I’m enrolling in Medicare
Check enrollment rules if you’re turning 65, working past 65, or helping someone sign up.
Check when to enrollGet help with Medicare
Read guides on enrollment, plan changes and denied claims, with links to Medicare.gov.
No account required
Check your Medicare coverage for 2027
Read your plan’s Annual Notice of Change for changes to costs and coverage. Use the 2027 guide to check plan information for your county.
Read the 2027 plan guidePlan comparison checklist
What to check before choosing a plan
Open each item for what to check and where to look.
Costs
Compare premiums, copays and spending limits for the care you use.
Where to look Read the cost changes in your plan’s Annual Notice of Change, then use Medicare.gov to compare plans.
About your plan’s change noticeDoctors
Check the doctors and hospitals you want to keep using.
Where to look Ask your plan whether they will be in its network next year. A county’s plan list does not confirm a doctor’s participation.
Prescriptions
Check coverage for your prescriptions and the pharmacies you use.
Where to look Confirm next year’s drug coverage with your plan. Use Medicare.gov to compare plans with your prescriptions in mind.
Your county’s plan list does not confirm whether your current plan is ending or whether a doctor is in a plan’s network.
Compare plans at Medicare.govMedicare guides
I’m reviewing my coverage for 2027
Read your plan’s change notice and check plan information for your county.
Read the 2027 plan guideMy claim was denied
Look up the reason for a denial and find out what to check before you appeal.
Find a denial guideDear Barley
Medicare questions and answers
Patricia asks Asked
Dear Barley,
My insurance company says it’s moving me to a different Medicare plan. Do I have to go along with that?
Barley’s answer
You can choose another plan during an enrollment period. For a change starting January 1, the usual fall enrollment window runs from October 15 through December 7. The new plan must receive your enrollment request by December 7.
Read Patricia’s answerNew to Medicare? Start with these basics
Is my Medicare Summary Notice a bill?
No. For Original Medicare, this notice lists the services billed to Medicare, what Medicare paid and the most you may owe. Compare it with any bill from your doctor or other provider before you pay.
Understand your Medicare Summary NoticeSource: Medicare.gov · Medicare Summary NoticeOriginal Medicare or Medicare Advantage: what’s the difference?
Original Medicare includes Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance). You can add separate drug coverage and may be able to buy Medigap, which helps pay some costs Original Medicare does not cover. Medicare Advantage is an alternative from a private insurer and usually includes drug coverage. Most Advantage plans use a network of doctors and hospitals. Compare the coverage for the care you need.
Compare the two coverage optionsSource: Medicare.gov · Your coverage optionsI’m helping a parent. What should we gather first?
Gather their insurance information, recent plan notices, and a list of their doctors and prescriptions. Keep their Medicare number and medical documents private. Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) provides free counseling about coverage choices and bills.
Find free, local Medicare counselingSource: Medicare.gov · Help with your rightsTalk to a Medicare counselor
Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) provides free counseling about Medicare coverage and bills. You can also contact SHIP if you’re helping a family member.
Each answer links to its source so you can read the official guidance. These guides explain your options; they do not recommend a plan for you.
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