If you’ve been following Medicare news lately, you’re probably aware that multiple insurance companies have dropped some of their Medicare Advantage Plans in certain areas.
Companies such as BlueCross BlueShield of Kansas City, Centene (WellCare), Humana, Aetna, and others announced they were exiting some Medicare Advantage Markets in select states.
If you are currently enrolled in a Medicare Advantage Plan that did not renew in 2025, receiving a Non-Renewal Notice from your insurance company can easily leave you feeling overwhelmed or concerned.
But don’t stress. In this article, we’ll go over the three steps you can take if you lost your Medicare Advantage coverage.
The 3 Steps to Take If Lost Your Medicare Advantage Plan
Step #1: Confirm Your Plan is Not Renewing
Before you take action, it’s important to double-check if the exact plan you’re enrolled in is actually being canceled.
Typically, insurance companies have several different plan types, so it’s possible that even if your insurance company is not renewing a different plan in your area, your exact plan might not be affected.
One way to be sure whether your plan is continuing is if you’ve received a Non-Renewal Notice. Your insurance company should send this to you by the latest September 30.
If you haven’t received one, you can also call your insurance company to inquire if your coverage will continue next year.
Step #2: Enroll in a Plan During the Annual Enrollment Period
If your plan is not renewing, you can switch to another Medicare Advantage Plan during the Annual Enrollment Period. This period runs from October 15 to December 7 every year, and you can enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan available in your area at this time.
Any changes you make during the Annual Enrollment Period will take effect on January 1 of the following year.
Aside from the Annual Enrollment Period, you can also switch to another Medicare Advantage Plan using a Special Enrollment Period. If your current plan is not renewing, you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period that runs from December 8 to the end of February of the following year.
However, suppose you enroll from January 1 to February 28. In that case, your new coverage generally begins on the first day of the next month — which means you may be without full coverage for several weeks. This is why most people decide to enroll in a new plan before December 31.
Step #3: Consider a Medicare Supplement Plan
Aside from switching to another Medicare Advantage Plan, you can also enroll in a Medicare Supplement Plan (Medigap Plan).
Usually, if you want to switch to a Medicare Supplement Plan more than six months after your Medicare Part B coverage begins, you’ll have to undergo medical underwriting. Medigap Plans will also typically ask you several health-related questions and can deny your application or charge you higher fees if you don’t meet their criteria.
However, if you are losing your Medicare Advantage Plan because it is being canceled next year, you qualify for guaranteed issue rights for Medicare Supplement Plans A, B, C, D, F, G, K, and L.
Guaranteed issue rights mean you may enroll in these plans without undergoing underwriting—the insurance company has to take you in regardless of your health condition.
This period starts 60 days before you lose your Medicare Advantage coverage and ends 63 days after you lose your Medicare Advantage coverage.
What Happens If You Don’t Do Anything?
If you don’t switch to another Medicare Advantage Plan or use your guaranteed issue rights to get a Medicare Supplement Plan, you will revert to Original Medicare on January 1.
While Original Medicare covers some of your healthcare costs, most people choose not to stay on Original Medicare alone. This is because Original Medicare has no limit on how high your out-of-pocket expenses can get.
Original Medical usually covers roughly 80% of your healthcare costs, while you’re responsible for the remaining 20% with no cap.
Because of the high out-of-pocket risk of Original Medicare, most people enroll in either a Medicare Advantage Plan or a Medicare Supplement Plan.
If you don’t switch to another Medicare Advantage Plan before the end of February, you may have to wait until the next Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7, 2025) to make any changes.
Additionally, if you don’t enroll in a Medicare Supplement Plan within 63 of your Medicare Advantage coverage ending, you no longer qualify for guaranteed issue rights and may need to go through medical underwriting to qualify for a Medicare Supplement Plan.
Conclusion – Stay Calm
Learning that your Medicare Advantage Plan won’t renew next year can feel frustrating and overwhelming. However, if you stay calm and follow the three steps above, you should be able to enjoy a smooth transition into a new plan for the coming year.
So take a deep breath, confirm that your plan isn’t renewing next year, and take advantage of the Annual Enrollment Period, Special Enrollment Period, or your guaranteed issue rights for Medicare Supplement to enroll in the right plan fit for you.