2025 Health Insurance Open Enrollment

Free promotional jar opener for a hospital-specific plan (insurance broker in lobby on campus)

The 2025 Health Insurance Open Enrollment (or annual enrollment) for Medicare spans October 15, 2025, to December 7, 2025. ^[1]

Context

This open enrollment period was called by the advocacy group 65 Incorporated "the most important in Medicare's 60-year-history". ^[2] Enrollment is complicated by a range of factors: anti-inflation measures mandated by the One Big Beautiful Bill, ^{[3] [4] [5]} rising health care costs, ^[6] declining profits,^{[ citation needed ]} and a projected decline in the number of Medicare Advantage clients (the most in 15 years), Insurance providers have changed their business models and thoroughly reconfigured their plans; some companies have pulled out of certain markets entirely. ^{[7] [8] [9]} E.g., UnitedHealth, Humana, and Aetna have withdrawn from hundreds of counties, and some states from their Medicare Advantage plans. ^{[10] [11]}

In the absence of Medicare Advantage plans, they default to Original Medicare, which does not cover prescription drugs. ^[12] However, between 8 and 12 Medicare Part D stand-alone prescription drug plans will be on offer in 2026, varying by state. ^[3] All plans include a $2,100 maximum on out-of-pocket costs for covered drugs, a $100 increase from 2025. ^[13] A key feature of each plan is whether important local care providers (hospitals, doctors, ...) are included. ^{[14] [15]}

Medicare trustees estimate that Part B (physicians' services) premiums are estimated to increase by $21.50 to $206.50 in 2026. ^{[2] [16]}

References

1. Choi, Jisoo (Oct 15, 2025). "Medicare Open Enrollment Begins Today".
2. https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5562031-medicare-open-enrollment-guide/
3. "A Current Snapshot of the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Benefit". Oct 7, 2025.
4. Luhby, Tami (Jul 21, 2025). "10 million more people will be uninsured because of Trump's mega-package, CBO forecasts | CNN Politics". CNN.
5. Haeder, Simon F. (Jul 15, 2025). "How 17M Americans enrolled in Medicaid and ACA plans could lose their health insurance by 2034". The Conversation.
6. Cowles, Charlotte (Oct 23, 2025). "Get Ready to Pay Even More for Health Insurance". The Cut.
7. "36,000 Mainers' Medicare Advantage plans will be canceled next year". Oct 17, 2025.
8. Mathews, Anna Wilde (Oct 15, 2025). "Big Changes Are Coming for 2026 Medicare Plans. What You Need to Know". The Wall Street Journal.
9. "Medicare Enrollment 2026: Five Things to Examine in Your Plan". WSJ.
10. "New Report Sharpens Doubt About Medicare Advantage As Open Enrollment Begins - National Memo". www.nationalmemo.com.
11. "@kff.org on Bluesky".
12. https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5562031-medicare-open-enrollment-guide/?email=467cb6399cb7df64551775e431052b43a775c749&emaila=12a6d4d069cd56cfddaa391c24eb7042&emailb=054528e7403871c79f668e49dd3c44b1ec00c7f611bf9388f76bb2324d6ca5f3&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=10.20.25%20Health%20Care%20JC
13. Jones, JARED WELSH Edward (Oct 15, 2025). "Making the most of Medicare open enrollment". Idaho Press.
14. "What to watch out for in your 2026 Medicare Advantage plan".
15. "7 Changes You'll See Coming to Medicare in 2026". AARP.
16. "MSN". www.msn.com.