AEP Countdown: 2027 Plan Prices and Enrollment Caps
Prepare for the 2027 Medicare Annual Enrollment Period with essential updates on plan prices, enrollment caps, and new marketing rules for insurance agents.
The 2027 Medicare Annual Enrollment Period is approaching, and three dates deserve a place on every agent’s calendar:
October 1, 2026: 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D plan prices and benefit information are expected to post to Medicare Plan Finder.
October 15–December 7, 2026: Medicare Annual Enrollment Period, commonly called AEP.
During AEP: Some Medicare Advantage organizations may cap enrollment or close a plan to new enrollment when permitted, so availability should be monitored rather than assumed.
These milestones do not guarantee a particular premium, benefit, plan status, enrollment outcome, or compensation amount. They simply provide a practical framework for preparing your workflow and confirming information through current official channels.
This article is for licensed insurance agents and brokers. It is educational information, not legal, regulatory, compliance, Medicare, or insurance advice.
The 2027 AEP timeline at a glance
October 1: Begin refreshing 2027 plan research
Medicare Plan Finder is expected to display 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D plan prices and benefit information beginning October 1, 2026. Once the information is available, agents can begin refreshing their internal research and client-service workflow using current official plan and Medicare materials.
The October 1 update should be treated as a research milestone, not as a signal that every detail is permanently fixed. Plan information may require additional confirmation, and local availability can vary by county, service area, plan ID, and plan benefit package.
Use the official Medicare Plan Finder to review information as it becomes available. When researching a plan, record the date of the review and the source materials used.
October 15 through December 7: AEP is open
The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period runs from October 15 through December 7, 2026. During this period, eligible beneficiaries may make certain Medicare Advantage and Part D election changes under applicable Medicare rules.
The official Medicare enrollment dates page should remain the reference point for election-period information. Agents should also follow current plan, agency, and applicable state requirements when discussing enrollment processes.
An application submitted during AEP does not eliminate the need to confirm that the enrollment request was completed through an approved process and accepted by the appropriate organization.
Throughout AEP: Monitor plan enrollment status
A plan’s appearance in research materials does not necessarily mean it will remain open to new enrollment throughout AEP. When permitted, Medicare Advantage organizations may cap enrollment or close a plan to new enrollment.
That means agents should avoid treating an early-October status as a promise of availability through December 7. Monitor current plan notices, official availability information, and communications from the relevant organization or agency.
Why plan prices and benefits need careful verification
Plan prices and benefits are important, but they are only part of the information an agent may need to verify before discussing a plan-specific option with a beneficiary.
A practical review should account for:
Monthly premiums, including whether a plan-specific premium applies.
Deductibles and cost-sharing amounts.
Provider and facility information.
Pharmacy network details.
Prescription formulary information and utilization rules.
Service-area availability.
Plan ID and plan benefit package, or PBP.
Special eligibility requirements for certain plan types.
Effective dates and election-period rules.
Current plan materials, including the Summary of Benefits and Evidence of Coverage.
Official documents control. Search results, screenshots, saved spreadsheets, third-party summaries, and prior-year materials may be incomplete or outdated.
Record plan IDs, PBPs, and service areas
A useful AEP workflow should capture enough information to distinguish one plan from another. At a minimum, consider recording:
Organization name.
Plan ID.
PBP number.
County or service area.
Date and time of research.
Source used.
Availability status.
Applicable plan materials.
Notes requiring follow-up.
This documentation can help agents identify when a plan has changed, when a service area differs, or when a previously reviewed plan requires a new verification.
Do not assume that a plan available in one county is available in another. Do not assume that a beneficiary’s address, providers, pharmacies, or eligibility information will produce the same results as another beneficiary’s information.
Enrollment caps and plan closures: build a monitoring workflow
Availability is not a prediction
The possibility of an enrollment cap or closure does not mean that a particular plan will close. It means that agents should not make an unsupported assumption that every plan will remain available for new enrollment until the final day of AEP.
Avoid language that promises continued availability, guaranteed acceptance, or a specific enrollment result. Instead, verify the current status through official channels and document when the information was checked.
Watch for notices from official sources
Your monitoring workflow may include:
Plan or organization notices.
Agency or FMO communications.
Current CMS materials.
Official plan enrollment-status information.
Approved enrollment systems or processes used by the relevant organization.
State-specific requirements, where applicable.
eMavio is not part of CMS systems, Medicare Plan Finder, an EDE or web-broker enrollment platform, a TPMO workflow, or a carrier’s enrollment process. eMavio does not submit enrollment requests, determine eligibility, confirm plan availability, or approve marketing materials.
Maintain a backup process
A backup workflow should not be designed to steer beneficiaries based on compensation or to direct someone toward a plan simply because another option is unavailable.
Instead, prepare a neutral process for handling situations such as:
A plan is no longer accepting new enrollment.
A service area is different from the information previously recorded.
A provider or pharmacy record needs confirmation.
A required plan document is unavailable or has changed.
An application cannot be completed through the expected process.
Additional eligibility or election-period information is needed.
Document the question, identify the official source needed to answer it, and follow up through the appropriate licensed, plan, agency, or government channel.
October 1 marketing-rule changes to prepare for
The CY2027 Medicare marketing and communications changes take effect for applicable activity beginning October 1, 2026. Agents should review current CMS materials, plan instructions, agency policies, and training before using updated workflows.
The CMS CY2027 Agent and Broker Training and Testing Guidelines describe several relevant changes.
The 48-hour SOA wait is eliminated, but the SOA remains required
Beginning October 1, the 48-hour waiting period between a completed Scope of Appointment and a personal marketing appointment is removed.
The SOA itself remains required where applicable. Agents should still determine whether an interaction meets the definition of a personal marketing appointment and complete the required documentation before proceeding.
For in-person personal marketing appointments, CMS training materials identify a written SOA requirement. Agents should confirm the current operational details with the applicable plan, agency, and compliance resources.
The removal of the waiting period does not remove the need to:
Use an approved SOA process.
Confirm the scope of the appointment.
Keep required records.
Follow applicable recording requirements.
Respect the beneficiary’s stated scope.
Follow plan and agency procedures.
Provide the TPMO disclaimer before discussing benefits
The TPMO disclaimer remains required where applicable. Beginning October 1, the key timing change is that the disclaimer must be provided before discussion of plan benefits.
The first-minute timing requirement is removed under the CY2027 change described in CMS materials. Agents should update scripts and call workflows accordingly, while confirming the exact language and delivery requirements through current plan, agency, and CMS resources.
Do not assume that a prior script remains sufficient simply because it was used in an earlier contract year.
The 12-hour educational-to-marketing gap is removed
The 12-hour gap between an educational event and a marketing event at the same location is removed beginning October 1, subject to required safeguards.
If an educational event transitions into a marketing event, beneficiaries must be notified that the educational event is ending and that a marketing event will begin. They must also receive a sufficient opportunity to leave before the marketing event starts.
The educational portion must remain educational. Plan-specific benefits and marketing content should not be introduced during the educational presentation merely because the events may now occur closer together.
The CMS marketing models and educational materials page provides current training and model-material resources for Medicare organizations and agents.
A date-sensitive pre-AEP checklist
Use the following checklist as a workflow prompt. It is not a substitute for legal or compliance review.
Before October 1
Review current CMS CY2027 training and testing materials.
Confirm the applicable October 1 marketing-rule changes.
Update SOA procedures while preserving the SOA requirement.
Review TPMO disclaimer language and timing.
Confirm call-recording and documentation procedures with the applicable organization.
Review educational-event and marketing-event procedures.
Check current plan, agency, and FMO communications.
Create a research worksheet for plan IDs, PBPs, counties, and service areas.
Prepare a system for recording the source and date of each verification.
On or after October 1
Refresh Medicare Plan Finder research when 2027 information is posted.
Verify plan prices and benefit information through current official materials.
Record plan IDs, PBPs, service areas, and research dates.
Review provider, facility, pharmacy, and formulary information through official plan sources.
Confirm applicable marketing materials before distribution.
Use updated communication and event workflows.
Confirm the TPMO disclaimer occurs before benefits discussions where required.
Document client questions without making unsupported promises.
During AEP
Recheck plan availability before relying on earlier research.
Monitor plan notices and enrollment-capacity information.
Do not assume a plan will remain open through December 7.
Maintain a backup workflow for unavailable or changed plans.
Confirm compensation and contract terms through current plan, agency, or FMO sources.
Keep beneficiary information secure and follow privacy requirements.
Avoid steering beneficiaries based on compensation.
Document what was verified, when it was verified, and through which official source.
Confirm that every enrollment action uses an approved process.
Keep compensation and contracts separate from plan availability
A plan’s price, benefits, enrollment status, and agent compensation are separate issues. A plan’s availability should not be inferred from a compensation schedule, and compensation should not determine how a beneficiary’s options are presented.
Agents should confirm current compensation and contract terms directly through the applicable plan, agency, or FMO resources. Compensation arrangements can depend on contract terms, plan policies, applicable CMS requirements, state law, and agency procedures.
Do not rely on informal posts, old compensation charts, or unverified industry commentary. The official CMS Agent and Broker Compensation resources should be checked alongside current contractual materials.
This article intentionally does not make claims about a universal compensation period, retention rule, or payment outcome. Agents should verify the terms that apply to their own contracts and business structure.
eMavio’s role for agents
eMavio is a directory and lead-generation platform. It is not CMS, Medicare, a government entity, an EDE or web-broker enrollment platform, a TPMO, a carrier, a licensed insurance agency, a licensed insurance broker, or a compliance service.
eMavio does not:
Provide Medicare advice.
Compare Medicare plans.
Recommend plans.
Determine eligibility.
Provide quotes.
Confirm enrollment availability.
Enroll consumers.
Provide enrollment assistance.
Submit applications.
Approve marketing materials.
Provide CMS compliance approval.
Operate inside CMS, Medicare Plan Finder, EDE, TPMO, or carrier workflows.
Safe Harbor is an eMavio brand phrase only. It is not a legal safe harbor, CMS designation, regulatory approval, or guarantee of compliance.
Agents who want to learn more about participating in the eMavio directory can visit the eMavio agent registration page. Agents remain responsible for maintaining applicable licenses, training, certifications, contracts, records, disclosures, privacy practices, and compliance procedures.
Final takeaway
The 2027 AEP preparation window has three practical checkpoints: expected 2027 plan information on October 1, AEP from October 15 through December 7, and ongoing monitoring for plan enrollment caps or closures.
The strongest preparation is careful and date-sensitive:
Refresh research after October 1.
Record plan details and service areas.
Verify official materials.
Monitor availability during AEP.
Update marketing workflows for the October 1 rule changes.
Keep the SOA requirement in place.
Provide the TPMO disclaimer before benefits discussions where applicable.
Give beneficiaries notice and an opportunity to leave when an educational event transitions to marketing.
Maintain a backup workflow without steering based on compensation.
For additional company information, visit eMavio.com. Always confirm final requirements through current CMS, plan, agency, FMO, state, and contractual resources before acting.
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