Reviewed by Scotty Lewis, CSA, RSSA, licensed independent insurance agent
What Tennessee Seniors Need to Know This Medicare Open Enrollment Season
Oct 27, 2026 · Kate Lewis
Open enrollment runs through December 7
Medicare’s annual election period opened October 15 and closes December 7, 2026. Any change you make takes effect January 1, 2027.
During this window you can switch between Original Medicare and a Medicare Advantage plan, move from one Medicare Advantage plan to another, or change, join, or drop a Part D prescription drug plan.
If you do nothing, your current plan usually continues automatically, unless your plan is one of the ones being discontinued (more on that below).
Nearly a million people are losing their current Medicare Advantage plan
UnitedHealthcare is ending coverage for about 390,000 members, and Humana is ending coverage for about 600,000 members, as both companies pull back from plans that lost money amid rising medical costs. (Fortune; CBS News)
Humana kept its stronger-performing plans and closed the ones with weak returns. UnitedHealthcare is shifting its focus toward HMOs and special needs plans rather than PPOs.
If your plan is one of the ones ending, you should have already received a letter about it. Even if your plan isn’t ending, read your Annual Notice of Change closely this year. Many carriers are narrowing provider networks, raising cost sharing, and trimming supplemental benefits like dental, even on plans that are staying in place.
Part D costs are shifting for 2027
The Part D annual out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 in 2027, up from $2,100 this year. The standard deductible rises to $700, up from $615. (AARP)
Fifteen additional drugs get Medicare-negotiated prices for 2027. CMS estimates these lower prices will reduce enrollees’ out-of-pocket spending by $685 million next year.
If you take maintenance medications, this is the year to run your drug list through Medicare’s plan finder rather than assume last year’s plan is still your cheapest option.
Watch for scams during enrollment season
Scammers lean hard on this time of year. Common tactics include calls claiming to be from Medicare asking for your Medicare number, and offers of “free” medical equipment or genetic testing in exchange for your personal information.
Medicare will never call you out of the blue to ask for personal information or payment. If you get a call like this, hang up and call 1-800-MEDICARE directly to check. (AARP)
The same caution applies to unsolicited mail or door-to-door visits pushing a specific plan. A legitimate agent will never pressure you to sign up on the spot.
Every fall, we see the same pattern. People assume their plan is staying the same, and then they find out in January that their doctor is out of network or their drug costs jumped.
If you want a second set of eyes on your coverage before December 7, we’re happy to sit down with you, go through your Annual Notice of Change letter, and compare it against what else is available in the Upper Cumberland area. There’s no cost and no obligation.
Sources:
- UnitedHealthcare and Humana are ending Medicare Advantage plans for nearly 1 million people, Fortune, October 20, 2026
- Humana, UnitedHealthcare ending Medicare Advantage plans for 1 million seniors, insurers say, CBS News
- AARP Urges Older Americans To Review Medicare Plans During Open Enrollment, AARP, October 15, 2026
