Your 2027 Medicare checkup starts here
Your plan mailed you its Annual Notice of Change by September 30. This page helps you make sense of it: join a short client webinar for your group, see what Medicare changed for 2027, and know what to check before the deadline.
Your State Health Plan deadline comes first
This deadline ends more than a month before Medicare Annual Enrollment, so please don’t wait until December.
If you have the Aetna 70/30 plan and want to keep it for 2027, you must call the State Health Plan and request it. If you don’t call, the State says it will move you to its Humana Medicare Advantage plan automatically.
- Client webinar for state retirees: Monday, October 5, at 7:30 p.m. Register below.
- Small group meetings at Cannon Pharmacy Main, October 12 through October 28. Call the agency to reserve a seat.
- Want help deciding? Contact us before October 30 for a personal review.
Pick the session for your plan
Each webinar is built for one group of clients, so we can cover what changed in your plan. Choose the one that matches you, then pick a time on the registration page. Zoom will email you the join link.
Humana — Cabarrus County
For clients with a Humana plan who live in Cabarrus County.
Register for this webinarHumana — outside Cabarrus County
For clients with a Humana plan who live in any other county.
Register for this webinarRetired state employees & teachers
Your State Health Plan choices for 2027, including the Aetna 70/30 and Humana options. Monday, October 5, at 7:30 p.m.
Register for this webinarUnitedHealthcare plans
For clients with a UnitedHealthcare Medicare plan.
Register for this webinarNot sure which group you’re in, or rather talk one-on-one? Call Founders Insurance Agency at 704-500-2128. Webinars are educational and for existing clients only.
The Medicare numbers that changed
These are the national limits Medicare sets. Your own plan’s premium, copays and deductible are in your Annual Notice of Change and can be lower than these limits.
| What it is | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Part D yearly cap on what you pay for covered drugs Final | $2,100 | $2,400 |
| Highest deductible a drug plan may charge Final | $615 | $700 |
| Medicare Advantage in-network out-of-pocket limit (highest allowed) Final | $9,250 | $9,850 |
| Medicare Advantage combined in- and out-of-network limit (PPO plans) Final | $13,900 | $14,800 |
| Part B standard monthly premium Projected · final in November | $202.90 | ≈ $209.50 |
| Part B yearly deductible Projected · final in November | $283 | ≈ $292 |
Five changes to know about
Lower Medicare prices on 15 more drugs
Starting January 1, 2027, Medicare’s negotiated prices apply to 15 more brand-name drugs, joining the 10 that started in 2026. The negotiated price lowers the drug’s cost to your plan. What you pay still depends on your plan’s tier and copay, so check your 2027 drug list.
- Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy
- Trelegy Ellipta
- Breo Ellipta
- Xtandi
- Ibrance
- Pomalyst
- Calquence
- Ofev
- Linzess
- Austedo / Austedo XR
- Tradjenta
- Janumet / Janumet XR
- Xifaxan
- Vraylar
- Otezla
Stand-alone drug plan premiums may rise more than usual
A temporary Medicare program that held down premiums on many stand-alone Part D plans in 2025 and 2026 ends December 31, 2026. Without it, some stand-alone drug plans cost noticeably more in 2027. If you have a Medicare Supplement with a separate drug plan, compare your 2027 drug plan premium before you let it renew.
The drug cap rises to $2,400, and still protects you
Once you pay $2,400 for covered drugs in 2027, you pay nothing more for covered drugs the rest of the year. Monthly premiums and drugs your plan doesn’t cover don’t count toward the cap. You can still spread drug costs across the year with the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan.
Weight-loss medications: the $50 GLP-1 Bridge continues
Medicare’s GLP-1 Bridge lets eligible people with drug coverage get certain weight-loss medications for $50 a month. It runs through December 31, 2027 and needs prior approval. The $50 is paid outside your drug plan, so it does not count toward your $700 deductible or $2,400 cap. If you take one of these drugs for diabetes or heart disease, it’s covered by your regular drug plan instead.
Some plans are leaving some counties
Several insurers are dropping Medicare Advantage plans in certain counties for 2027. If your plan sent a letter saying it won’t renew, you have not lost your Medicare. You can choose a new plan during Annual Enrollment, and you also get a special window that runs from December 8 through the end of February. Call before you pick anything, so we can check your doctors and pharmacy.
Check these six things in your Annual Notice of Change
Have your notice in hand for the webinar. We’ll go through the changes for your group, and these are the lines that matter most.
- Monthly premium. Did it go up, down, or stay at $0?
- Medical out-of-pocket maximum. The most you’d pay for covered medical care in a year.
- Drug deductible. Many plans raised theirs for 2027. Up to $700 is now allowed.
- Your prescriptions. Is each drug still covered, and did its tier or copay change?
- Your pharmacy. Is it still in network, and still a preferred pharmacy?
- Your doctors and hospital. Confirm each one is still in the 2027 network.
Your 2027 calendar
- October 1, 20262027 plan details go live on Medicare.gov
- October 5, 2026 · 7:30 p.m.State retiree client webinar
- October 12 – 30, 2026State Health Plan open enrollment (state retirees)
- October 15, 2026Medicare Annual Enrollment opens
- December 7, 2026Last day to change Medicare plans for January 1
- January 1, 2027New plans, prices and the $2,400 drug cap take effect
- January 1 – March 31, 2027Medicare Advantage members can make one plan change
Contact Founders Insurance Agency
Phone appointments are available throughout Annual Enrollment.
Or reach your agent directly
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, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.
Not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. 2027 Part B figures are projections from the 2026 Medicare Trustees Report and will be finalized by CMS. Plan-specific costs and benefits come from your plan’s Annual Notice of Change and Evidence of Coverage.