Can I change my Medicare Advantage plan after January 1?

This is the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period. It does not let someone on Original Medicare join an Advantage plan, and it allows a single change. Outside it, you need a Special Enrollment Period.

Ways to change a Medicare Advantage plan in 2027

Situation	Window	Change allowed
Already in Medicare Advantage on Jan 1	Jan 1 to Mar 31, 2027	One switch to another Advantage plan, or to Original Medicare plus Part D
Moved out of your plan's service area	Special Enrollment Period	Choose a plan available at the new address
Plan not renewing for 2027	Special Enrollment Period (dates in your letter)	Choose a new plan
Qualify for Extra Help or AHCCCS	Special Enrollment Period	Change drug coverage under the current rules
Want a 5-star plan	Dec 8 to Nov 30	Only if a 5-star plan exists locally; none of the 2027 Maricopa or Pinal plans carries a 5-star 2026 rating

How the January to March window works

If your new 2027 plan turns out to be wrong for you, because a doctor is out of network or a drug costs more than expected, you can switch once before March 31. The new coverage starts the first day of the month after the plan gets your request.

If you go back to Original Medicare, you can add a stand-alone Part D plan at the same time. A Medigap policy is a separate application and, in Arizona, usually involves health questions at that point.

What changes the answer

Special Enrollment Periods open for specific events: moving, losing employer or AHCCCS coverage, entering a nursing home, or your plan leaving the area. The 5-star Special Enrollment Period only helps where a 5-star plan exists, and among the 52 Maricopa County plans for 2027 the highest 2026 rating is 4.5 stars.

What to do next

Write down exactly what is not working: a doctor, a drug, a referral. Then compare plans that fix that specific problem before you use your one change. We can do that comparison with you in Chandler or by phone.

Related questions

Sources

1. Medicare & You 2027 handbook Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
2. CMS Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape, Contract Year 2027 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Please note: 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.Rise Up Benefits Group is not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program. Medicare has neither endorsed nor reviewed this information.