[October 2026] – If you or a parent is on Medicare, a short window is open right now. Medicare open enrollment began October 15 and runs through December 7, 2026. Anything you change takes effect January 1, 2027. Many families in our community help parents and grandparents with paperwork, and this is one deadline worth putting on the calendar.
You are not required to change anything. If your current plan is still offered in 2027 and still fits, you can keep it. But costs, drug lists and doctor networks shift every year, so reviewing your options first is the safest way to avoid surprises at the pharmacy or the doctor's office next spring.
Key dates
- October 15 – December 7, 2026: Open enrollment. A plan must receive your request by December 7.
- January 1, 2027: New coverage and any changes take effect.
- January 1 – March 31, 2027: People already in a Medicare Advantage plan get one chance to switch plans. This window cannot be used to move from Original Medicare into Medicare Advantage.
What is changing in 2027
Prescription drug coverage (Part D). The yearly cap on what you pay out of pocket for covered drugs rises from $2,100 to $2,400, and the standard deductible rises from $615 to $700. A temporary program that helped hold down drug plan premiums ends after 2026, and the national base premium is $41.33 (up from $38.99). Your own plan's premium may differ.
Lower prices on some drugs. Medicare-negotiated prices begin January 1 for 15 more medications, including Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy, Trelegy Ellipta, Xtandi, Ibrance, Linzess and Otezla. Federal officials estimate this will lower enrollees' costs by about $685 million in 2027. If you take one of these, ask your pharmacist how your cost will change.
Part B (doctor visits and outpatient care). The standard monthly premium is projected to rise from $202.90 to $209.50. That is a projection, not a final number; the official 2027 amount is typically announced in early to mid-November.
Medicare Advantage. The average monthly premium is projected to fall to about $12.00, but averages hide big differences. Some insurers are leaving certain areas, some plans are trimming extras such as dental coverage or raising what you pay for services, and some doctors are leaving plan networks. A plan that worked for you this year may not look the same next year.
Social Security and the $90 payment. The 2027 cost-of-living increase is 3.6%, about $75 more per month for the average retired worker, though a higher Part B premium takes back part of that. Separately, a one-time $90 payment to help with Part B costs is going to more than 20 million people, mostly by direct deposit in October. It does not cover everyone; people in Medicare Advantage plans are not included.
Why so many older Koreans hesitate, and what it can cost
Every family is different, but in conversations across immigrant communities, including ours, the same reasons come up again and again for putting off Medicare or avoiding the doctor. None of them are signs of carelessness. They are understandable, and they are also fixable.
- Language and complexity. Notices, forms and phone menus are mostly in English, and even native English speakers find Parts A, B, C and D, deductibles and networks confusing. When something is hard to understand, it is easy to set it aside.
- Fear of scams. Many seniors receive constant calls and mailers about Medicare, and it is wise to be careful. But the caution sometimes leads people to ignore everything, including the real Annual Notice of Change from their own plan.
- Worry about cost and about being a burden. Some assume coverage will be too expensive, or do not want to add to their children's load, so they say "I'm fine" and skip it.
- "I'm not sick, so I don't need it." Many grew up believing a doctor is for serious illness only, and that discomfort is something to endure. Preventive visits and screenings, which catch problems early, get skipped.
- Plans to get care in Korea. Some count on treatment during trips back home. Medicare generally does not cover care outside the United States, so this can leave gaps when something happens here.
- Assuming someone else has handled it. Busy adult children may think a parent has it covered, while the parent assumes the children would say something.
The cost of waiting is real. Missing your enrollment window can mean a late-enrollment penalty: for Part B, the premium goes up 10% for each full 12-month period you could have enrolled but did not, and it generally lasts as long as you have Part B. Part D carries its own penalty, 1% of the base premium for each month without drug coverage. Even more important is health. Conditions found late are often harder and more expensive to treat, and a hospital stay without coverage can quickly reach tens of thousands of dollars.
The hardest outcome is the one no family wants to talk about: a loved one who avoided the doctor, becomes seriously ill or passes away, and the family is left grieving while also facing medical bills they did not expect. Much of that pain is avoidable. Signing up on time, understanding your plan and keeping up with regular checkups are simple decisions that protect both your health and the people you love.
What to do next
- Find your "Annual Notice of Change." Your plan mails it each fall, and it spells out exactly what will differ in 2027 for your premiums, drugs and doctors.
- Make a list of every medication, the dose and your pharmacy, and bring it to any comparison.
- Check that your doctors and hospital are still in your plan's network for 2027, especially if you have Medicare Advantage.
- Compare plans for your ZIP code at medicare.gov/plan-compare. If you log in, you can save your drugs and pharmacies for real cost estimates.
- If you are thinking of moving to Original Medicare, remember you may need a separate drug plan, and that Medigap (supplement) coverage has limits on when you can add it.
- If you are turning 65 or not yet enrolled, find out your enrollment window now. It begins three months before your 65th birthday month and lasts seven months in total.
- Decide before December 7. If your plan still fits and the notice shows no problems, keeping it is a perfectly good choice.
A trusted local guide: Kyung Miske (서경희)
For many seniors, the biggest help is simply having someone who speaks their language, takes the time and explains things clearly. Kyung Miske (서경희), an insurance broker and founder of Aloha Insurance Services in Austin, has spent more than 18 years helping people find health coverage, with a background in counseling and family support. She works in Korean and English and helps with Medicare Parts A, B, C and D, Medicare Advantage and Supplement plans, Medicaid guidance and Affordable Care Act plans. As an independent agency, Aloha Insurance Services compares options across multiple carriers rather than offering a single plan.
Families she has worked with say it made a difference. Brandon Hong shared, "Ms. Miske was really helpful setting my parents Humana Medicare." He said she helped his parents choose the best option from many plans and that he would recommend her.
We encourage you to reach out to Ms. Miske for a free consultation, whether for yourself, a parent, a friend or a neighbor. A single conversation in Korean can turn a stack of confusing mail into a clear plan. With open enrollment ending December 7, sooner is better.
- Phone: (512) 698-9658
- Address: 1310 Kramer Lane, Austin, TX 78758
- Website: alohainsuranceservices.com
- Learn more on AKA: https://www.austinkoreanassociation.com/en/aloha-insurance-services
Other free help
- 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227): Medicare's official helpline, which offers interpreter services. Ask for a Korean interpreter.
- Texas HICAP (Health Information, Counseling and Advocacy Program), 1-800-252-9240: free, unbiased Medicare counseling that does not sell plans.
- Medicare Plan Finder: medicare.gov/plan-compare.
Whatever you choose, please do not wait. A short call this month can protect your health, your finances and your family for the year ahead.
