6% of Medicare Advantage Plans Have Nowhere to Send Members in 2027

Before the October 15 to December 7 Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), agents need to know where disruption will land. 

The headline number

About 16.1% of MA plan offerings have no plan to move members into. The plan either ends or leaves the county. That follows 12% in the first year tracked and 16.4% the year after, so this is the second hard year in a row. Clients in these plans can't count on a smooth handoff. They have to shop. 

Fewer safety nets

Automatic moves are shrinking. The share of standard MA offerings that moved members automatically fell from 7.6% (2024→2025) to 4.8% (2026→2027). More members will land in AEP without a default plan.

When members are moved automatically, the new plan often costs more. About 70% of standard MA moves put members in a plan with a higher out-of-pocket maximum. For plans that kept their ID, the figure is about 59%. A client who does nothing may end up with a plan that exposes them to more cost. 

Where the disruption is concentrated

Geography: Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, Washington and North Dakota are among the hardest-hit states. About 5.5 million MA enrollees live in counties where a quarter or more of offerings end or leave. Five counties, including Hill County, Montana, have no MA or Cost plan left for 2027.

Carriers: Health Care Service Corporation, Centene and CVS Health account for much of the disruption. If your book leans toward these carriers, start with those clients.

Vulnerable populations: The report counts seniors in hard-hit counties by poverty level, living alone, veteran status and language. Dual-eligible clients and clients who need language access deserve early attention, since a missed notice costs them the most. 

Benefits are being trimmed

Several benefits are disappearing: emergency response devices, OTC hearing aids, meals after a hospital stay and preventive dental. Telehealth and worldwide emergency coverage also decline in moved plans. Clients who chose their plan for one of these extras should compare 2027 benefits line by line.

One bright spot is growth in chronic-condition special needs plans (C-SNPs), up from 103 to 217 to 252. They may be worth a look for clients with qualifying conditions.