Your Daily Healthcare Policy Briefing

Medicare Open Enrollment Begins with Significant 2027 Changes and New Drug Price Negotiations

• Medicare open enrollment commenced on October 15, 2026, and will run until December 7, allowing beneficiaries to select plans for 2027. Key changes for the upcoming year include an increase in the annual out-of-pocket cap for Medicare Part D drugs to $2,400, up from $2,100 in 2026, and the standard deductible rising from $615 to $700.

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• Starting January 1, 2027, new Medicare-negotiated prices will take effect for 15 prescription drugs, including widely used weight-loss and diabetes medications such as Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy. This measure, part of a Biden-era law, is projected to reduce prescription drug coverage costs for Medicare enrollees by $685 million in 2027.

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• The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on October 14, 2026, that it has stopped taxpayer payments for 189,000 individuals with duplicate or deceased enrollments in Obamacare, with the potential to save approximately $1.5 billion over the next year. This action is part of the Trump administration's broader effort to combat fraud, waste, and abuse in federal healthcare programs.

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