Nearly 3.2 million Medicare Advantage enrollees, almost 11% of the total, must find new coverage for 2027 because their insurers are no longer offering their plans, according to a Medicare Market Insights review of federal data reported by CNN. More than 1 million people in stand-alone Part D drug plans are also losing their plans, according to consulting firm Oliver Wyman. With open enrollment ending Dec. 7, the costliest mistake for many of these households may be the simplest one: doing nothing.
A member whose Medicare Advantage plan ends and who takes no action is generally moved to Original Medicare on Jan. 1. That keeps hospital and doctor coverage in place, but it does not include prescription drug coverage unless the person joins a separate Part D plan. For a parent who relies on insulin or a blood thinner, that gap can surface at the pharmacy counter in early January.
