Medicare Open Enrollment Ends Dec. 7: Florida Has 560 Advantage Plans for 2027, 51 Fewer Than This Year, and Where to Get Free Help in Northeast Florida

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Medicare Open Enrollment ends Dec. 7, 2026, and Florida residents have 560 Medicare Advantage plans available for 2027, a decrease of 51 from this year, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The federal agency's Sept. 28 state fact sheet also shows Florida's average monthly Medicare Advantage premium increasing from $1.83 in 2026 to $2.13 in 2027. More than 5.3 million Floridians are enrolled in Medicare, and residents seeking assistance with their coverage options can obtain free counseling through Florida's SHINE program and Jacksonville-based ElderSource.

The annual Medicare Open Enrollment period began Oct. 15 and runs through Dec. 7, according to CMS. Coverage selected for 2027 begins Jan. 1, 2027. The federal agency provides an online Medicare Plan Finder that allows beneficiaries to compare Medicare Advantage plans, prescription drug coverage, Original Medicare and Medigap policies.

Although Florida will have fewer Medicare Advantage plans next year, CMS reports that 100% of people with Medicare in the state will have access to a Medicare Advantage plan. The agency also says 100% will have access to a Medicare Advantage plan with a $0 monthly premium. Those statewide availability figures are part of CMS's projections for the 2027 coverage year.

When Medicare Open Enrollment ends and coverage begins

CMS identifies Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, 2026, as the annual Medicare Open Enrollment period for coverage beginning in 2027. The agency lists Jan. 1, 2027, as the beginning of the new coverage year. Medicare beneficiaries can use the federal government's plan comparison tools during the enrollment period.

According to the CMS state fact sheet, Medicare plan information for 2027 became available for comparison on Medicare.gov beginning Oct. 1, 2026. The agency also identified Oct. 8, 2026, as the approximate date for the release of 2027 Medicare Star Ratings. These dates preceded the opening of the annual enrollment period on Oct. 15.

Medicare's published key-dates information also identifies a separate Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period running from Jan. 1 through March 31. That period is listed separately from the annual Oct. 15 through Dec. 7 enrollment window. Medicare's key-dates publication also identifies an Initial Enrollment Period, although the dates for that period are not included in the verified information used for this report.

For residents reviewing next year's coverage, the main annual deadline is Dec. 7. CMS identifies that date as the end of the current Open Enrollment period. The agency's Medicare Plan Finder and telephone assistance service are among the official resources available for comparing coverage.

Florida's 2027 Medicare numbers at a glance

Florida has 5,334,437 people enrolled in Medicare, according to the CMS state fact sheet released Sept. 28. The agency's figures show changes in the number of Medicare Advantage plans and their average monthly premiums for 2027. CMS also reports statewide availability figures for Medicare Advantage and stand-alone prescription drug plans.

Source: CMS, 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D state fact sheet for Florida, Sept. 28, 2026.

The figures describe statewide Medicare coverage and plan availability. They do not establish how many plans will be available in a particular Northeast Florida county. CMS's published Florida totals are the basis for the comparisons presented here.

The agency's figures also distinguish between Medicare Advantage plans and stand-alone prescription drug plans. Florida's 560 Medicare Advantage plans represent one category of coverage available in 2027. The 11 stand-alone Part D plans represent a separate category in the CMS report.

Why Florida has 51 fewer Medicare Advantage plans

CMS reports that the number of Medicare Advantage plans available in Florida is declining from 611 in 2026 to 560 in 2027. Subtracting the new total from the previous year's figure produces a reduction of 51 plans. The statewide numbers document the change in plan availability without identifying specific local plans affected by the reduction.

The same CMS fact sheet shows a modest increase in Florida's average monthly Medicare Advantage premium. The average rises from $1.83 in 2026 to $2.13 in 2027, an increase of 30 cents. These are statewide average premiums rather than prices for any particular plan.

CMS nevertheless reports that every person with Medicare in Florida will have access to at least one Medicare Advantage plan in 2027. The agency also reports universal statewide access to a Medicare Advantage plan with a $0 monthly premium. Those availability figures are separate from the statewide average premium and the total number of plans.

National figures show a different direction for average Medicare Advantage premiums. In a Sept. 28 announcement, CMS projected that the national weighted average monthly premium would decline from $14.37 in 2026 to $12 in 2027. The agency described that change as a 16.5% decrease.

CMS also projected that approximately 34 million people nationwide would enroll in Medicare Advantage in 2027. That figure represents about 47.4% of people with Medicare, according to the agency. The national projections provide a comparison with Florida's separate plan counts and premium figures.

What changes for Medicare Part D prescription drug plans

CMS reports that Florida will have 11 stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plans available for 2027. The lowest monthly premium for a stand-alone drug plan in the state will be $5.30. Both figures appear in the agency's Florida fact sheet.

The agency also reports that 52.69% of Floridians enrolled in stand-alone prescription drug plans have access to a plan with a lower premium than they paid in 2026. This percentage concerns people already enrolled in stand-alone drug coverage. It does not represent the percentage of all Florida Medicare beneficiaries.

Another CMS measure concerns Extra Help, the program identified in the agency's prescription drug coverage data. According to the Florida fact sheet, 23.50% of people enrolled in stand-alone Part D plans receive Extra Help. The figure describes the share of stand-alone plan enrollees receiving that assistance.

At the national level, CMS projected an increase in the average monthly stand-alone Part D premium. The agency estimated that the average would rise from $35.09 in 2026 to $36 in 2027. Florida's lowest available premium of $5.30 is a separate measure and should not be confused with the national average.

How to compare Medicare coverage for 2027

CMS provides a Medicare Plan Finder through Medicare.gov for reviewing coverage options. According to the agency's Sept. 28 fact sheet, the tool allows users to compare Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans, prescription drug plans and Medigap policies. Information for the 2027 coverage year became available for comparison beginning Oct. 1. Plan details can change, so beneficiaries should confirm current information on the tool itself.

The federal government also provides telephone assistance through 1-800-MEDICARE. CMS states that the service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The telephone service is another official resource for Medicare information during the enrollment period.

Medicare beneficiaries reviewing their options can use the following official resources:

1. Visit Medicare.gov to access the federal Medicare Plan Finder.
2. Review Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage coverage options through the comparison tool.
3. Compare prescription drug plans and Medigap policies using the available Medicare information.
4. Review the 2027 Medicare Star Ratings released on or around Oct. 8.
5. Call 1-800-MEDICARE for telephone assistance, available 24 hours a day.

The Dec. 7 deadline applies to the annual Medicare Open Enrollment period, according to CMS. The agency lists Jan. 1 as the beginning of 2027 coverage. Medicare's official publications provide the enrollment dates and comparison resources used in this guide.

Free Medicare counseling through Florida's SHINE program

Florida residents can receive free Medicare counseling through SHINE, which stands for Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders. According to the program's official website, SHINE operates through the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and local Area Agencies on Aging. Trained volunteers provide one-on-one assistance with Medicare, Medicaid and health insurance questions.

SHINE describes its counseling as "free, unbiased, and confidential." The program is intended to provide information about health insurance options rather than charge for assistance. Its official website is floridashine.org.

The program also lists a statewide Elder Helpline for assistance. Residents can call 1-800-96-ELDER, which is 1-800-963-5337. The number is published by SHINE as a statewide contact for its services.

The SHINE program is separate from the federal Medicare Plan Finder, although both provide resources related to Medicare coverage. CMS supplies the federal plan comparison tools and enrollment information. SHINE provides individual counseling through Florida's aging-services network.

Where to get Medicare help in Northeast Florida

ElderSource provides SHINE Medicare counseling in Northeast Florida, according to the organization's official website. Its services include access to the free counseling program described by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs. ElderSource maintains an office in Jacksonville and provides regional telephone assistance.

The organization lists its Elder HelpLine as 1-888-242-4464. Its local Jacksonville telephone number is 904-391-6600. Both numbers are published on the ElderSource website.

ElderSource's office is located at 10688 Old St. Augustine Road, Jacksonville, FL 32257. According to the organization, office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Additional information is available through myeldersource.org.

The Jacksonville office provides a local point of contact for residents seeking information about Medicare counseling. ElderSource identifies SHINE as one of its available services. The organization and the statewide SHINE program both provide contacts for people reviewing Medicare coverage.

Medicare enrollment is separate from Marketplace coverage

The dates in this report apply to Medicare's annual Open Enrollment period, according to CMS. Medicare coverage and Marketplace health insurance enrollment are different programs. The Dec. 7 deadline identified by CMS is the Medicare Open Enrollment deadline.

The federal agency's 2027 Medicare materials cover Medicare Advantage plans, stand-alone prescription drug plans and related Medicare coverage information. Its Florida fact sheet provides the statewide plan counts, premiums and availability figures described in this report. Those figures should not be treated as Marketplace plan data.

For Medicare beneficiaries, the remaining annual enrollment dates are Dec. 7, 2026, when Open Enrollment ends, and Jan. 1, 2027, when the new coverage year begins. CMS provides plan comparisons at Medicare.gov and assistance at 1-800-MEDICARE. Florida's SHINE program and Northeast Florida's ElderSource provide free counseling contacts for residents seeking additional information about Medicare coverage.