor and hospital network changes, and any benefits that are new or gone. CMS lists the Annual Notice of Change among September plan mailings, along with the Evidence of Coverage. Write the changes on one page before you start comparing other plans.
For a deeper line-by-line pass, use our Annual Notice of Change decoder checklist.
If Mom joined Medicare Advantage for the first time this year and wants to go back to Original Medicare and Medigap, read how the Medigap trial right works first. The timing matters. If her plan sent a letter saying it is ending or leaving her area, read what to do when a Medicare Advantage plan is ending instead.
Picture this as an example: the notice says Dad's preferred brand blood pressure pill moves to a higher tier, and the monthly premium rises by $18. That is enough reason to run the plan comparison tool even if he liked the plan this year.
One thing we learned building our Medicare Open Enrollment Kitchen Table Kit: the notice is easier to use when someone else reads it out loud and a helper writes the changes. Two sets of eyes beat one tired evening.
Should we compare plans this year?
Compare if anything important changed, or if you cannot find the notice at all. Stay put only after you have checked drugs, doctors, pharmacies, and the yearly cost estimate. Tap each question below. A "yes" is a nudge to open Medicare.gov or call SHIP before December 7.
Did the Annual Notice of Change change the premium, deductible, or drug tiers?
Yes means compare. Plans can raise costs or move a medicine to a higher tier. Write the change on paper, then check whether another plan covers the same drugs for less. Medicare.gov's plan compare tool lets you add every regular prescription.
Did a preferred doctor, hospital, or pharmacy leave the network?
Yes means compare. Ask the office which plans they still take for next year, then check those plans against Mom or Dad's drug list. A lower premium is not a bargain if the cardiologist is out of network.
Did Mom or Dad start a new expensive medicine this year?
Yes means compare. Last year's "good" plan can look expensive once a specialty drug is on the list. Add the new medicine on Medicare.gov and look at the estimated yearly drug cost, not only the monthly premium. If the current plan refuses a drug now, see how to ask for a Part D coverage determination. If it's covered but costly up front, read about the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan and sign up for 2027 with the plan she picks.
Is Extra Help, Medicaid, or a Medicare Savings Program involved?
Yes means get free counseling. SHIP counselors and 1-800-MEDICARE can explain how Extra Help and dual coverage change plan choices. Do not switch based on a sales call alone. Not sure if Mom qualifies? See who qualifies for Extra Help and how to apply, and how Medicare Savings Programs help pay the Part B premium.
Is the notice missing, or is the plan leaving Medicare?
Yes means act soon. Call the plan or 1-800-MEDICARE for another copy. CMS also lists non-renewal notices among October plan mailings when a plan is leaving. If the plan is ending, compare replacements before December 7.
How do we compare plans at the kitchen table?
Make four columns: current plan, option A, option B, and notes. Fill in premium, drug costs, doctors and hospitals, and a rough yearly total. Use Medicare.gov plan compare with the real drug list, then call the plan or SHIP to confirm anything that still looks fuzzy.
Step 1: Gather the papers
Find the Annual Notice of Change, the Medicare card, a list of every medicine (name, dose, how often), and the doctors and pharmacies used most. If the notice is missing, call the plan.
Step 2: Check drugs and doctors
Enter the medicines on Medicare.gov plan compare. Ask each key doctor and pharmacy which plans they expect to take next year. Write yes or no in your columns.
Step 3: Look at the yearly picture
Add premium, expected drug costs, and likely copays for the visits you already know about. A cheap monthly premium can cost more by December if the drugs do not line up.
Step 4: Call before you switch
Call SHIP for free, unbiased help (shiphelp.org), or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). If you enroll, get a confirmation number and a start date in writing.
Tap to tick, your progress saves on this device
Want this on paper with room to write? See what's inside the Medicare Open Enrollment Kitchen Table Kit.
What if we are not sure we should switch?
Stay on the current plan only after you have checked the notice and the drug and doctor lists. If anything still feels unclear, pause and call SHIP or 1-800-MEDICARE. A calm call beats a rushed switch from a sales pitch.
SHIP programs do not sell plans. Medicare.gov lets you join online, by calling the plan, or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE. Keep notes of who you spoke with and the confirmation number.
For the bigger caregiving picture, see our Medicare and Medicaid help hub and caring for an aging parent. If tours are next, read questions to ask when touring assisted living. If a hospital stay is coming, our hospital discharge checklist explains inpatient vs observation and what to ask before leaving. If you are also gathering family papers, our what to put in a death binder checklist pairs well with keeping the Medicare card and plan letters in one place.
If you would rather have the decoder pages, drug and doctor grids, and call scripts laid out on paper, our Medicare Open Enrollment Kitchen Table Kit is a 16-page printable for that kitchen-table session.
Frequently asked questions
When is Medicare Open Enrollment in 2026?
Medicare Open Enrollment runs from October 15 to December 7. During that window you can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage Plan (with or without drug coverage), move between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, or change a standalone drug plan if you have Original Medicare. Coverage you join by December 7 usually starts January 1.
What is the Annual Notice of Change?
It is a letter Medicare Advantage and drug plans send each fall that explains what will change next year, such as premiums, covered drugs, and costs. CMS lists it among the September plan mailings. Reading it before October 15 is the easiest way to decide whether to compare plans.
Do we have to change plans every year?
No. Many people stay put after they review the notice. The point of Open Enrollment is to check whether the current plan still fits the drugs, doctors, and budget for next year. If nothing important changed, staying can be the right call.
Where can we get free, unbiased Medicare help?
Every state has a State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) that offers free one-on-one counseling and does not sell insurance. Find yours at shiphelp.org. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), TTY 1-877-486-2048, or compare plans on Medicare.gov before you change anything.
What if the Annual Notice of Change never arrived?
Call the plan and ask for another copy, or call 1-800-MEDICARE. CMS also lists the Evidence of Coverage among the September plan mailings. You can still compare plans on Medicare.gov with your parent's Medicare Number and a list of their drugs and doctors.
Please note: This guide explains official rules in plain English. It is not legal or insurance advice and we are not affiliated with Medicare or any government agency. Confirm details with Medicare (1-800-MEDICARE), your plan, your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), or an elder law attorney.
Sources
- Medicare.gov: Joining a plan (Open Enrollment Oct 15 to Dec 7). Checked 2026-10-13
- CMS: Guide to consumer mailings (Annual Notice of Change in September). Checked 2026-10-13 (guide as of September 2026)
- SHIP: State Health Insurance Assistance Programs. Checked 2026-10-13
- Medicare.gov: Find and compare plans. Checked 2026-10-13
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Keep reading
- Extra Help for Medicare Drug Costs: Who Qualifies and How to Apply
- The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: Spreading Drug Costs Across the Year
- Your Medicare Plan's Annual Notice of Change: What to Check Before December 7
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