Seven steps to a choice
- Start with coverage you already have. State Group Insurance, TRICARE For Life, Florida Medicaid or an employer plan can change the right choice. A state retiree who cancels State Group Insurance can't come back, so ask People First before joining another plan.
- List your doctors, hospital, pharmacy and drugs. Include those you use in another state, if you live there part of the year.
- Pick a path. See Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage in Florida.
- See what's sold in your county. Plans are approved county by county: for 2027, Monroe County has 7 Medicare Advantage plans open to everyone and Hillsborough County 52. Every county has the same 11 standalone Part D plans.
- Check each plan against your list. Use the plan's 2027 provider directory and drug list, not last year's.
- Compare a typical year and a bad year. Look at the worst case: a Medicare Advantage plan's yearly limit can be up to $9,850 in network in 2027, and Part D drug costs are capped at $2,400.
- Enroll by the deadline. Open Enrollment ends December 7, 2026.
Florida rules that change the math
- No Medigap birthday rule. Florida has no yearly right to switch Medigap policies without health questions. Your best chance to buy Medigap is the 6 months after you're 65 and in Part B, or the 2 months after group health coverage ends, a Florida-only right. See Medigap in Florida.
- One permanent home. A Medicare Advantage plan is tied to the county where you permanently live, and must disenroll you after more than 6 months away unless it has a visitor or traveler program. See snowbirds and Medicare.
- Plans ending in 2027. At least 302,773 Floridians in regular Medicare Advantage plans must choose new coverage. If that's you, you also get a rare Medigap guaranteed-issue right. See plans ending in 2027.
- Florida Medicaid or a Medicare Savings Program. You may qualify for a D-SNP, but in Florida "coordination-only" D-SNPs accept only people with partial help, not full Medicaid. See D-SNPs in Florida.
Protect yourself
Don't give your Medicare number to anyone who calls you unasked. You can check that an agent is licensed in Florida with the Department of Financial Services licensee search. To compare plans from the companies they work with, you can request a call from a licensed insurance agent, or see plans for your ZIP code.
Related questions
How many Medicare Advantage plans are in Florida for 2027?
Statewide and county counts.
Is Medicare Advantage available in every Florida county?
Where choice is thinnest.
What are special needs plans in Florida?
Plans for Medicaid, chronic conditions and nursing-home care.
Sources
- Medicare.gov — Medicare Plan Finder
- Medicare.gov — Compare Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage
- CMS — Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape files, contract year 2027
- Florida Statutes — s. 627.6741, Medicare supplement open enrollment and issuance
- eCFR — 42 CFR 422.74, disenrollment (6-month absence)
- AHCA — D-SNP contract, Attachment I-B (coordination-only D-SNP enrollment)
- Florida Division of State Group Insurance — Frequently asked questions: retirees
- Florida Department of Financial Services — Licensee search
More questions in this guide
- How many Medicare Advantage plans are in Florida for 2027?
- Is Medicare Advantage available in every Florida county?
- What are Medicare special needs plans in Florida?
- Why are there so many Medicare Advantage plans in South Florida?
Part of the guide: Medicare Advantage in Florida · All questions
Frequently asked questions
When can I change my Medicare plan in Florida?
Open Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, 2026, for coverage starting January 1, 2027. If you're in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can make one change from January 1 to March 31, 2027. Moving, losing coverage, getting Medicaid or Extra Help, a declared disaster and a plan ending can give you special enrollment periods.
Do I have to choose a new plan every year?
No. Your plan usually renews automatically. But plans can change their costs, networks and drug lists every January 1, so read the Annual Notice of Change your plan sends each fall. If your plan is ending, you'll get a non-renewal letter instead.
Can a licensed insurance agent help me choose?
Yes. A licensed insurance agent can compare plans from the companies they work with and check your doctors and drugs. You can confirm an agent's Florida license with the Department of Financial Services. For information on all your options, use Medicare.gov's Plan Finder or call 1-800-MEDICARE.
Medicare in your Florida county
Plans, local agents and help, county by county: Miami-Dade · Broward · Palm Beach · Hillsborough · Orange · Duval · Pinellas · Lee · Polk · Pasco · Brevard · Volusia · Seminole · Sarasota · Osceola · Manatee · Lake · Marion · Collier · St. Lucie · All 67 counties →
