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A University of Michigan poll found that 60% of adults aged 65 and older spent less than an hour reviewing Medicare options during the previous Open Enrollment; 27% said they spent no time reviewing them. Awareness of several 2026 policy changes was limited, even as respondents identified out-of-pocket costs, drug coverage and provider networks as important factors.
Six in 10 older adults spent less than an hour reviewing Medicare coverage during the previous Open Enrollment, and 27% said they did not review their options at all, according to a University of Michigan poll. The findings also point to limited awareness of several policy changes affecting coverage and prescription costs, as the next enrollment period for 2027 plans runs October 15 through December 7, 2026.
The National Poll on Healthy Aging, based at the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, surveyed Medicare enrollees aged 65 and older from a nationally representative sample shortly after the previous Open Enrollment. Overall, 80% said they kept the coverage they had the year before. The report does not establish that staying with an existing plan was a poor choice; it reports how much time respondents spent reviewing alternatives and what they said about their decisions.
Among those who reviewed available coverage, 25% named a Medicare resource—the website’s plan-finding tool or the Medicare hotline—as their most important information source. An insurance broker was the top source for 26%, while 21% named a health-plan website and 5% named a free local counselor, such as one from the State Health Insurance Assistance Program, or SHIP. Despite the limited review time reported, 92% said they were somewhat or very confident in making Medicare coverage decisions.
Awareness of policy changes was also low in the poll. Thirty-eight percent had heard that Medicare could negotiate prices for 10 high-cost drugs, while 29% knew about changes to the drug deductible and annual out-of-pocket cap. Just 15% were aware that the Medicare Plan Finder had added information about which doctors and other providers are in network for a Medicare Advantage plan. The report says the negotiated-price change’s effect on an individual depends on the Part D plan they enroll in.
Why Plan Reviews Can Affect Costs
Medicare choices can shape a person’s premiums and out-of-pocket spending, as well as which prescription drugs and health-care providers are covered during the plan year. The poll found that respondents themselves placed these issues high on their list: 69% selected out-of-pocket costs as a leading factor, and 63% selected medication coverage. Provider network coverage was also among the factors respondents considered important.
The findings matter because plan details and individual needs may change, while a person’s current coverage can appear familiar and convenient. University of Michigan researchers said a plan that suited someone previously may not remain the best fit for their health needs, preferred doctors, hospitals or prescriptions. The poll does not show that people who spent little time reviewing plans paid more or received worse care; it documents the reported review habits and awareness levels.
Free SHIP counselors are available in every state, according to the report, and do not have a financial stake in which plan a person chooses. The poll’s finding that only 5% named a local counselor as their most important source highlights a resource that researchers say many older adults may not know about.
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The Poll Behind the Findings
The University of Michigan team collected responses just after the previous Medicare Open Enrollment, asking enrollees aged 65 and older about how they assessed coverage and which sources they relied on. The results are reported by the National Poll on Healthy Aging. The supplied report does not provide the poll’s sample size, response rate, exact field dates or margin of error, so those measures cannot be assessed from the information available here.
The poll also asked about changes made by federal lawmakers and the agency that runs Medicare for 2026. It reported that 15 additional drugs are scheduled to be added for 2027 to the list affected by Medicare’s drug-price negotiation program, with the drugs included in the Medicare Plan Finder’s drug coverage information. Changes to the deductible and annual cap on drug costs were described as potentially increasing some enrollees’ exposure to costs; the report does not give individual dollar impacts.
For the 2027 coverage year, the stated Open Enrollment window is October 15 to December 7, 2026. Researchers involved in the poll said plan suitability depends on factors such as a person’s conditions, prescriptions and preferred providers. They also cautioned that partners in the same household may not have the same best plan.
“It’s easy to ‘set it and forget it’ with Medicare, especially if you have coverage that you like and assume is the best that’s out there.”
— Geoffrey Hoffman, associate professor at the University of Michigan School of Nursing and Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation member
What the Poll Cannot Establish
The findings describe what respondents reported; they do not show whether reviewing plans for longer would have changed coverage choices or improved costs or care. The source material supplied here does not include sample size, response rate, field dates or margin of error, limiting the detail available for evaluating the poll’s precision.
The report also does not quantify how the 2026 drug deductible and annual out-of-pocket cap changes affect particular beneficiaries. The impact of negotiated drug prices varies by an enrollee’s Part D plan, according to the report. It remains unclear from the available material how many respondents’ actual costs or provider access changed because of these policies.
The 2027 Enrollment Window
The next Medicare Open Enrollment period is scheduled for October 15 through December 7, 2026, for 2027 coverage. The poll’s researchers say older adults may want to compare options against their current prescriptions, health needs, preferred clinicians and likely costs, and seek help if they need it. The report identifies Medicare’s Plan Finder and hotline, as well as free SHIP counseling, as sources of assistance.
The next practical milestone is the enrollment period itself, when people can review available plans for their area. The source material does not specify further poll follow-up or new policy announcements tied to that period.
Key Questions
What did the University of Michigan poll find about Medicare plan reviews?
Sixty percent of respondents aged 65 and older said they spent less than an hour reviewing coverage during the previous Open Enrollment. That figure included 27% who said they did not review their options.
How many respondents kept the same Medicare coverage?
Eight in 10 said they kept the coverage they had the previous year. The poll does not establish whether staying with the same plan was the right or wrong choice for any individual.
Were older adults aware of the reported Medicare policy changes?
Awareness was limited in the poll: 38% had heard about negotiated prices for 10 high-cost drugs, 29% knew about deductible and annual cap changes, and 15% knew the Plan Finder had added Medicare Advantage provider network information.
When is Medicare Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage?
The report gives the enrollment dates as October 15 to December 7, 2026.
Where can people get help comparing Medicare plans?
The report identifies the Medicare Plan Finder, Medicare hotline and free SHIP counselors as sources of information. SHIP counselors are available in every state, according to the report.
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