A plan being discontinued is not the same as a plan changing. Your carrier must tell you in writing by the end of September if your plan will not be offered in 2027. That letter is the one that matters, and it is easy to mistake for routine marketing mail.
| If you | Then | Drug coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Choose a new Medicare Advantage plan | Coverage starts January 1 | Included if the plan has it |
| Return to Original Medicare | Automatic on January 1 | Only if you add a Part D plan yourself |
| Do nothing | You are in Original Medicare | None, and a late enrollment penalty may apply |
How it works
When a plan is withdrawn, everyone enrolled in it is given a Special Enrollment Period that runs past the normal December 7 deadline, through the end of February. Use it during Annual Enrollment and your new coverage starts January 1 with no gap. Use it in January or February and coverage starts the first of the following month, which means a gap you have to cover yourself.
What it costs to ignore
Falling back to Original Medicare without adding a drug plan is the expensive outcome. Original Medicare has no out-of-pocket maximum and does not cover prescriptions. On top of that, going without creditable drug coverage builds a Part D late enrollment penalty that is added to your premium permanently, calculated at 1% of the $41.33 base beneficiary premium for every month you went without.
What to do next
Act before December 7 even though you have until February. The earlier deadline is the one that gives you coverage with no gap on January 1. Bring the discontinuation letter, your medication list and your doctors to the conversation, because the point is finding a plan that keeps both, not simply finding any plan.
Read the full guide: Which plans are leaving South Florida for 2027
Related questions
Is my plan being discontinued the same as my plan changing?
No. A plan that is changing still exists next year. A discontinued plan will not be offered at all, and your carrier must tell you in writing by the end of September.
What if I miss the end of February?
You generally wait for the next Annual Enrollment, and a Part D late enrollment penalty may apply for the months without drug coverage.
Will I lose my doctors?
Possibly. Networks differ between plans, so check that your doctors are in the new plan before you enroll.
Sources
- Joining a plan — enrollment periods — Medicare.gov (CMS) · read 2026-10-13
- Medicare Part D 2027 National Average Monthly Bid Amount Information — Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services · 2026-07-28 · read 2026-10-12
This page explains published rules and figures, with the source for each one. It is not advice about your own situation.