In short
- The medication list matters most: name, strength, how often you take it, and whether you fill 30 or 90 days at a time.
- Bring your Annual Notice of Change. It lists what your plan changes on January 1, 2027.
- List every doctor, clinic and hospital you want to keep, including specialists you see only once a year.
- Know your monthly budget and any income changes. Income affects IRMAA, Extra Help and Medicare Savings Programs.
- Open enrollment for 2027 plans runs October 15 to December 7, 2026. Plan details went live on Medicare.gov October 1.
A good Medicare review is only as good as the information on the table. This checklist is built so you can print it, check things off, and walk into your review with everything in one folder. It works the same whether you meet with an agent, a Nebraska SHIP counselor, or sit down with Medicare.gov yourself.
The lists below follow the order Bill Jurey uses with clients: medications first, then doctors, then the worst-case costs, then budget and income.
When should you do your Medicare review?
Do it between October 1 and December 7, 2026. Plan details for 2027 went live on Medicare.gov's Plan Finder on October 1. Open enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, 2026, and any change you make starts January 1, 2027.
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Early fall | Your plan mails the Annual Notice of Change and Evidence of Coverage |
| October 1, 2026 | 2027 plan details appear on Medicare.gov |
| On or around October 8, 2026 | 2027 Star Ratings are posted on Medicare.gov |
| October 15, 2026 | Open enrollment begins |
| December 7, 2026 | Last day to choose a 2027 plan |
| January 1, 2027 | New plans and changes take effect |
If you're in Medicare Advantage, you get one more change from January 1 to March 31, 2027. Don't count on it as your main chance.
Which cards and letters should you bring?
Bring every card and every letter, even ones you're not sure about. This is the paperwork that shows exactly what you have today.
Cards
- Red, white and blue Medicare card
- Medicare Advantage plan ID card, if you have one
- Part D drug plan card, if separate
- Medicare Supplement (Medigap) card
- Employer, retiree, VA, TRICARE or Medicaid card
Letters from your plan
- Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) for 2027
- Evidence of Coverage, or at least its summary pages
- Any notice that your plan is leaving your county or ending
Letters from Medicare, Social Security or the state
- Extra Help letter (purple, yellow or green) or Social Security decision
- Medicare Savings Program or Medicaid approval from Nebraska DHHS
- IRMAA notice from Social Security
- Any Part B or Part D late enrollment penalty notice
- Notice from an employer or union plan saying whether your drug coverage is creditable
The Annual Notice of Change is the most important letter here. It lists changes to coverage, costs, provider networks and service area that start January 1. If you didn't get one, call your plan.
What should your medication list include?
Every prescription you take, written exactly as it's on the bottle. This is the list that decides most plan choices, because a single drug can be cheap on one plan and expensive on another.
For each medication:
- Exact name (brand or generic)
- Strength, such as 20 mg
- How many you take, and how often
- 30-day or 90-day fills
- Whether you use mail order
- What you paid at your last fill, if you know
Also write down:
- Your pharmacy's name and location
- Drugs you take only sometimes, like a seasonal inhaler
- Insulin or injectables, even if your cost is capped
- Any new prescription your doctor has mentioned for next year
- Drugs you get through the VA, a patient assistance program or a coupon
The fastest method is to line up your bottles and take one clear photo of each label.
Which doctors and hospitals should you list?
All of them, including the specialist you see once a year. If you're considering Medicare Advantage, each one has to be checked against the plan's network for 2027. Networks change, and no one should assume a Lincoln or Omaha health system is in or out.
- Primary care doctor and clinic
- Each specialist, with the clinic or practice name
- The hospital you'd want to use, such as Bryan Health, CHI Health or Nebraska Medicine
- Any rehab, dialysis, infusion or therapy provider you use regularly
- Out-of-town doctors, if you travel or winter somewhere else
What upcoming care should you plan for?
Write down what you know is coming next year, and think about the worst case. Plans differ most on hospital stays, outpatient surgery, imaging and emergency care.
- Planned surgery, joint replacement or procedure
- Ongoing treatment, such as cancer care or dialysis
- Physical, occupational or speech therapy
- Imaging like MRIs or CT scans
- Dental work, hearing aids or new glasses you need
- Months you'll spend out of state
What budget and income numbers help?
A rough monthly budget and a ballpark income figure are enough. These numbers tell whether a plan is affordable in a bad year, and whether you might qualify for help or owe a surcharge.
- What you pay now each month in premiums, including Part B
- About how much you spent out of pocket on care and drugs this year
- What monthly amount you could comfortably budget for health costs
- Whether you could cover a plan's yearly out-of-pocket maximum if you had to
- Your monthly Social Security and pension income
- Rough savings, if you think you might qualify for Extra Help
- Any big income change, like retiring or selling property
Income matters in both directions. For 2026, IRMAA surcharges start above $109,000 of 2024 income for individuals and $218,000 for joint filers. At the other end, 2026 Extra Help limits are $23,940 in income and $18,090 in resources for one person. Our guides to IRMAA and Extra Help cover both.
What questions should you ask during the review?
Bring this list and get an answer to each one before you decide.
- Are all of my medications covered next year, and on what tier?
- What will my drugs cost in total for 2027, including the deductible?
- Are my doctors and hospital in network for 2027?
- What's the yearly out-of-pocket maximum, and what do a hospital stay, an ER visit and an MRI cost?
- How does the premium compare with what I pay now?
- What am I giving up if I switch?
- If I keep my current plan, what changes on January 1?
How does Bill run a review?
He calls his clients himself once the new plan details come out on October 1, and asks what's changed: new medications, new doctors, upcoming care. "If they're in a good spot, leave them there." If not, he comes back with options and the math, and the client decides. The process is described in more detail on the annual enrollment review page and in his post on the 14 days before open enrollment. His case for starting with the drug list is in medications first.
If a change does make sense, our guide on how to switch Medicare plans covers the steps. For unbiased help, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (TTY 1-877-486-2048), or Nebraska SHIP at 1-800-234-7119. To set up a review with Bill in Lincoln, by phone or by video, talk to Bill. There's no cost to you.
Frequently asked questions
Bring your red, white and blue Medicare card, the ID cards for any Medicare Advantage, Part D or Medicare Supplement plan you have, your Annual Notice of Change, and any letters from Medicare, Social Security or your plan about Extra Help, IRMAA or late penalties. If you have employer, retiree, VA or TRICARE coverage, bring that card and any notice saying whether your drug coverage is creditable.
The Annual Notice of Change, or ANOC, is a letter your Medicare Advantage or Part D plan sends each fall. It lists changes to coverage, costs, provider networks and service area that start January 1. Medicare & You 2027 says to contact your plan if you don't get it, along with your Evidence of Coverage, in early fall. Bring it to your review.
For each prescription, write the exact name, the strength, how many you take and how often, and whether you fill a 30-day or 90-day supply. Note the pharmacy you use and whether you use mail order. Include drugs you take only sometimes, like seasonal inhalers, and any new prescription your doctor has mentioned for next year. The easiest way is to photograph every bottle.
It helps. A rough idea of your monthly income and savings tells whether you might qualify for Extra Help or a Medicare Savings Program, or whether IRMAA applies. For 2026, IRMAA starts above $109,000 of 2024 income for individuals and $218,000 for joint filers. You don't need tax returns. A Social Security benefit letter and a ballpark figure are usually enough.
With Bill, a review typically runs half an hour to an hour. A married couple usually takes at least an hour, because two people means two medication lists and sometimes two different plans. Bringing everything on this checklist keeps the time focused on comparing options instead of hunting for information. Reviews can be in person in Lincoln, by phone or by video.
Yes. Nebraska SHIP, part of the Nebraska Department of Insurance, offers unbiased Medicare counseling at no cost at 1-800-234-7119. In Lancaster County, Aging Partners has benefits counselors at 402-441-7070. You can also compare plans yourself on Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The same checklist works for any of them.
Sources
- Medicare & You 2027 handbook (CMS Product No. 10050) (opens in a new tab)
- Medicare.gov: Understanding Medicare Advantage and drug plan enrollment periods (CMS Product No. 11219) (opens in a new tab)
- CMS: 2026 Medicare Parts A and B premiums and deductibles (opens in a new tab)
- CMS: 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D state-by-state fact sheets (opens in a new tab)
- Medicare.gov: Help with drug costs (Extra Help) (opens in a new tab)
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options. 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048.
