Medicare Advantage Plan Ending in 2027? What to Do Before December 7

If you got a letter about your Medicare Advantage plan ending on December 31, 2026, you need to choose new coverage for 2027. You have two windows. The Annual Enrollment Period runs through December 7, 2026, and new coverage starts January 1. After that, people whose plan is not renewed get a Special Enrollment Period from December 8, 2026 to February 28, 2027.

If you do nothing, Medicare moves you to Original Medicare on January 1, 2027, without drug coverage. You may also have a right to buy a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policy without medical questions. This guide walks through the letter, the deadlines, the steps and the rights, in plain English.

Your deadlines at a glance

What	When	Why it matters
Non-renewal letter from your plan	Mailed at least 90 days before the plan ends, so dated by October 2, 2026	It confirms your plan is ending and lists your options
Annual Enrollment Period	October 15 – December 7, 2026	Join a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan; coverage starts January 1, 2027
Your current plan's last day	December 31, 2026	Coverage under the ending plan stops
Special Enrollment Period for a non-renewed plan	December 8, 2026 – February 28, 2027	A second chance to join a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan
Right to buy a Medigap policy without medical questions	From 60 days before your coverage ends to 63 days after it ends	Only if you move to Original Medicare
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period	January 1 – March 31, 2027	One more change if the new Medicare Advantage plan isn't working out

Why is my Medicare Advantage plan ending?

Medicare Advantage plans are offered by private companies that contract with Medicare. Each contract runs for a calendar year. A company can decide not to renew a plan for the next year, or to stop offering it in some counties. Medicare calls the first a non-renewal and the second a service area reduction. For you, both usually mean the same thing: your plan is not available where you live in 2027.

Federal rules require the company to tell you in writing at least 90 calendar days before the plan ends. For a plan ending December 31, 2026, that letter is dated by October 2, 2026. The letter must describe your other options for Medicare coverage in your area, or the company must call you so you know who to contact about them.

How big is the change for 2027?

More plans are leaving than usual. KFF reported on October 9, 2026 that people in 193 counties will have no Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage open to general enrollment in 2027, up from 123 counties in 2026. One large insurer said on its July 29, 2026 earnings call that its planned 2027 exits would affect about 600,000 members.

Most people still have choices. CMS said on September 28, 2026 that more than 99% of people with Medicare have access to at least one Medicare Advantage plan for 2027, and 97% can choose from 10 or more. Medicare Advantage plans leaving 2027 is a real story, but for most members it means switching, not losing the option.

How do I know if my plan is really ending?

Two letters arrive every fall, and they are easy to confuse:

• Annual Notice of Change (ANOC). Medicare Advantage and Part D plans send this by September 30. It lists changes to costs, coverage, the network and the drug list for the next year. Getting an ANOC does not mean your plan is ending.
• Non-renewal notice. This is a separate letter, dated by October 2. It says the plan will not be offered in 2027 (or not in your county) and what you can do about it.

Read the non-renewal letter closely. Some companies move members into another one of their plans. Medicare calls that a plan consolidation, and it does not count as a plan ending, so the Special Enrollment Period below does not apply. If the letter is unclear, call your plan or 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048). Keep the letter: you may need it to use your Medigap rights.

What should I do if my Medicare Advantage plan is ending?

1. Confirm the letter. Make sure it is a non-renewal notice, not just an Annual Notice of Change. Note the last day of coverage.
2. List what you use. Write down your doctors, hospitals, pharmacies and every prescription with its dose. A new plan has to work with this list.
3. Decide between the two paths. You can join a different Medicare Advantage plan, or return to Original Medicare and add a stand-alone Part D drug plan. Our comparison of Medicare Advantage and Medigap in California explains the trade-offs.
4. If you lean toward Original Medicare, check Medigap first. Ask what policies you can buy without medical questions and at what price. Do this before your plan ends.
5. Compare plans. Use the Medicare Plan Finder on Medicare.gov, call 1-800-MEDICARE, talk with HICAP (1-800-434-0222, counseling with no fee) or sit down with a licensed agent. Check the network, the drug list and the yearly out-of-pocket limit. Bring your letter, your Medicare card and your list from step 2.
6. Enroll by December 7 if you can. Then your new coverage starts January 1, 2027, with no gap. The Special Enrollment Period is a backup, not the goal.
7. Watch the mail in January. Look for your new plan's ID card and welcome packet. Call the plan if nothing arrives.

Our Annual Enrollment 2027 guide covers the fall window in more detail, and Medicare cost in 2027 has the figures confirmed so far.

What happens if I do nothing?

With a Medicare Advantage plan ending and no new choice made, Medicare enrolls you in Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) on January 1, 2027. The CMS enrollment guidance says this clearly: you are "defaulted to Original Medicare" on the day the plan ends.

That default comes with three gaps:

• No drug coverage. Original Medicare does not cover most prescriptions you fill at a pharmacy. If you go 63 days or more in a row without Part D or other creditable drug coverage, you may owe a late enrollment penalty for as long as you have Part D. See our post on the Part D out-of-pocket cap for how drug plans work in 2027.
• No yearly limit on your costs. Original Medicare has no out-of-pocket maximum. Many people add a Medigap policy for that reason.
• No extra benefits. Any dental, vision or hearing benefits that came with your plan end with it. Our post on hearing aids and Medicare explains what Original Medicare covers.

One exception: if you get Extra Help with drug costs, CMS reassigns you to a stand-alone Part D plan in late October so you keep drug coverage. You can still choose a different plan. Read more in our guide to Extra Help.

Your right to buy a Medigap policy

Outside your 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, an insurer can usually ask about your health and may turn you down or charge more. A plan ending is one of the situations where federal law gives you "Medigap protections": the right to buy certain policies without medical questions. The insurer must sell you the policy, must cover your pre-existing conditions and can't charge you more because of your health.

The Medicare booklet "Choosing a Medigap Policy" (March 2026) sets out the rule for someone whose Medicare Advantage plan is leaving Medicare or stops giving care in their area:

Question	Answer
Which policies	Medigap Plan A, B, D or G sold by an insurer in your state. Plans C and F may also be available if you were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020
When to apply	As early as 60 days before your plan coverage ends, and no later than 63 days after it ends
One condition	You only have this right if you switch to Original Medicare, not if you join another Medicare Advantage plan
When it starts	The Medigap policy can't start until your Medicare Advantage coverage ends

Two points matter for California readers. First, you may have more rights under state law. The California Department of Insurance (800-927-4357) and HICAP can tell you what applies to you. Second, once you have a Medigap policy, California gives you an annual window of at least 60 days beginning on your birthday to switch to another Medigap plan with equal or lesser benefits without medical questions.

Medigap works only with Original Medicare, and it does not include drug coverage. If you take this path, you will usually want a stand-alone Part D plan as well.

How does the Special Enrollment Period for a plan termination work?

Missing December 7 does not leave you stuck. Under the CMS enrollment guidance, people whose plan is non-renewed effective January 1 get a Special Enrollment Period from December 8, 2026 through February 28, 2027. During it you can join a Medicare Advantage plan, with or without drug coverage, or a stand-alone Part D plan.

When the new coverage starts depends on when your request arrives:

• Requests received December 8–31, 2026 start January 1, 2027.
• Requests received in January 2027 start February 1, 2027.
• Requests received in February 2027 start March 1, 2027.

A request made in January or February means at least a month on Original Medicare alone. Our post on Medicare Special Enrollment Periods lists the other situations that open a window.

Frequently asked questions

My plan sent an Annual Notice of Change. Does that mean it is ending?

No. The Annual Notice of Change goes to members of Medicare Advantage and Part D plans by September 30 and lists next year's changes. A plan that is ending sends a separate non-renewal notice, dated by October 2. If you only got the ANOC, your plan continues in 2027, though its costs or network may have changed.

What is the deadline for a Medicare Advantage plan ending on December 31?

December 7, 2026 is the date to aim for, because coverage picked by then starts January 1 with no gap. If you miss it, you have a Special Enrollment Period from December 8, 2026 through February 28, 2027. Coverage then starts the first of the month after your request arrives.

Will I automatically get a new plan from the same company?

Not usually. Unless your letter says you are being moved into another plan, Medicare enrolls you in Original Medicare on January 1 with no drug coverage. People with Extra Help are the exception: CMS generally reassigns them to a stand-alone Part D plan.

Can I buy a Medigap policy if my Medicare Advantage plan ends?

Under federal law, yes, if you return to Original Medicare. You can apply from 60 days before your coverage ends until 63 days after. The federal right covers Plans A, B, D and G, and possibly C and F if you were eligible for Medicare before January 1, 2020. Check with HICAP or the California Department of Insurance about any added state rights.

Does the Special Enrollment Period apply if my plan merged into another plan?

No. CMS treats a merger, which it calls a plan consolidation, differently from a plan that ends. You are moved into the surviving plan, and this Special Enrollment Period does not apply. You can still change plans during the Annual Enrollment Period through December 7, or during the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1 to March 31.

Talk with a licensed Boomers agent

A licensed Boomers agent can go over the Medicare plans we represent in your area and check them against your doctors and prescriptions. Bring your non-renewal letter and we will help you sort out the dates and your options.

Find a licensed agent near you · See upcoming Medicare events

Or call 1-800-815-1943 (TTY 711), Monday – Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM Pacific.

Sources

• Special Enrollment Periods: plan ends its contract with Medicare (Medicare.gov)
• Joining a plan: enrollment periods (Medicare.gov)
• Choosing a Medigap Policy, CMS Product No. 02110, March 2026 (Medicare.gov)
• Medicare Advantage and Part D Enrollment and Disenrollment Guidance for CY 2027, section 30.6.10 (CMS)
• 42 CFR 422.506, Nonrenewal of contract (Cornell Legal Information Institute)
• Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Programs Expected to Remain Stable in 2027, September 28, 2026 (CMS)
• Medicare Advantage Plan Availability Varies Widely by County for 2027, October 9, 2026 (KFF)
• Medigap protections: an overview of federal and state rules, October 13, 2026 (KFF)
• Costs for Medicare drug coverage (Medicare.gov)
• Medicare counseling: HICAP (California Department of Aging)
• Health plans for seniors (California Department of Insurance)