Medicare Advantage Plan Ending in 2027: Your Next Steps

If your Medicare Advantage plan is being discontinued for 2027, you do not lose Medicare, but you need to arrange how you will receive coverage next year. Read the non-renewal letter, compare another Medicare Advantage plan with Original Medicare and prescription coverage, and confirm your enrollment dates. Ask about Medigap rights before deciding how to cover costs under Original Medicare.

The Annual Election Period is October 15 through December 7, 2026. People whose plan is ending generally also receive a special enrollment period, with details in the plan's notice. Keep that notice: the dates and instructions applying to your termination matter more than a national headline.

Confirm that your exact plan is ending#

UnitedHealthcare says about 390,000 members are in plans being discontinued for 2027. Humana's chief financial officer put that company's figure at roughly 600,000, as reported. Separate reports cite UnitedHealth leaving 228 counties and Humana 62, although reports differ.

Those figures provide context, not a determination about your coverage. A company can offer different plans in different areas. A county exit figure and a count of affected members also measure different things and should not be combined into one estimate.

Match the notice to your plan name, identifying information, and service area. Distinguish a non-renewal from a plan that continues with different premiums or benefits. For that distinction, use the Medicare annual notice reading checklist.

If the letter is missing or unclear, contact the plan using the number on your existing membership materials. Request an explanation of your exact plan's status and a copy of the relevant notice. An unsolicited sales call is not a substitute for that confirmation.

Turn the letter into a short action record#

Write down the current coverage end date, the stated enrollment opportunity, and the effective-date instructions. Also note any information about drug coverage or what happens if you do not select a replacement. Do not assume a neighbor's deadline or replacement recommendation applies to you.

Use the Annual Election Period to compare options while you have time to resolve questions. If relying on a special enrollment period, confirm its exact beginning, end, and effective-date rules through the notice and official Medicare enrollment help. An extension of the opportunity to enroll does not make every enrollment date produce the same coverage start.

Keep notes of calls, including whom you spoke with and what remains unresolved. If two sources give conflicting instructions, ask them to reconcile the specific plan termination rather than choosing whichever date gives you longer.

Compare the two coverage routes before shopping extras#

Another Medicare Advantage plan and Original Medicare organize coverage differently. Start with the explanation of Medicare's parts if the terms make the choices hard to compare.

Original Medicare generally does not include routine outpatient prescription drug coverage. If taking that route, review a separate Part D plan unless other qualifying drug coverage changes what you need. Ask official Medicare help how your existing coverage affects the choice rather than leaving the drug decision for later.

Medigap supplements Original Medicare; it is not a way to pay a Medicare Advantage plan's cost sharing. Consider the coverage route first so you do not apply for products that do not work together as intended.

Ask specifically about Medigap guaranteed-issue rights#

An ending Medicare Advantage plan can create Medigap guaranteed-issue protections in qualifying circumstances. These rights are tied to rules and deadlines, and state protections can differ. Do not assume every Medigap policy is available on identical terms or that an application can wait indefinitely.

Before choosing Original Medicare, ask which guaranteed-issue situation applies, what evidence you need, which policies you may buy, and when the application must be submitted. Keep the non-renewal letter as evidence. Ask how the requested Medigap effective date will align with the end of the Medicare Advantage plan.

If an insurer asks health questions or quotes terms you did not expect, clarify how it is treating your application and your claimed right. Seek help from official Medicare counseling or your state insurance department. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners provides an official starting point for locating state insurance resources.

Test replacement plans against the care you use#

Make a list of prescriptions with dose and form, regular clinicians, preferred hospital, pharmacy, and ongoing treatments. Use the same list for every plan so the comparison does not drift toward whichever brochure emphasizes more extras.

Confirm the exact network with both the plan and the provider. Ask about the office location and any associated facility, laboratory, or specialist involved in ongoing care. Acceptance of the insurance company's other plans does not establish acceptance of this one.

For drugs, check the formulary, tier, pharmacy terms, prior authorization, and other restrictions. Estimate the costs of your actual prescriptions rather than using only a plan's headline premium. If you receive ongoing treatment, ask about transition arrangements and required approvals before the new coverage starts.

Compare annual premiums with likely copayments, coinsurance, deductibles, and applicable spending protections. The cheapest premium may leave higher costs when you use care. Extra dental or fitness benefits deserve attention after you establish that necessary medical care and prescriptions are workable.

Close the enrollment loop before January care#

Use the Medicare open enrollment checklist to organize your final review. Confirm the chosen plan identifier, enrollment receipt, effective date, drug coverage, and any required payment. Keep those records with the termination notice.

Avoid submitting multiple applications merely to test different prices. If you change your selection, ask how the new enrollment affects the earlier one. Verify which coverage will be active when the old plan ends and ask for help if the dates leave any uncertainty.

Before a scheduled visit or prescription refill under the new arrangement, confirm that the provider or pharmacy has the correct coverage information. A replacement card arriving in the mail is useful, but it does not answer every question about enrollment status or treatment authorization.

This article is general information, not individualized insurance, medical, or legal advice. Confirm enrollment rules through official Medicare help and consult your state insurance department or a qualified counselor about Medigap rights.