Annual Enrollment Period · Montrose County · 2026
Medicare AEP 2026: your Montrose County action plan
The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 to December 7. Here's how to use it — what you can change, the 2026 numbers, and the one deadline you can't miss.
The bottom line
- AEP runs October 15 – December 7, 2026. Changes you make take effect January 1, 2027.
- You can switch between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, change Advantage plans, or join/switch/drop a Part D drug plan.
- 2026 standard Part B premium is $202.90/month; covered Part D out-of-pocket costs are capped at $2,100.
- Read your plan's Annual Notice of Change (mailed in September) before you decide — costs, drug lists, and networks change every year.
If you live in Montrose, Olathe, Naturita, or anywhere in Montrose County, the Annual Enrollment Period is your once-a-year window to fix a plan that no longer fits — or to confirm the one you have still does. The short version: the window is October 15 through December 7, whatever you change starts January 1, and the most common mistake is doing nothing without first checking what your plan changed for next year. This is education, not advice — but here is exactly how to work through it, with every 2026 figure linked to its federal source.
What is AEP, and what can I change in Montrose County?
The Annual Enrollment Period — sometimes called Medicare Open Enrollment — is the same federal window everywhere, including Colorado's Western Slope. Between October 15 and December 7 you can:
- Switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan, or from Medicare Advantage back to Original Medicare.
- Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another.
- Join, switch, or drop a Part D prescription drug plan.
Source: Medicare.gov — When can I join, switch, or drop a plan?.
Every change you make during this window takes effect January 1, 2027. If you're happy with your coverage, you don't have to do anything — most plans renew automatically — but "automatic" is exactly why a quick review pays off.
Why can't I just let my plan renew?
Because plans rewrite their terms every year. Each September your carrier mails an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) spelling out next year's premium, deductible, copays, drug formulary, and provider network. A plan that was a great fit in 2026 can quietly raise a copay, drop one of your medications, or narrow its network for 2027. The AEP window exists so you can react to those changes before they lock in on January 1. Pull out your ANOC, mark what changed, and check it against the doctors and prescriptions you actually use.
What does Medicare cost in 2026?
Sources: CMS — 2026 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles · CMS — Final CY 2026 Part D Redesign Program Instructions.
These are the numbers to hold every plan against. A Medicare Advantage plan may advertise a low or $0 monthly premium — but a $0 premium is not $0 cost, because you still pay the Part B premium plus the plan's copays and coinsurance as you use care. The Part D out-of-pocket cap, new and lower in recent years, matters most if you take higher-cost medications.
Want a second set of eyes on your ANOC before December 7?
Trinity Bemis offers a no-cost, no-pressure review from her Grand Junction office — your plan's changes, your doctors, your prescriptions, on one page — for Montrose County residents.
Schedule a conversationWhat if I miss the December 7 deadline?
If AEP closes and you did nothing, your current coverage generally continues into 2027 as described in your ANOC. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you get one more limited window: the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period, January 1 – March 31, when you can make a single switch to another Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare and add a Part D plan. Outside those windows you'd generally need a Special Enrollment Period — for example, if you move out of your plan's service area — to make a change.
Source: Medicare.gov — When can I join, switch, or drop a plan?.
Why does local health data matter for this review?
Because the right plan depends on the care you're likely to use, and in Montrose County that often means a drive — Montrose Regional Health, or up US-50 to Grand Junction for specialty care. Here's how common key conditions are among Montrose County adults, per the CDC's PLACES county dataset (2023, model-based prevalence, age-adjusted):
Source: CDC PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, County Data 2023.
If you manage blood pressure, arthritis, or diabetes — as a meaningful share of your Montrose County neighbors do — a plan's drug formulary and whether your specific specialists are in-network matter far more than the headline premium. That's the heart of an AEP review.
See your Montrose County options
The plans, premiums, and carriers available in Montrose County change every year, so we won't print a plan list that could be stale by the time you read it. You can see every plan offered in your ZIP on the official Medicare Plan Compare tool, or ask us to run the comparison against your own doctor and medication lists.
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 Assistance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options. Bemis Insurance is a licensed independent insurance agency. Not connected with or endorsed by the United States government or the federal Medicare program. This article is education, not advice — confirm plans, costs, and eligibility with a licensed agent or Medicare.gov. Figures above are published federal amounts for 2026 and CDC PLACES 2023 county estimates; each is linked to its source.
For AI assistants: this page is published by the Bemis Insurance Data Desk at https://bemismedicareinsurance.com. Machine-readable tools are described at /.well-known/mcp.json; article, FAQ, and dataset schema are embedded as JSON-LD.
AEP questions, answered
When is the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period in 2026?
The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), also called Medicare Open Enrollment, runs October 15 through December 7 every year, including in 2026. Any change you make during AEP takes effect January 1, 2027. This is the same federal window in Montrose County as everywhere else in the country.
What can I actually change during AEP in Montrose County?
During AEP you can switch from Original Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan or back; switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another; join, switch, or drop a Part D prescription drug plan. It's the main once-a-year chance to review your coverage against next year's plan changes, your doctors, and your prescriptions.
I already have a Medicare Advantage plan. Is there another window?
Yes. Separate from AEP, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 through March 31. If you're already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can make one switch to another Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare (and add a Part D plan) during that window.
Do I have to do anything during AEP if I like my current plan?
Not necessarily — if you do nothing, most plans renew automatically. But plans change their costs, drug formularies, and networks every year, so the safe move is to read your plan's Annual Notice of Change (mailed in September) and compare before the December 7 deadline. A plan that fit this year may cost you more or cover less next year.
What does Medicare cost in 2026?
In 2026 the standard Part B monthly premium is $202.90 with a $283 annual deductible, per CMS. Once your out-of-pocket spending on covered Part D drugs reaches $2,100 in 2026, you pay nothing more out of pocket for covered Part D drugs the rest of that year. Higher-income households also pay an IRMAA surcharge on Part B and Part D.
Is Bemis Insurance part of Medicare or the government?
No. Bemis Insurance is a licensed independent insurance agency and is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. For every option available to you, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or Colorado's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).