Open Enrollment does not have to take over your week. One focused hour can protect your care and your budget for the year ahead. Bring your plan card, your meds, and a clear checklist. Want a simple path through the noise.
Set a timer for sixty minutes. Pull three items to the table. Your plan card, the Annual Notice of Change, and a ninety-day medication list with dosages. Use Medicare’s step-by-step sheets to review premiums, deductibles, max out of pocket, and each drugs tier and restrictions. Ask which items changed for 2026. What line on the notice surprised you. Medicare
Open the plan finder and check your doctors and pharmacy. If you use mail order, confirm shipping timelines and temperature control for injectables during hot or cold snaps. For Medicare Advantage, verify out-of-pocket limits and what happens if you use an out-of-network clinic. Keep notes in a simple two-column grid with keep and switch. Medicare
Run the numbers for the new Part D cap and monthly smoothing. CMS explains how plans must offer capped monthly payments starting in 2025. If you use expensive oral oncology or autoimmune drugs, compare several plans side by side. Do not chase a lower premium if the formulary pushes your drug to a higher tier. CMS
Save your grid, circle the top choice, and calendar a reminder to lock your decision before December 7. If life changes trigger a move or loss of coverage later, read the special enrollment rules on Medicare.gov. Medicare
