The government has improved the Medicare Plan Finder tool ahead of the 2027 open enrollment period, helping seniors compare Advantage plans and avoid costly surprises like unexpected out-of-network bills. Last year, Blythe Carey received a $963 bill after assuming her gynecologist was in-network, only to learn too late that the doctor had left her plan’s network—a risk inherent in Medicare Advantage, where providers can exit at any time while members are locked in until the next enrollment period. Open enrollment for 2027 Advantage plans begins Thursday and runs through Dec. 7, with a chance to switch plans in the first three months of the year for those with buyer’s remorse.
Advantage plans, which cover about half of the 71 million Americans with Medicare, can change benefits, costs, and service areas annually, and may even discontinue entirely—United Healthcare and Humana are dropping plans for nearly a million beneficiaries, potentially affecting up to five million members due to record plan cancellations. The upgraded Plan Finder now allows users to search by any licensed health care provider, not just doctors, and shows up to 15 addresses per physician since network participation can vary by location. It also details which of the more than three dozen extra benefits are covered.
Accessible at medicare.gov/plan-compare without an account (though saving results requires one), the tool aims to promote transparency and informed choice, assisting people like Carey and Mary Ann Davis, who previously spent excessive time manually verifying provider inclusion across multiple websites.
Source: New York Times Business · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing