Toni:
Recently, the Trump administration announced an end to the Inflation Reduction Act’s Medicare program effective January 1, 2027. I searched online at www.medicare.gov for the right 2027 Medicare Part D plan. I could only find 2026 plans. I have Medicare Supplement Plan G with a separate Part D plan. My sister is on a Medicare Advantage HMO. I need advice on choosing the correct Part D plan for both of us. Looking forward to your thoughts on this complicated issue. –Jennifer from Little Rock, Ark.
Hi Jennifer:
In early August, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced an end to the Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration. This temporary federal program came from the Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act. It gave extra funding to private stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plans. The goal was to keep monthly premiums lower and limit sharp price increases. Only stand-alone Part D plans like yours are affected, Jennifer. Medicare Advantage plans like your sister’s are not. Your Part D premium will change after Dec. 31 when the discount program ends. Monthly premiums for 2027 stand-alone Medicare Part D plans will rise. CMS estimates the average increase at about $10. Plans and premiums for both stand-alone Part D and Medicare Advantage will be released on Thursday, Oct. 1 at midnight (12:00 AM). Your 2027 Medicare & You handbook should arrive in the mail in late September.
You can also download it online around Oct. 1. No one can change a stand-alone Medicare Part D plan or Medicare Advantage plan for 2027 until Open Enrollment. It starts Thursday, Oct. 15 at midnight (12:00 AM) and ends Monday, Dec. 7 at 11:59 PM. You and your sister must wait until October to research keeping or changing your current plan that begins Jan. 1, 2027.
CMS asks America to do these things:
• Watch your mail in September for your current plan’s Annual Notice of Change (ANOC). Read it carefully for the exact 2027 premium, deductible, and list of covered drugs. Do not throw it away!
• Avoid blind auto-renewal. Check if another plan offers a better price. Confirm your prescriptions stay covered in 2027.
• Compare plans during Open Enrollment. Switch to a different stand-alone Part D plan or Medicare Advantage plan if needed. Open Enrollment is the time to confirm your plan still meets your needs. This is especially true after any health changes.
Remember, with Medicare, what you don’t know WILL hurt you! Email your Medicare questions to info@tonisays.com or call 832-519-8664. Sign up for the Toni Says newsletter at www.tonisays.com to download Toni’s new Medicare 2026 First Steps guide.
Authored by; Toni King is an author and columnist on Medicare, Social Security, and long-term care issues. She has spent nearly 30 years as a top sales leader in the field. If you have a Medicare question, email info@tonisays.com or call 832-519-8664.
www.ToniSays.com
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