If your Medicare Advantage plan is ending in 2027, you will not lose Medicare, but you do need to choose new coverage. You can pick a new Medicare Advantage plan, or you can move to Original Medicare with a drug plan and maybe a Medigap plan. If you do nothing, you go back to Original Medicare on January 1, 2027, with no drug coverage. More people are getting these letters this year than in years past. Here is what the letter means, the dates to know, and how to pick your next plan.
Why Are So Many Medicare Advantage Plans Ending in 2027?
Insurance companies decide each year where they will sell plans. For 2027, many of them are cutting back. Becker’s Payer Issues counted 12 insurers leaving Medicare Advantage for 2027. In New England, that includes Mass Advantage in Worcester County, Massachusetts, and WellSense in every county in New Hampshire.
Some big insurers are also dropping plans in some areas. Reports in October 2026 said Humana’s cuts affect about 600,000 members and UnitedHealthcare’s cuts affect about 390,000. The Medicare Rights Center says the average person will have about 35 Medicare Advantage plans to choose from in 2027, down from 39 in 2026. Insurers point to rising medical costs, higher drug costs, and more people using care.
The good news is that most people still have plenty of choices. Medicare says 97% of people with Medicare can pick from 10 or more Medicare Advantage plans in 2027. But a plan you liked may not be one of them. That is why it is important to act on your letter and not set it aside.
What Does a Non-Renewal Letter Mean?
A non-renewal letter tells you your plan will not be offered in your area next year. Plans send these letters in early October. Your plan still covers you through December 31, 2026. Your doctors, drugs, and benefits stay the same until then.
The letter matters for another reason, too. It is your proof that your plan is leaving. You may need it to use a special enrollment period or to buy a Medigap plan without health questions. Keep it in a safe place with your other Medicare papers.
Read the letter closely, because not every letter means the same thing. Sometimes a plan ends in only some counties. Sometimes a company moves you to a different plan it still offers. If your letter says you will be moved to a new plan, check that plan’s doctors, drugs, and costs before you accept it.
Your Key Dates If Your Plan Is Ending
You get more time than most people to choose a new plan. You can use regular Open Enrollment, and you also get a special enrollment period of your own. Here are the dates to mark on your calendar.
- October 15 to December 7, 2026: Open Enrollment. Pick a new plan, and it starts on January 1, 2027.
- December 31, 2026: Pick a plan by this date so your new coverage starts on January 1, with no gap.
- December 8, 2026 to February 28, 2027: Your special enrollment period for plans that do not renew. You can still join a new plan in this window.
If you join a plan in January or February, it starts on the first day of the next month. That means you could have a gap in drug coverage in January. If you take drugs every day, choose your new plan before the end of December. That way your new card is ready when the year starts.
Your Three Main Options
Option 1: Join a Different Medicare Advantage Plan
Many people choose a new Medicare Advantage plan from a different company. These plans often have low or $0 premiums and include drug coverage. Before you pick one, check that your doctors and hospitals are in its network. Also check every drug you take on the plan’s 2027 drug list. Compare the yearly out-of-pocket limit, too, since it can be very different from plan to plan.
Option 2: Move to Original Medicare With a Drug Plan
You can go back to Original Medicare, which lets you see any doctor in the country who takes Medicare. If you do, you need to join a stand-alone Part D drug plan. Your special enrollment period lets you join one. If you skip drug coverage for 63 days or more in a row, you may owe a late penalty for as long as you have Part D.
Option 3: Add a Medigap Plan to Original Medicare
Original Medicare alone leaves gaps, like the 20% you pay for most doctor visits. A Medigap plan helps pay those costs. In most states, Medigap companies can ask health questions and charge more, or say no, if you apply after your first chance. When your Medicare Advantage plan leaves your area, you get a special right that changes this. Our post on the differences between Medigap and Medicare Advantage can help you weigh the two paths.
Your Medigap Rights When Your Plan Ends
When a Medicare Advantage plan leaves Medicare or stops serving your area, federal law gives you a “guaranteed issue right.” This means a Medigap company cannot turn you down or charge you more because of your health. It applies to Medigap Plans A, B, D, G, K, and L sold in your state. Plans C and F are also included if you first got Medicare before January 1, 2020.
The timing is important. You can apply as early as 60 days before your Medicare Advantage coverage ends. You can apply as late as 63 days after it ends. If your plan ends on December 31, 2026, that window opens around November 1, 2026, and closes in early March 2027.
Some states give people even more Medigap rights. For example, New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts let people buy a Medigap plan at any time of year. Rules can be different where you live, so ask a local agent what applies in your state. You can find agents by state on our Medicare insurance agents near me page.
Steps to Take This Month
A plan ending can feel stressful, but you have time to make a good choice. The key is to start early and not wait until the last week. At We Can Help You, we see the best results when people start comparing plans in October. Here is a simple checklist.
- Read your letter and keep it with your Medicare papers.
- Make a list of your doctors, hospitals, and pharmacy.
- Make a list of every drug you take, with the dose.
- Decide if you want another Medicare Advantage plan, or Original Medicare with a drug plan and maybe Medigap.
- Compare plans on Medicare’s Plan Finder, or with a licensed local agent.
- Enroll by December 31, 2026, so your new coverage starts on January 1.
If you want to learn more about the dates that apply to everyone, see our guide to Medicare enrollment periods. It explains Open Enrollment, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1 to March 31, and special enrollment periods. Knowing these dates can give you a second chance if your first choice does not work out.
Conclusion
If your Medicare Advantage plan is ending in 2027, you still have Medicare, and you have options. You can join a new Medicare Advantage plan, or move to Original Medicare with a drug plan and possibly a Medigap plan using your guaranteed issue right. Pick your new plan by December 31, 2026, to avoid a gap, and know that your special enrollment period runs through February 28, 2027. We Can Help You is a nonprofit, and we connect people with licensed local agents at no cost. Find a Medicare agent near you to compare your 2027 options before time runs short.
