BEST CHOICES FOR 2026 MEDICARE PLANS

With costs due to rise sharply next year, look for coverage that protects your wallet as well as your health.

- RICHARD EISENBERG

WHEN the Medicare open-enrollment season for 2026 starts on October 15, brace yourself for some big, and potentially costly, changes.

Premium hikes for both medical and drug coverage, shrinking benefits on some private insurers' Medicare Advantage plans and a few rule changes mean it will be especially wise to research your choices to protect your health and save money.

Yet, nearly seven out of 10 Medicare beneficiaries don't compare plan options, according to a study last year by health policy and research firm KFF.

That can be an expensive error—even if you're satisfied with your current coverage.

“Medicare Advantage and Part D plans often change from one year to the next, so people may see changes to their premiums, cost-sharing, coverage of their medications, and their health provider or pharmacy networks,” says Alex Cotrill, a senior policy analyst at KFF.

As always, during open enrollment this year you’ll be able to sign up for either government-run original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage (Part C) plan from a private insurer; switch from original Medicare to Medicare Advantage or vice versa; replace your Medicare Advantage plan with a different one; and choose or change a Part D prescription-drug plan.

Here’s a rundown of the key changes and tips to pick the best coverage for your needs.

New restrictions on coverage. Experts expect many Medicare Advantage plans to trim benefits, hike costs or both for 2026, due to the financial squeeze insurers are facing. In addition, some insurers—including UnitedHealthcare, the largest provider—will not offer all the plans they did in 2025.

“These companies are trying to find their way to profitability,” says David Lipschutz, co-director of the Center for Medicare Advocacy.