If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, your Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) was due to reach you by September 30, so it should already be in your mailbox or inbox. This week also brought a federal premium announcement, more insurer pullbacks, and a few hospital network changes. Here is a plain-English look at the Medicare Advantage 2027 changes announced so far, and what to do with them.
Medicare Advantage 2027 Changes: What’s Actually Different
Average premiums are projected to go down
On September 29, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that the average monthly Medicare Advantage premium is projected to fall from $14.37 in 2026 to $12 in 2027. For Medicare Advantage plans that include drug coverage, the average drug-coverage portion of the premium is projected to fall from $11.32 to $7. Stand-alone Part D plans are projected to go the other way, edging up from $35.09 to $36 a month. These are national averages, so your own plan’s numbers may look very different.
More insurers are stepping back
Industry reporting this week says eleven insurance companies are leaving Medicare Advantage for 2027. Some of the larger moves:
- Humana: The company has said its plan exits will affect about 600,000 members. A Barclays analysis cited by Reuters puts the figure higher, at roughly 942,000 members, or about 19% of Humana’s retail Medicare Advantage membership. The two numbers may be measured differently, so what matters most is the notice you actually receive.
- UnitedHealthcare and CVS Health (Aetna): Reuters reports both reduced the plans they offer for 2027. Elevance’s footprint was described as largely stable.
- Molina: It is retiring its traditional individual Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans, roughly 80,000 members.
- Regional plans: Presbyterian Health Plan in New Mexico is exiting most of its Medicare Advantage plans (about 30,000 members). Providence Health Plan has been reported to be winding down its Medicare Advantage line after a planned sale fell through, though the plan’s own member page had not caught up as of mid-September, so members should go by the official notice they receive.
Hospital and health system network changes continue
- NKC Health (North Kansas City, Missouri) goes out of network with UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans on October 1.
- NewYork-Presbyterian and UnitedHealthcare have extended their in-network agreement for Medicare Advantage members through October 31 while talks continue. If no new deal is reached, most UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage members would see NewYork-Presbyterian go out of network on November 1, with protections for patients already in active treatment. Contract talks can change quickly, so confirm current status with your plan.
- Norman Regional Health System in Oklahoma left Aetna’s Medicare Advantage network in August, but it reached an agreement with UnitedHealthcare on September 29 to stay in network, including for Medicare Advantage plans.
Becker’s Hospital Review counts roughly three dozen health systems dropping at least one Medicare Advantage plan this year, slightly fewer than the 40 counted in 2025.
Why This Is Happening
Insurers say medical costs are rising faster than the payments they receive. CMS is increasing 2027 Medicare Advantage payment rates by 2.48%, which insurers have described as below what they expected. On the hospital side, systems that end contracts commonly point to claim denials, payment delays and frequent coverage changes. Each side has its own view, and most of these disputes are about money and administration rather than about any one patient.
Why This Matters for You
A lower average premium does not tell you everything about your plan. Premiums are only one piece. Copays, extra benefits, drug coverage and, above all, which doctors and hospitals are in your network can change from one year to the next, even when a plan is not being discontinued. That is why reading your ANOC matters, even if the plan name looks familiar.
What You Can Do
- Read your ANOC now. Plans were required to get it to you by September 30. Check the premium, the copays for the doctors you see most, and your prescription drugs. If you have not received yours, contact your plan.
- Watch for a separate nonrenewal notice. If your plan is ending, plans must send that notice by October 2.
- Confirm your doctors and hospital. Call your providers’ offices and ask whether they will be in network for 2027. Do not rely on last year’s directory.
- Use Annual Enrollment, October 15 through December 7. This is your regular window to compare plans and make changes effective January 1, 2027.
- If your plan is discontinued, ask about your options. Affected members generally get a Special Enrollment Period to choose another plan or return to Original Medicare, and it typically runs into late February. If you move to Original Medicare when your plan ends or leaves your area, you may have guaranteed-issue rights to buy certain Medigap policies, generally from 60 days before your coverage ends to 63 days after. Rules vary by situation and by state, so check before assuming.
- Remember the January window. If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, there is a separate Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period from January 1 through March 31.
Let’s Talk Through Your Options
Between the ANOC, network changes and plan exits, there is a lot to sort through this fall. If you would like help understanding what your notice means for your situation, reach out to Burke Insurance Group for a free consultation. No pressure, just a clear walkthrough of your choices.
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.
