Goodsurance

Enrollment & timing

Plans Are Ending for 2027. Here Is What Medicare Advantage Members Need to Know Before December 7.

Beneficiaries whose plans will not return in 2027 have more time than the standard open enrollment deadline to find new coverage, but the window to ensure January 1 coverage closes at year-end.

By the Goodsurance editorial teamOctober 24, 2026

Medicare's annual open enrollment period runs through December 7, 2026, but the millions of beneficiaries whose 2026 Medicare Advantage plans are being discontinued for 2027 face a distinct set of rules and a longer timeline.

Insurers that chose not to renew their plans were required to mail non-renewal notices to affected members in early October. Those members automatically qualify for a special enrollment period that runs from December 8, 2026 through the end of February 2027. Under that window, a beneficiary can switch to any available Medicare Advantage plan in their area, pair traditional Medicare with a separate drug plan, or make other coverage changes. Beneficiaries who want coverage to begin on January 1, 2027 still need to select a replacement plan by December 31, 2026. Any enrollment made after December 31 produces a gap before the new coverage begins.

Your 2027 Medicare Advantage plan is ending. You have until February 28, 2027 to choose a new one, but act by December 31 to avoid a coverage gap.

Beneficiaries who take no action by January 1 will be automatically enrolled in another Medicare Advantage plan if one is available in their county. If no replacement plan exists in the area, CMS will return the person to traditional Medicare. Traditional Medicare does not include prescription drug coverage, so beneficiaries moved to original Medicare who want Part D protection would need to enroll in a separate drug plan as well.

As of late October, NPR reported that 193 counties across the country had no Medicare Advantage plan available for 2027 at all. Anyone unsure whether their plan is continuing can log in to Medicare.gov to check their status. Free one-on-one counseling is available from State Health Insurance Assistance Programs in every state.

In plain words

Medicare open enrollment runs until December 7. But if your plan is ending for next year, you get extra time. Your insurer should have sent you a letter in October. If you missed it, go to Medicare.gov to check your plan status. You can pick a new plan from December 8 through the end of February 2027. If you want your new plan to start January 1, choose by December 31. If you wait past December 31, your new coverage will not start right away. If you do nothing at all, you will be placed in another plan automatically. If no other plan is available where you live, you will be moved back to regular Medicare. Regular Medicare does not include drug coverage. So if that happens, you may also need to sign up for a separate drug plan. Help is free. Every state has a counselor who can walk you through your choices at no charge.

Understand the basics first

Source: NPR
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