What's changing in 2027
According to CMS plan and enrollment data, these companies stop selling regular Medicare Advantage plans in part of North Carolina:
| Company | Counties where plans end | Counties it keeps | People who must choose |
|---|---|---|---|
| HealthSpring | 13 | 24 | at least 2,030 |
| Aetna Medicare | 1 | 96 | at least 751 |
Is my plan ending?
Pick your Medicare Advantage company and county to see if your plan ends December 31.
Company by company
HealthSpring: plans ending in 13 counties
According to CMS's 2027 plan list, HealthSpring stops selling regular Medicare Advantage plans in 13 counties: Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Chatham, Henderson, Johnston, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Transylvania, Wake and Yancey. It keeps selling them in 24 North Carolina counties.
At least 2,030 HealthSpring members live in the counties it leaves and must choose new coverage. Hospitals and doctors in those counties still see Medicare patients; what ends is the insurance plan.
If you live in a county where HealthSpring keeps selling plans, your plan may continue or change: read the Annual Notice of Change it sent you.
Aetna Medicare: plans ending in 1 county
According to CMS's 2027 plan list, Aetna Medicare stops selling regular Medicare Advantage plans in Rutherford County. It keeps selling them in 96 North Carolina counties.
At least 751 Aetna Medicare members live in the counties it leaves and must choose new coverage. Hospitals and doctors in those counties still see Medicare patients; what ends is the insurance plan.
If you live in a county where Aetna Medicare keeps selling plans, your plan may continue or change: read the Annual Notice of Change it sent you.
Plans ending where the company stays
Some companies keep selling plans in a county but end one or more of their plans there. According to CMS's 2027 plan crosswalk, Humana, HealthSpring, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Aetna Medicare, Wellcare and UnitedHealthcare end plans this way in North Carolina, and at least 27,873 members must choose new coverage even though their company stays in their county.
| Company | Counties | People whose plan ends |
|---|---|---|
| Humana | 81 | at least 17,409 |
| HealthSpring | 21 | at least 4,414 |
| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina | 14 | at least 2,990 |
| Aetna Medicare | 14 | at least 1,044 |
| Wellcare | 35 | at least 1,014 |
| UnitedHealthcare | 32 | at least 1,002 |
If your company is listed, check the letter it sent this fall: a non-renewal notice means your plan ends December 31. You have the same deadlines as when a company leaves (see below), including the right to buy certain Medigap policies with no health questions. If you got an Annual Notice of Change instead, your plan continues, perhaps with changes.
See 2027 plans in your area
You'll go to PlanMatchMedicare.com, a plan comparison site from Benefits Life, the publisher of this site. Only your ZIP code is sent.
Your deadlines
- Now through February 28, 2027: because your plan is ending, you can choose new coverage until the end of February. Through December 7 you use the Annual Enrollment Period; from December 8 you use a Special Enrollment Period for people whose plan is ending.
- By December 31, 2026 for no gap: choose by December 31 and your new plan starts January 1, 2027. Choose in January and it starts February 1; choose in February and it starts March 1. Until then you'd have Original Medicare without drug coverage.
- Up to March 4, 2027: you have a guaranteed right to buy certain Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policies with no health questions. Apply as early as 60 days before your plan ends and no later than 63 days after it ends on December 31.
If your plan continues in 2027, these special deadlines don't apply; the usual Annual Enrollment Period (October 15–December 7) and Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1–March 31) rules do.
What happens if you do nothing
You won't lose Medicare. If you don't join another plan, you'll have Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) starting January 1, 2027. Original Medicare doesn't include drug coverage, so you'd also need a Part D plan, and it has no yearly limit on what you pay out of pocket unless you add a Medigap policy.
Five steps to take before December 31
- Find your letter. Your plan sent an Annual Notice of Change or a non-renewal notice. Keep it handy.
- List your doctors, hospitals and prescriptions, with the dose of each drug.
- See what's offered in your county. Every North Carolina county still has Medicare Advantage plans open to everyone in 2027. Everywhere, you can also choose Original Medicare with a Medigap policy and a Part D plan.
- Talk with a licensed insurance agent. An agent can check your doctors and drugs against each option at no cost to you. You can request a call from a licensed insurance agent.
- Enroll by December 31 so your new coverage starts January 1 with no gap. You have until February 28 if you need more time.
How a licensed insurance agent can help
- Compare plans from the companies they work with in your county, side by side, at no cost to you.
- Check whether your doctors, hospital and pharmacy are in each plan's network, and how each plan covers your prescriptions.
- Help you apply for a Medigap policy while your guaranteed right lasts.
- Meet in person, by phone or by video, in English or Spanish.
People affected, by county
Will I lose my Medicare?
No. Only your Medicare Advantage plan is ending. If you don't choose a new plan, you'll have Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) on January 1, 2027, but no drug coverage unless you join a Part D plan.
What is the deadline to choose a new plan?
Because your plan is ending, you have until February 28, 2027. Choose by December 31, 2026 and your new plan starts January 1 with no gap. If you choose in January, it starts February 1; in February, March 1.
Can I buy a Medigap policy without health questions?
Yes, for a limited time. When your Medicare Advantage plan leaves your area, you have a guaranteed right to buy certain Medigap policies if you switch to Original Medicare. Apply from 60 days before your plan ends until 63 days after it ends (by March 4, 2027).
Does it cost anything to talk with an agent?
No. Licensed insurance agents are paid by the insurance companies, not by you. You pay the same for a plan whether or not you use an agent.
Sources
Member counts are CMS's October 2026 enrollment in each company's regular (non-special-needs) Medicare Advantage plans, in counties where that company sells none in 2027, plus enrollment in plans that CMS's 2027 plan crosswalk shows ending (not renewed, or no longer offered in the member's county) where the company keeps other plans. CMS hides counts of 10 or fewer, so the real numbers are a little higher.
- CMS Medicare Advantage and Part D Landscape files, 2026 and 2027
- CMS Monthly Enrollment by Contract, Plan, State and County, October 2026
- Medicare.gov: Special Enrollment Periods
- CMS Medicare Advantage Enrollment and Disenrollment Guidance, §30.4.3: SEP for non-renewals (requests December 8–31 start January 1)
- CMS 2027 Part C&D Plan Crosswalk (which 2026 plans renew, merge or end)
- Medicare.gov: When can I buy a Medigap policy?
