Medicare open enrollment begins today: What you need to look out for

Medicare open enrollment begins today, and state officials say this year, Oklahomans will notice fewer prescription drug plans to choose from — a change that could affect premiums, copays, and which pharmacies are covered.

The Oklahoma Insurance Department says the number of available dropped from .

“Maybe something has changed,” said Ray Walker , division director for the department’s Medicare Assistance Program (MAP) . “Maybe the plan that they're currently on — the monthly premium may have gone up, or perhaps they've had some medication changes their doctor has made.”

What’s different this year?

Open enrollment runs from and gives Medicare beneficiaries the chance to review or change their coverage for 2026.

Walker says even small differences in plan networks can have big conse