By Marc Gilman
📞 Call (800) 927-9326 or (603) 493-1394 | ✉️
Most Medicare members follow the same routine every fall: wait for the Annual Enrollment Period to open October 15, read the Annual Notice of Change when it arrives, and either stay put or scramble to switch before December 7. For most of the last decade, that approach was adequate. Plans stayed largely stable, benefits held, and premiums stayed low.
That approach is not adequate heading into 2027. And if you’re planning to start thinking about it on October 15, you’re already starting from behind.
Key Takeaways
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The 2027 Medicare Advantage market is the most volatile in years — carrier exits, benefit reductions, and premium increases are coming in a wave driven by a CMS rate increase that fell short of what most plans needed.
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Starting your review now — before Annual Enrollment opens — gives you a clear picture of your options before the noise of open enrollment season starts.
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A local independent agent knows the NH market specifically: which carriers have been stable, which plans have adjusted their networks, and what’s actually available in your county.
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If your plan exits your county, a guaranteed issue window for Medigap opens briefly — but acting on it requires understanding your options before the letter arrives, not during a scramble afterward.
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A Medicare review with Gilman Agency is always free. Carriers pay agent commissions; your premium is the same whether you work with an agent or enroll directly.
Why October 15 Is Too Late to Start
The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7 — 53 days to review your plan, compare alternatives, and make a change that takes effect January 1, 2027. That sounds like plenty of time. In a stable year, it is. In a volatile one, it isn’t.
Consider what you’re actually trying to do during those 53 days in a year like this: review your current plan’s Annual Notice of Change, understand what benefits have changed, compare competing Medicare Advantage plans available in your county, verify that your doctors and pharmacy are still in-network on any plan you’re considering switching to, compare your plan’s formulary against your current medications, and — if your plan is exiting your county or you’re exploring Medigap — understand an entirely different type of coverage architecture.
That’s a lot of work. And you’re doing all of it during the same six weeks when every Medicare marketing campaign in the country is running simultaneously, every agent is at maximum capacity, and TV ads, mailers, and call centers are competing for your attention.
Doing the groundwork in August or September — while it’s quiet, while agents have time for thorough conversations, while you can think clearly — produces consistently better decisions than doing it all under AEP deadline pressure.
4 Reasons to Call Before October 15
1. You understand your starting position before the noise starts.
Before October 15, the Medicare marketing machine ramps up aggressively — mailers, television ads, call centers. Working through your current coverage and your options now, while it’s still quiet, lets you make a clear-headed assessment. By the time AEP opens and the pressure is on, you’ll know where you stand rather than figuring it out under deadline.
2. You know exactly what to look for when your Annual Notice of Change arrives.
Your plan must send you the Annual Notice of Change by September 30, detailing every change taking effect January 1, 2027. If you’ve done a preliminary review with a local agent before that date, you’ll know exactly what a benefit change means for your specific situation — your doctors, your medications, your financial exposure. You won’t be staring at a document wondering whether the change matters for you.
3. You have time to understand Medigap if it becomes relevant.
If your Medicare Advantage plan exits your county, a guaranteed issue window for Medigap opens briefly. Acting on that window well means understanding the differences between Plan G and Plan N, knowing what Medigap premiums look like in New Hampshire for your age, and making a deliberate choice — not a rushed one. That understanding takes more than one phone call on a busy enrollment day in November. Building it now means you’re ready if the opportunity arrives.
4. You’re not competing with thousands of others trying to reach an agent in October.
Annual Enrollment is the busiest six weeks of the year for every Medicare agent in the country — and for Medicare.gov, plan member services lines, and SHIP counselors. Calling now means a thorough, unhurried conversation. Calling in October means waiting on hold, getting rushed through a comparison, or settling for generic guidance rather than specific advice about your situation.
Why a Local Agent Matters More Than Ever in 2027
A national call center can process your enrollment. What it cannot do:
It doesn’t know that Anthem and Martin’s Point both exited the New Hampshire individual Medicare Advantage market in 2026 — or what that disruption looked like for the beneficiaries who had to scramble for alternatives. It doesn’t know which carriers have demonstrated stability in Hillsborough County through recent turbulence. It doesn’t know your doctors, your preferred hospital, your pharmacy, or the coverage context you’ve built over years.
In a stable year, that gap matters less. In a volatile one — and 2027 is volatile — it matters enormously.
As a local independent agent based in Bedford, working across Manchester, Nashua, Merrimack, and all of Hillsborough County, I track the NH Medicare plan landscape year-round, not just during enrollment season. I know which carriers have stayed, which have pulled back, and which plans have adjusted their networks in the markets I serve.
Independent also means not contractually restricted to one carrier. When I compare plans for you, I’m comparing what’s actually available and what actually fits your situation — not what pays me a higher commission.
What a Pre-AEP Review Actually Covers
A Medicare review before Annual Enrollment isn’t about enrolling you in anything. It’s about giving you a clear picture of where you stand and what your options are before you need to make a decision under time pressure. A typical pre-AEP review covers:
Your current plan status. Is your current Medicare Advantage plan stable in your county for 2027? Has it signaled changes to benefits, premiums, or network? Are your current doctors and preferred hospital still in-network?
Your medication coverage. Are your current medications covered under your plan’s 2027 formulary, and at what tier? Would any competing plan offer better coverage for your specific drug list?
Your alternatives. What other Medicare Advantage plans are available in your county for 2027? If your plan is exiting or significantly changing, is Original Medicare plus a Medigap supplement a better fit for your situation?
The Medigap question. If a guaranteed issue window opens for you — either through a plan exit or another qualifying event — what would Medigap cost in New Hampshire for your age, and what would it actually cover?
Your decision framework. You don’t have to decide anything during this conversation. The goal is to go into Annual Enrollment knowing your options, so that when October 15 arrives, you’re making an informed choice rather than a reactive one.
What to Have Ready When You Call
You don’t need everything on this list to start a conversation — a phone call is enough. But the more you have ready, the more specific and useful the review can be:
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Your current Medicare card and plan ID card
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A list of your current doctors, specialists, and preferred hospital
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A list of your current medications — name, dosage, and how often you take them
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Your current plan name and carrier
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Any Annual Notice of Change documents you’ve already received
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Medicare review really free? Yes. Working with a licensed Medicare agent costs you nothing. Carriers pay agent commissions, and your premium is the same whether you enroll through an agent or directly with the plan.
Can I switch Medicare plans before Annual Enrollment opens? In most cases, no — Medicare Advantage plan changes are made during the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15–December 7) unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. The purpose of a pre-AEP review isn’t to enroll you early — it’s to make sure you’re prepared to make the best decision when the window opens.
I’ve had the same plan for years and haven’t had problems. Should I still call? Yes — especially this year. Plan stability in prior years doesn’t predict 2027 performance. The plans most disrupted in 2026 were plans that had been stable for several years before market conditions shifted. An annual review is always worth doing. Heading into 2027, it’s more important than it’s been in quite some time.
What’s the difference between working with you versus calling my plan directly? When you call your plan, they’ll tell you what your plan offers. When you call an independent agent, you get a comparison across all plans available to you — including plans from other carriers — along with context about what’s actually changed in your county and whether your current plan is still the right fit. Those are different conversations.
When should I call? Now. The quietest, most productive time to have this conversation is before October, while enrollment season pressure hasn’t started and there’s time to do it right.
Serving Bedford and All of Hillsborough County
Gilman Agency helps Medicare beneficiaries throughout Hillsborough County prepare for Annual Enrollment — in Bedford, Manchester, Nashua, Merrimack, Goffstown, Amherst, Milford, Hudson, Hollis, Litchfield, Pelham, Brookline, New Boston, Weare, Antrim, Bennington, Deering, Francestown, Greenfield, Greenville, Hancock, Hillsborough, Lyndeborough, Mason, Mont Vernon, New Ipswich, Peterborough, Sharon, Temple, Wilton, and Windsor.
If you’re on Medicare Advantage and want a clear picture of what 2027 looks like for your specific plan and situation, give us a call now. That conversation is always free — and right now is the right time to have it.
📞 (800) 927-9326 or (603) 493-1394 | ✉️
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