Are Medicare Advantage Plans Going Away in 2027?

SOMEBODY IS GROWING

While the largest carriers pulled back, Devoted Health added 336 counties for 2027 — the single biggest expansion of any carrier — and Alignment added nine. If your plan is going away, there may be a new option in your county that was not there last year.

OPTION 1
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STAY WITH PART C

Another Medicare Advantage plan. The simplest move. You keep the structure you are used to — low premium, capped annual spending, extra benefits. Check two things before you commit: whether your doctors are in the new plan’s network, and whether your prescriptions sit on its formulary at a tier you can afford. Both change from plan to plan even within the same carrier. Our 2027 carrier rankings score the majors on quality, stability and availability.

OPTION 2
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KEEP IT SIMPLE

Original Medicare plus a standalone Part D plan. Any doctor in the country who accepts Medicare, no network, minimal prior authorization. You must actively enroll in the drug plan — this is the path where people accidentally trigger the late enrollment penalty by assuming coverage carries over.

OPTION 3
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THE WINDOW THAT CLOSES

Original Medicare plus Medigap plus Part D. This is the option worth understanding properly, because your plan going away gives you a right you may never have again.

Guaranteed issue means they cannot say no. Because your plan is terminating, you can buy a Medigap policy without answering health questions and with no pre-existing condition waiting period. The qualifying plans are Medigap A, B, C, F, K and L — though Plans C and F are only available to people who became eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020, which makes Plan G the most comprehensive choice for everyone else. You have 63 days after your coverage ends to apply. Outside a guaranteed-issue situation, insurers in most states can ask about your health and decline you outright.

➤ How do I know if my Medicare Advantage plan is going away in 2027?

Your plan must send you a written non-renewal notice by October 1, 2026, or at least 90 calendar days before the plan ends. That letter states plainly that the plan will not be offered next year and lists your alternatives. It is separate from the Annual Notice of Change, which every member receives in September and which only describes changes to a plan that is continuing. News coverage cannot answer this for you, because Medicare Advantage is sold county by county and a carrier cutting plans in one state may be leaving yours alone.

➤ Which Medicare Advantage plans are going away for 2027?

Humana is exiting plans covering roughly 600,000 members. UnitedHealthcare is leaving 34 counties across 12 states, with about two-thirds of affected policies being PPOs. Aetna froze broker commissions on 123 plans across 33 states and nearly 780 counties. Molina is dropping its standard individual Medicare Advantage drug plans entirely, and Presbyterian Health Plan is exiting most of its markets. Kaiser Permanente is the only major carrier with no announced contraction. Specific county and plan lists arrive with the non-renewal notices and the October 1 plan data release.

➤ What happens if my Medicare Advantage plan goes away and I do nothing?

Your plan ends December 31 and you are automatically returned to Original Medicare on January 1. You keep Part A and Part B, but with 20% coinsurance and no annual cap. Critically, if your plan included prescription coverage that ends too, and nothing replaces it automatically. Your dental, vision, hearing and over-the-counter benefits end as well. Going 63 days or more without creditable drug coverage triggers a permanent Part D late enrollment penalty.

➤ Can I get a Medigap policy if my Medicare Advantage plan is going away?

Yes, and without medical underwriting. A terminating plan gives you guaranteed issue rights, meaning insurers cannot ask health questions, cannot decline you and cannot impose a pre-existing condition waiting period. The qualifying policies are Medigap Plans A, B, C, F, K and L. Plans C and F are only available to people who became eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020, so for most people today Plan G is the most comprehensive option. You must apply within 63 days of your coverage ending.

➤ Why are Medicare Advantage plans going away?

Carriers are prioritizing profitability and plan quality over footprint. Medical costs have risen faster than the federal payments plans receive, and contracts rated 4 stars and above earn bonus payments that lower-rated ones do not, so insurers are concentrating on their better-performing plans and dropping the rest. Humana’s CFO described the strategy as using plan exits to prioritize higher-performing plans. The effect falls hardest on rural counties, where fewer carriers compete to begin with.

➤ My plan is not going away but the benefits got worse. What can I do?

You can change plans during Annual Enrollment, October 15 through December 7, like anyone else. What you do not get is a Special Enrollment Period or guaranteed-issue Medigap rights, because those are triggered by a plan ending, not by a plan getting worse. If your Annual Notice of Change shows higher copays, a smaller network or drugs moving to higher tiers, treat Annual Enrollment as your window and compare properly rather than renewing by default.

➤ What if there are no other Medicare Advantage plans in my county?

This is a real possibility in rural areas, where two carriers often hold three-quarters of the market. If no comparable Advantage plan is available, your path is Original Medicare plus a standalone Part D plan, ideally with a Medigap policy purchased under your guaranteed issue rights. That combination costs more monthly but is accepted by any provider nationwide, which matters more when local plan choice is thin.

➤ Does a plan going away affect my Part B or my Social Security?

No. Your Part A and Part B enrollment continues regardless of what happens to a Medicare Advantage plan, and your Part B premium is unaffected. The one financial change some people notice is losing a Part B giveback, a benefit some Advantage plans offer that reduces part of your Part B premium. If the plan going away included a giveback, that reduction ends and your full Part B premium resumes.

➤ When do I need to decide by for 2027 coverage?

Annual Enrollment runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, and choosing within that window gives you coverage starting January 1 with no gap. If your plan is going away you also get a Special Enrollment Period that extends past December 7, and your Medigap guaranteed issue rights run for 63 days after your coverage ends. Those are safety nets rather than a reason to delay, since deciding during Annual Enrollment is the only way to guarantee continuous coverage from January 1.

➤ Where can I see the 2027 plans available in my area?

Plan-level details for every 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D plan publish October 1, 2026 — premiums, provider networks, drug formularies, supplemental benefits and the new star ratings, for every county. Nothing before that date reflects actual 2027 plan offerings in your area. Once the data is live, compare the specific plans available where you live rather than relying on national carrier averages, since a strong carrier nationally can offer a weak plan in your county and the reverse is equally true.