If you are not satisfied with your current Medicare plan, you have until December 7 to change plans during the open enrollment period, which started on October 15. During this period, you can select a new part D drug plan, a new Advantage plan, switch from traditional Medicare into an Advantage plan, or switch from an Advantage plan into a traditional Medicare plan. Changes you make will go into effect January 1, 2025.

If you are currently covered by a Medicare plan, you should have received by now an annual notice of changes that will go into effect in 2025. If you haven’t received the notice, contact your provider as soon as possible.

You may have to go online to determine the list of covered drugs available in 2025 for your plan. For 2025, there is a new $2,000 cap for out-of-pocket drug costs. That limit applies to both stand-alone Part D drug plans and Advantage plans. If you have recently started taking new drugs, or have been informed that you will do so in the future, you should take into consideration the $2,000 cap when you review the available drug options.

There are likely to be significant changes in most Advantage plans, because of cost increases for most insurers that offer Advantage plans. You are likely to see significant changes in deductibles, copays and miscellaneous benefits that are offered.

Some existing Advantage plans will not be offered in 2025. If you were being covered by such a plan, you should have been already notified. The premiums for some Advantage plans may be reduced in 2025, but for many plans the cost will increase. Healthpilot estimates that the average cost of Advantage plans for in-network care, excluding “special-needs care,” will increase annually by a little more than $450 to approximately $5,900. You should pay attention to the “maximum out-of-pocket cost”; this is the total amount you could pay for your medical care, which would include copays and other expenses.

Make sure when you comparison shop that the maximum out-of-pocket costs are defined the same way among insurers. For example, generally, these costs would only refer to expenses from doctors and healthcare providers in your plan’s network. If you use services outside that network, those costs would not be included. Out-of-pocket costs related to your drug plan, or other care such as dental, are probably not included in the network’s definition of maximum cost.

The most significant changes in next year’s plans are related to limits of drug costs and increases in deductibles. The number of stand-alone Part D plans that will be dropped is approximately 25%. Many of the remaining plans are increasing drug deductibles and making other changes that would increase your out-of-pocket costs. On the positive side, out-of-pocket costs for Part D medications will be limited to $2,000 annually based on federal legislation. You will also have the option to pay the drug costs in monthly installments during 2025.

Medicare.gov is an excellent source to determine if your drugs are included in a plan, and the associated cost. For additional details, you can go to the insurer’s website for a list of the covered drugs.

Insurance companies and agents who work on commissions can be biased in their recommendations. Using unbiased sources should help you control your costs. A valuable source is Medicare’s website, Medicare.gov. Another unbiased source is the State Health Insurance Program (SHIP.) There is a SHIP program with unpaid, trained counselors in each state. I volunteered for SHIP for several years, and I recommend their assistance.

Another valuable source is the nonprofit Medicare Rights Center, which maintains a national helpline (800-333-4114). Other sources that can provide useful, unbiased background are the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF.org), a healthcare nonprofit, and the Center for Medicare Advocacy.

Bottom line: Don’t wait until the last minute to comparison shop. There are many significant changes, so take your time and use unbiased sources to help you make cost-effective choices.

Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at raphelliot@gmail.com.