Some Medicare Advantage Plans Are Ending, So Check Your Coverage Before December 7

Medicare's fall open enrollment runs through December 7, and this year it carries an extra warning. Public radio station WUNC reports that a number of Medicare Advantage plans are being discontinued for 2027, leaving some people with fewer choices. Any change you make now takes effect January 1.

An analysis of federal data by KFF, a health policy research group, found that 193 counties will have no Medicare Advantage plan that includes prescription drug coverage open to general enrollment next year. In most of those counties, no Advantage plan of any kind is open to new enrollees, while a few still offer a plan without drug coverage. Most of the affected counties are rural, and WUNC reports that more than 4 million people across the country will see their Advantage or standalone drug plans discontinued.

In North Carolina alone, WUNC reports that an estimated 40,000 people on Medicare will lose their current plan at the end of the year. The pullback is driven mainly by large insurers scaling back where they offer plans. Even plans that stay may look different, with higher premiums, new deductibles, or changes to which drugs and doctors are covered.

A separate change affects standalone Part D drug plans. A federal program that gave extra money to hold down Part D premiums was set to run through 2027 but will end after 2026 instead. WUNC reports that this helped push the average standalone Part D premium higher, and the Part D cap on what you pay out of pocket rises to $2,400 in 2027.

If your plan is being dropped, you get more time. People in a canceled plan qualify for a special enrollment period that runs until February 28, 2027. There is also a second window from January 1 to March 31 when anyone already in a Medicare Advantage plan can switch to a different one or return to original Medicare.

Advocates say everyone should look at their coverage this fall, even people who do not plan to switch. Insurers mail an annual notice each fall that lists changes to your plan for the coming year. It is worth reading closely to make sure your plan still exists, still covers your medicines, and still includes your doctors. If you need help, the State Health Insurance Assistance Program, known as SHIP, offers free one-on-one guidance in every state.