Medicare Open Enrollment Kitchen Table Kit

Every fall, Medicare Advantage and drug plans mail an Annual Notice of Change that should arrive by September 30. It explains what changes next year, and it often ends up in a pile on the counter.

This kit walks a family helper through the notice, compares drugs, doctors, pharmacies, and yearly costs, and points to free unbiased help from Medicare and your State Health Insurance Assistance Program before Open Enrollment ends on December 7.

Who it is for

• Adult children helping a parent review their Medicare plan
• Spouses and helpers who want the facts written down before calling
• Families who want a calm checklist instead of sales calls

What's inside

• How to use it and a household snapshot. The timeline from the notice to Open Enrollment to January 1, plus current coverage at a glance.
• Annual Notice of Change decoder. Write-in blanks for what is changing in premiums, drugs, doctors, and costs.
• Compare grids. Drugs, doctors and hospitals, and pharmacies for the current plan and two alternatives.
• Total cost worksheet. A simple yearly cost estimate, with no promises.
• Scam red flags and call scripts. Warning signs, plus scripts for the plan, SHIP, and 1-800-MEDICARE.
• Decision and after December 7. A decision sheet, an enrollment tracker, and a January checklist.

How to use it

1. Find the Annual Notice of Change and fill in the decoder page.
2. List every medicine, doctor, and pharmacy, then compare plans on the grids.
3. Call SHIP or 1-800-MEDICARE with your questions before switching.
4. Track any change on the enrollment page and check the January list.

What it is not

• Not insurance advice and not a plan recommendation.
• Not affiliated with Medicare or CMS.

Free official resources we recommend

• Medicare.gov: Joining a plan (Open Enrollment dates)
• CMS: Guide to consumer mailings (Annual Notice of Change)
• SHIP: free local Medicare counseling

Frequently asked questions

When is Medicare Open Enrollment?

Medicare Open Enrollment runs from October 15 to December 7 each year. During that window, people can join, switch, or drop a Medicare Advantage or drug plan, and changes usually start January 1. Medicare.gov and your State Health Insurance Assistance Program can confirm the options for your situation.

Read our Medicare and Medicaid guide for families

Is the Medicare Open Enrollment Kitchen Table Kit a physical product?

No. The Medicare Open Enrollment Kitchen Table Kit is a digital PDF download (16 pages, US Letter size). Nothing is shipped to you. After you buy on Etsy or Gumroad, your download is ready right away. You print it at home or at a copy shop and keep it in a binder or folder.

Can I type into the PDF or do I fill it in by hand?

You fill it in by hand. Our kits are print-and-write PDFs with large, roomy lines, not fillable forms. Many families find that writing by hand at the kitchen table is faster and easier to share. Print in color or black and white, at 100% (Actual Size) on US Letter paper.

How do I download my file after buying on Etsy or Gumroad?

On Etsy, sign in on Etsy.com, open You, then Purchases, and choose Download Files. On Gumroad, click the link in your receipt email or open your Library on gumroad.com. A computer browser is usually easiest for PDFs. If anything will not open, message us and we will help.

Can I print more than one copy for my family?

Yes. You can print as many copies as your own household needs, for example a spare for the fridge, the car, or a family member who helps out. The file is for personal and family use, so please do not resell it, share it publicly, or hand out copies to other households.

Please note: This printable is an organizational and educational tool only. It is not legal, insurance, financial, or Medicaid planning advice, and it is not affiliated with Medicare, CMS, Social Security, or any state Medicaid agency. Rules, dates, and costs change and vary by state and plan, so confirm them on Medicare.gov, with your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), or with your state Medicaid agency.

Helpful free guides

• Medicare and Medicaid Help for Families: Open Enrollment, hospital status, and the Medicaid look-back, explained in plain words.
• Your Medicare Plan's Annual Notice of Change: What to Check Before December 7: A line-by-line decoder for the September Annual Notice of Change, with a free checklist before December 7.
• Medicare Open Enrollment: A Kitchen-Table Checklist for Helping a Parent: A kitchen-table Open Enrollment checklist: find the September notice, compare plans, and decide before December 7.
• Leaving Medicare Advantage: How the Medigap Trial Right Works: Who gets the first-year Medigap trial right after trying Medicare Advantage, the deadlines, and the safe order of steps.
• Mom's Medicare Advantage Plan Is Ending or Her Doctor Left: What Now?: What to do when a parent gets a plan non-renewal letter or a notice that a doctor is leaving the network: the dates, the Medigap right, and the steps.
• Extra Help for Medicare Drug Costs: Who Qualifies and How to Apply: Who qualifies for Extra Help with Medicare drug costs, the 2026 limits, what Social Security counts, and how to apply for free, with a one-page prep sheet.
• Medicare Savings Programs: Help Paying the Part B Premium: How the 4 Medicare Savings Programs help pay the Part B premium, the 2026 limits, a "which program fits?" quiz, and how to apply with your state, with a one-page prep sheet.
• The Pharmacy Said No: How to Ask for a Part D Coverage Determination: When the pharmacy says the plan will not cover a drug: which request to make, who can ask, the deadlines, a "which request fits Dad?" quiz, and a free call sheet.
• The Medicare Prescription Payment Plan: Spreading Drug Costs Across the Year: The free Medicare option that turns big pharmacy bills into monthly bills: how the math works, a "should Mom sign up?" quiz, signing up for 2027, and a free call sheet.
• Medicare and Medicaid Help for Families: start here