If a letter from your Medicare Advantage plan arrived this fall saying your plan won’t be offered next year, you’re not alone. As insurers trim their offerings to deal with rising costs, millions of people are being told to find new coverage for 2027. Estimates vary: Money, in an Oct. 19 story syndicated on AOL, put the number at as many as 5 million, while an analysis cited by Forbes Advisor counted about 3.16 million.
Medicare Advantage is popular. According to KFF figures cited by Money, about 55% of the roughly 70 million people eligible for Medicare are enrolled in a private Medicare Advantage plan in 2026. Many of them picked it for low premiums, some as low as $0, and extras like dental and vision coverage.
Losing that plan is frustrating. But the costly mistake isn’t losing it. It’s doing nothing, or rushing into the next plan with the lowest premium. Here’s what to know.
What happens if you don’t choose
KFF lays out the default. If your Medicare Advantage plan isn’t offered next year and you don’t pick another, you’ll be enrolled in Original Medicare (also called traditional Medicare).
That sounds fine until you look at drug coverage. Most Medicare Advantage plans include it. Original Medicare doesn’t. Unless you get Extra Help or have drug coverage from somewhere else, like the VA or a former employer, you’d need to choose a separate Part D drug plan.
Waiting can cost you more than a few months of pharmacy bills. Medicare says that 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 added to your premium when you do sign up. It’s calculated as 1% of the national base premium for every full month you went without coverage.
You have more time than you think
The regular Medicare Open Enrollment Period runs from October 15 through December 7. But KFF notes that if your plan isn’t being renewed, you typically qualify for a Special Enrollment Period that lasts from October 15 through the last day of February. There’s also a separate Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1 to March 31, when people in Medicare Advantage can switch plans or move to Original Medicare.
That extra time is a cushion, not a reason to wait. The sooner you choose, the less chance of a gap.
The rare opportunity: Medigap without underwriting
Original Medicare pays a large share of covered services, but you’re responsible for the rest, and Money notes there’s no yearly cap on that 20%. That’s why many people add a Medicare Supplement policy, called Medigap.
Here’s the catch. When you first get Medicare Part B at 65 or older, you get a one-time, six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period. After that, Medicare.gov says insurers may charge more or turn you down based on your health.
Losing a Medicare Advantage plan is one exception. Medicare’s guide to choosing a Medigap policy lists a guaranteed issue right when your plan leaves Medicare or stops serving your area. In that case, an insurer can’t refuse to sell you Medigap Plan A, B, D, or G (plus C or F if you were eligible for Medicare before 2020). You generally must apply no later than 63 days after your Medicare Advantage coverage ends, and the Medigap policy can’t start until that coverage ends.
If your health has changed since you first chose Medicare Advantage, this window may be your best chance to move to Original Medicare with a Medigap policy. Keep your plan’s termination notice, since you may need it to prove your right. And remember: you’ll still need a separate Part D plan.
If you pick another Advantage plan, start with the network
Another Medicare Advantage plan may still be the right fit. Experts quoted by Money say not to start with the premium.
- Check your doctors and hospitals first. Is your primary doctor in the network? Your specialists? The hospital you’d want?
- Check your prescriptions next. Look up every drug you take on each plan’s formulary.
- Then compare the real costs. Look at deductibles, copays, and the out-of-pocket maximum, not just the monthly premium.
- Be honest about the extras. A Commonwealth Fund executive told Money that about 3 in 10 Medicare Advantage enrollees in its surveys hadn’t used any supplemental benefits in the prior year.
Where to get unbiased help
Medicare’s Plan Finder lets you compare plans side by side. Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) offers free one-on-one counseling. Brokers can help too, but Money points out that they may earn commissions, so ask how they’re paid.
The Bottom Line
If your Medicare Advantage plan is ending, don’t let the default decide for you. Make sure you’ll have drug coverage, and look hard at whether Original Medicare with a Medigap policy now makes sense, since this may be your one chance to buy one without health questions. If you choose another Advantage plan, compare networks and prescriptions first and premiums last. Free help is available. Use it before the deadline, not after.
Sources and Further Reading
- Money via AOL, Martha C. White, “About to Lose Your Medicare Advantage Plan? Avoid This Costly Mistake” (Oct. 19, 2026)
- KFF, “I am currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, but I received a notice that my plan is not being offered next year. What do I need to do?” (Oct. 9, 2026)
- Medicare.gov, “Choosing a Medigap Policy” guide (PDF)
- Medicare.gov, Medigap Open Enrollment and guaranteed issue rights
- Medicare.gov, “Avoid late enrollment penalties”
- 42 CFR 423.46, Late enrollment penalty (Cornell LII)
- Forbes Advisor, “3.16 Million Medicare Advantage Enrollees Will Lose Coverage Soon”
- Medicare.gov, Plan Finder