Nearly 69 million Americans who are disabled or 65 or older receive health insurance through Medicare. Most of them must select a private insurance plan to receive all of their medical benefits, prescription drug coverage, or supplemental coverage. They are about to receive a deluge of insurance company mail during the eight-week enrollment period that opens Wednesday, urging them to switch plans for 2026.

As a behavioral researcher and a former chief operating officer at Medicare, we know that switching could save beneficiaries hundreds — perhaps thousands — of dollars per year, depending on how their insurer has changed their plan and how their coverage needs have changed.

But most beneficiaries won’t switch, or even look at whether there is a better plan available for them. A KFF sur

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