Medicare Open Enrollment for 2026

Once again, it is time to make your annual health care choice. The Medicare open enrollment period runs from October 15 to December 7, 2025.

If you are on a direct bill Medicare plan (meaning that you don’t get coverage from an employer), many of you MUST make a new selection by December 7, 2025, as your current plan is being discontinued. There are many fewer choices in the Rochester area marketplace for 2026, so making a selection may actually be easier than in prior years.

Vaccines

Medicare covers vaccines at no cost. The list includes RSV, pneumococcal, shingles and TDAP (tetanus), as well as flu and COVID.

Preventative Services

All health plans must cover preventive and certain screening services in full. Your yearly “wellness” visit, mammograms, and screenings such as A1C (diabetes), PSA (prostate), and colorectal cancer all qualify for coverage at no cost. Take advantage of these no-cost services! Ask your doctor what screenings you should be having.

Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage 

New York State offers individuals aged 65 and older the opportunity to enroll in EPIC (Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage). This no-cost program allows you the opportunity to change Medicare plans one time per calendar year, if the situation necessitates doing that. There are income limits of $75,000 if single, and $100,000 if married.

Healthcare plan decision-making can be stressful, especially when deadlines apply. Please contact us if you have questions. We’re here to help you understand your options and navigate deadlines.