Medicare Open Enrollment 2026: San Jose Seniors, Your Deadline Is December 7
The deadline up front: Medicare Open Enrollment ends Monday, December 7, 2026. Any change you make during this window starts January 1, 2027 — your plan must receive your request by December 7. After that date, most people are locked into their coverage for 2027.
Open Enrollment is open now. It started October 15.
What you can change during Open Enrollment
According to Medicare.gov, during October 15 – December 7 you can:
- Join, drop, or switch a Medicare Advantage Plan — with or without drug coverage.
- Join, drop, or switch a Medicare drug plan (Part D) if you have Original Medicare.
- Switch how you get your coverage — from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan, or from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare.
You do not have to change anything. If you keep your current plan, your coverage continues — but plan costs, drug lists, and doctor networks change every year, so a quick review is worth it before December 7.
Three things to check in your current plan:
- Your medicines. Is every drug you take still on the plan’s list for 2027, and at what price tier?
- Your doctors. Are your doctors and your hospital still in the plan’s network?
- Your total cost. Add up the premium, deductible, and copays — not just the monthly premium.
Medicare.gov’s Plan Finder lets you compare plans side by side with your own drug list.
Free, unbiased help in Santa Clara County: Sourcewise HICAP
You do not need a salesperson for this. Sourcewise, the county’s Area Agency on Aging, runs HICAP — the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program. HICAP counseling is free and objective: counselors explain your options and do not sell plans.
- Sourcewise: (408) 350-3200 — ask about HICAP Medicare counseling.
- HICAP can also tell you whether you may qualify for extra help paying for coverage.
Appointments fill up as December 7 gets closer. Calling in October or early November is much easier than calling in the last week.
If the Part B premium is hard to pay
Ask about Medicare Savings Programs. These state programs can help pay Medicare Part B premiums for people with limited income. They are separate from Open Enrollment switching — you apply through the county, and a HICAP counselor can point you to the right door. Call the county’s Medi-Cal line at (408) 758-3600 or ask Sourcewise when you call.
One caution: starting January 1, 2026, an asset test came back for Medicare Savings Programs (a Non-MAGI Medi-Cal program). The limit is $130,000 for one person, plus $65,000 for each additional person, through June 30, 2027. Your home and one vehicle do not count. If you were told years ago that “there is no asset test anymore,” that has changed — get a current answer before you assume you do or do not qualify.
Your checklist before December 7
- [ ] Review your plan’s 2027 changes (drug list, doctors, costs)
- [ ] Compare at least one alternative on Medicare.gov Plan Finder
- [ ] Call Sourcewise HICAP at (408) 350-3200 if you want a free, neutral review
- [ ] Make any change in time for the plan to receive it by December 7, 2026
- [ ] If money is tight, ask about Medicare Savings Programs — (408) 758-3600
→ See what other help you may qualify for — food, bills, and more
See also: Help for seniors in Santa Clara County · Medi-Cal and health coverage
