Your 2026 Medicare AEP Review Checklist — Metro Detroit Seniors, Read This Before October

The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period — AEP — opens October 15, 2026. That's when Metro Detroit seniors can change their Medicare Advantage plan, switch Part D drug plans, or move between Original Medicare and Advantage. The problem is most people wait until October to start preparing. By then, the window is crowded, rushed, and reactive. Here's your preparation guide — eight weeks before AEP.

Why Prepare Before AEP Opens

An October review is a comparison review — looking at the plans available in your area and choosing the best fit. But the most important part of a good AEP review is understanding what you currently have and what you actually spent last year. That homework takes time. Gathering your prescriptions, reviewing your current plan's formulary, checking whether your doctors are still in-network, and tallying last year's out-of-pocket costs — none of this should be done in a rush. Do it now.

The 2026 Medicare AEP Review Checklist

Five things to gather before your review:

1. Your Medicare card and current plan documents — Summary of Benefits, drug formulary.
2. A complete list of every prescription you currently take, including dosage. Formulary coverage is where plans differ most dramatically, and the GLP-1 Bridge Program makes this especially important in 2026.
3. Your current doctors and whether they're in-network for any plan you're considering.
4. Your out-of-pocket spending from the past 12 months.
5. Your health outlook for 2027 — planned procedures, new specialists, anticipated prescriptions.

What's Different in 2026: The GLP-1 Coverage Factor

The Medicare GLP-1 Bridge Program launched July 1, 2026. For the first time, Medicare covers GLP-1 weight-loss medications at a $50/month fixed copayment. But not all plans have updated their formularies equally. During AEP, some Michigan Medicare Advantage plans and Part D drug plans will offer significantly better GLP-1 coverage than others. If you're currently on or considering a GLP-1 medication, your formulary comparison this AEP is more important than in prior years.

Medicare Advantage vs. Original Medicare: The 2026 Consideration

Medicare Advantage plans can offer attractive premiums, bundled drug coverage, and added benefits. The trade-off is network restriction. For Metro Detroit seniors managing multiple conditions across multiple specialists, Original Medicare with a Medigap supplement often provides more flexibility and predictability. This decision should be made based on your specific health situation, not based on which plan has the lowest premium.

National Senior Citizens Day — August 21

August 21 is National Senior Citizens Day. For the Metro Detroit seniors who built this city — the auto workers, teachers, first responders, and municipal workers — this is a week to acknowledge the careers behind the retirements. It's also a reminder to take action on the things that protect what you've built. A Medicare review costs nothing. An incorrect Medicare plan can cost thousands.

FAQ

Closing CTA

AEP is eight weeks away. My October 1 appointment calendar is open now. If you're in Wayne, Oakland, or Macomb County and haven't done a Medicare review in the past 12 months — book your free appointment at LifestyleSafety.com or call (313) 450-9543. Happy National Senior Citizens Day to every Metro Detroit senior who built this city.