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Aetna is pulling roughly 90 Medicare Advantage plans across 34 states for 2027, and Humana is withdrawing from certain markets too. If your plan is one of them, you won't lose coverage overnight, but you will need to actively pick a new plan instead of assuming next year looks like this one.
Insurers cite rising medical costs and lower federal payments for the pullback. Whatever the reason, the fix on your end is the same: confirm whether your plan is affected, then compare your options before the window to choose closes.
Choose your next move
Where are you starting from?
Pick the one that matches your situation right now.
Focus on the deadlines and the special enrollment steps below.
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Prepare short, specific Medicare or Social Security questions before your next call.
How to Find Out If Your Plan Is Affected
Every Medicare Advantage plan sends an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) by September 30 each year, listing what's different for the coming year, including whether the plan is leaving your county entirely. If a plan is closing altogether, members also get a separate non-renewal notice, usually by early October.
Don't wait for mail that might get lost or misread. You can check your plan's status directly, and it takes less time than a phone hold.
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What Happens If Your Plan Leaves Your County
If your plan is closing, shutting down in your service area, or cutting your county from its network, Medicare gives you a Special Enrollment Period outside the usual fall window. You typically get roughly two months to pick a new plan without penalty once you're notified.
This is not the same as choosing to switch because you're unhappy. A plan-triggered Special Enrollment Period exists specifically because the change wasn't your decision, so use it rather than waiting for the general Annual Enrollment Period if your notice already confirmed the loss.
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How to Compare Plans Before You Choose
A replacement plan is not just a new card with the same name on it. Networks, drug formularies, and extra benefits like dental or transportation can all differ, sometimes sharply, between plans in the same county.
Start with the three things most likely to cause a problem later: whether your regular doctors and hospital are in the new network, whether your current prescriptions are on the new plan's drug list at a similar cost, and whether your regular pharmacy is included. A lower premium that fails any of those three is not actually the cheaper plan once you add up what you'd pay out of pocket.
ChecklistCheck these before you enroll in a replacement planConfirm each one by name, not by assuming it carries over.Show the checklistHide the checklist
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If premiums and out-of-pocket costs are the bigger worry once you've confirmed coverage, The Medicare Coverage Gap That Can Blindside Your Budget walks through building a realistic number.
Key Dates to Put on Your Calendar
Two timelines matter here: the standard fall calendar everyone with Medicare Advantage follows, and the plan-specific Special Enrollment Period that only applies if your plan is actually leaving.
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Read it fully, even if you expect no changes.
Standard window to switch plans for coverage starting January 1, whether or not your plan is leaving.
Applies only if your plan is closing or leaving your area. Confirm your exact window with 1-800-MEDICARE.
Confirm your new plan is active before your old one ends, especially with a filled prescription in hand.
If Social Security's own COLA and premium math is also on your mind this fall, Your 2027 Social Security Raise Isn't the Whole Story. Medicare Takes a Bite First breaks down how the two interact.
Save your plan
Save what you confirmed here so you're not rebuilding it from memory later.
Common questions
How do I find out if my Medicare Advantage plan is leaving my area for 2027?
Read your Annual Notice of Change letter, which every plan sends by September 30. You can also search your plan by name on the Medicare Plan Finder to see if it's still listed for your county next year, or call your plan's member services line and ask directly. If the answer is unclear or contradicts your notice, call 1-800-MEDICARE.
What happens if my Medicare Advantage plan is discontinued?
You get a Special Enrollment Period, typically around two months from when you're notified, to pick a new plan without waiting for the standard fall enrollment window. Don't let your current plan lapse before a new one is confirmed and active. If you move to Original Medicare instead of a new Medicare Advantage plan, ask about Medigap guaranteed-issue rights in your state.
What should I check before switching to a new Medicare Advantage plan?
Confirm three things by name before you enroll: that your regular doctors and hospital are in the new network, that your current prescriptions are covered at a similar cost on the plan's drug list, and that your usual pharmacy is included. A lower premium that fails any of those isn't actually the cheaper plan once you add up what you'd pay out of pocket.
Is the Special Enrollment Period for a plan leaving the same as Medicare's Annual Enrollment Period?
No. The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7 every year for anyone who wants to switch plans. A plan-triggered Special Enrollment Period is separate and only applies if your specific plan is closing or leaving your service area, and it can fall outside that fall window depending on when you're notified.
