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Enrollment & timing

2027 Medicare and You Handbook: Mailed Late September, What Is New, and What to Do When It Arrives

CMS mails the official Medicare handbook to all Medicare households in late September each year, landing a few weeks before open enrollment opens October 15. The 2027 edition arrives at a moment when drug plan costs and Medicare Advantage choices are shifting noticeably.

By the Goodsurance editorial teamSeptember 9, 2026

The federal government mails the Medicare and You handbook to every Medicare household each fall, typically arriving in late September. The 2027 edition is on its way now, landing a few weeks before the annual open enrollment period opens on October 15.

The handbook, published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and available at Medicare.gov, summarizes Medicare benefits, rights, and protections for the coming year. It covers Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, and explains how to use the Medicare Plan Finder to compare options in a beneficiary's area.

The Medicare and You 2027 handbook arrives in late September, weeks before open enrollment opens October 15. Read it before you shop.

The 2027 enrollment season carries more weight than most recent years. Standalone Part D premiums are expected to rise for many enrollees after the Part D premium stabilization demonstration program ends this year. Several large Medicare Advantage carriers have reduced their county footprints or stopped offering certain plans entirely. Some Medicare Advantage members have already received non-renewal notices and will need to choose a new plan before January 1.

Beneficiaries who receive a separate Annual Notice of Change from their current Medicare Advantage or Part D plan should read that document alongside the handbook. Together, the two pieces show what is changing in an existing plan and what the broader market of alternatives looks like.

The handbook is available in print, large print, braille, and online at Medicare.gov. Beneficiaries who signed up for electronic delivery will receive an email link before printed copies arrive in the mail. Printed copies can also be ordered at no cost through Medicare.gov.

In plain words

The Medicare handbook for 2027 is being mailed now. Most people get it in late September. It explains your Medicare choices and tells you what is changing next year. This year, drug plan costs may go up for many people, and some Medicare Advantage plans have closed or reduced their coverage areas. Open enrollment starts October 15 and runs through December 7. Read the handbook when it arrives so you know what your options are before you decide.

Understand the basics first

Source: Medicare.gov
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