4 Medicare Enrollment Dates Alabamians Can’t Afford to Miss This Fall

Medicare open enrollment ends Monday, Dec. 7, and that date doesn’t move.

Alabamians who miss it could be stuck with their current coverage for longer than they’d like.

Here are the Medicare dates you can’t afford to miss this fall.

Note: This is general information, not insurance or financial advice. Medicare rules, dates and dollar amounts are subject to change, so confirm the details with Alabama’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) or 1-800-MEDICARE.

1. October 15 Open Enrollment Start

Medicare’s fall open enrollment opened on October 15 and runs through December 7.

The window’s still open.

In Alabama, 1,142,885 people are enrolled in Medicare, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

The state has 113 Medicare Advantage plans on offer for 2027, up from 98 in 2026.

Plan shopping on Medicare.gov began October 1.

If you’re in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch to another one, add or drop drug coverage, or return to Original Medicare.

If you have Original Medicare, you can join, drop or switch a drug plan, or move to a Medicare Advantage plan.

Happy with your coverage?

Then you generally don’t need to re-enroll.

2. November 30 Initial Enrollment Deadline

Medicare’s initial enrollment period for turning 65 lasts 7 months.

Your window opens 3 months before the month you turn 65 and closes 3 months after it.

If you turned 65 in August, your window closes November 30.

A September birthday pushes the deadline to December 31.

Sign-up timing also sets your start date.

If you enroll in Part B before your birthday month, your coverage starts in that month.

If you enroll during your birthday month or the 3 months after it, your coverage starts the following month.

Part B is Medicare’s doctor and outpatient coverage.

If you sign up for it after your window closes, you may owe a monthly penalty.

That penalty usually lasts as long as you have Part B.

The penalty grows with every full year you wait.

Birthdays on the first differ.

If yours falls on the first of the month, Medicare starts your coverage the month before, so check your exact dates with Social Security.

3. December 7 Open Enrollment Deadline

Medicare’s open enrollment closes December 7.

The plan you pick has to receive your request by that day, and your changes take effect January 1.

It’s a Monday this year.

That makes the weekend before it your last one to compare plans.

If you switch back to Original Medicare, you may need a separate drug plan.

Nationwide, CMS projects the average Medicare Advantage premium to fall 16.5% in 2027, from $14.37 to $12.00 a month.

In Alabama, the average is $11.25 for 2026 and $7.76 for 2027.

Look up what your plan will charge next year before you decide.

4. December 8 Special Enrollment Start

Medicare opens two special enrollment windows on December 8, the day after open enrollment closes.

If your plan’s contract with Medicare isn’t renewed, you can switch to another plan between December 8 and the last day of February.

If you don’t join another Medicare Advantage plan before yours ends, you’ll be enrolled in Original Medicare.

If your plan ends its contract with Medicare, your chance to switch starts 2 months before the contract ends and runs through 1 full month after it.

The second window covers 5-star plans.

If a 5-star plan is available in your area, you can switch to it one time between December 8 and November 30 the following year.

That’s almost a full year.

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment, January 1 to March 31

Medicare Advantage open enrollment runs January 1 to March 31, and only people already in a Medicare Advantage plan can use it.

If you're in one of those plans, you can switch to another Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare.

It's a second look.

Changes from open enrollment start January 1, the same day this window opens.

Alabama's Drug Plan Choices for 2027

Alabama has 11 stand-alone Medicare drug plans for 2027.

The lowest monthly premium among them is $5.30.

About 68% of Alabamians with a stand-alone drug plan have access to a plan with a lower premium than they paid in 2026.

Nationwide, CMS projects the average stand-alone drug plan premium at $36 a month in 2027, up less than a dollar from $35.09 in 2026.

Averages only go so far.

Your prescriptions decide what a drug plan costs you, so compare each plan's drug list before you switch.

Free Medicare Help in Alabama

Alabama SHIP offers Medicare counseling, along with help on Medicaid, prescription drugs and long-term care.

That help is free.

Its counselors and volunteers aren't affiliated with any insurance company and won't try to sell you insurance.

You can reach SHIP at 1-800-243-5463 or 334-242-5743.

FAQ

Quick answers to common questions about Medicare enrollment.

What are the Medicare open enrollment dates in Alabama?

Medicare open enrollment runs October 15 to December 7.

Changes you make during that window take effect January 1.

Can you change Medicare plans after December 7?

Sometimes.

People in a Medicare Advantage plan can switch from January 1 to March 31, and a special enrollment period can open if your plan isn't renewed.

How long do you have to sign up for Medicare when you turn 65?

Seven months in all.

The window opens three months before the month you turn 65 and closes three months after it.

When do special enrollment windows start after open enrollment?

Two special enrollment windows start December 8.

One covers plans that aren't renewed, and the other covers a one-time switch to a 5-star plan.

Do you have to re-enroll to keep your Medicare plan?

People who want to keep their current coverage generally don't need to re-enroll.

It still pays to check what your plan is changing for next year.

How do you join or switch a Medicare plan?