BIG Medicare news out of Illinois, Georgia, and Colorado…
Clear Spring Health closed its Medicare Advantage business entirely on June 1, 2026, ending coverage for more than 12,000 members across those three states.
If you had a Clear Spring Health Medicare Advantage plan, your coverage already ended. If you haven’t picked a new plan yet, it’s worth checking your options now.
Here’s what happened and what it means for you.
What’s Happening
Clear Spring Health, based in Park Ridge, Illinois, confirmed it would exit the Medicare Advantage market entirely, discontinuing plans across Illinois, Georgia, and Colorado, the three states where it still operated. Coverage ended May 31, 2026 for all enrolled members, more than 12,000 people as of April, according to CMS data.
Members were given a Special Enrollment Period that ran from June 1 through July 31, 2026 to pick a new Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. Anyone who didn’t choose a new plan during that window was automatically moved to Original Medicare and enrolled in a Humana Basic Rx Prescription Drug Plan with a $0 premium.
Who Will Be Affected
- All Clear Spring Health Medicare Advantage members in Illinois, Georgia, and Colorado lost coverage on May 31, 2026.
- Anyone who had recently enrolled with an effective date between June 1 and August 1, 2026 found that enrollment never went into effect.
What to Do If You Haven’t Switched Yet
If you didn’t pick a new plan during that Special Enrollment Period, you’re most likely on Original Medicare right now, along with a $0 Humana prescription drug plan you may not have chosen yourself. But Humana also has other plans you can look at if the one you’re on doesn’t work for your doctors, prescriptions, or budget.
Here are 3 options many people in this situation are doing:
- Shop for a new Medicare Advantage plan. You can compare new Humana Medicare Advantage plans available in your area during the Annual Enrollment Period, which runs October 15 to December 7, 2026, for coverage starting January 1, 2027.
- Switch to a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan. You may be able to switch from Medicare Advantage to Medicare Supplement depending on your health history, as long as you pass medical underwriting. A licensed insurance agent can help you check what’s available to you.
- Get help from a licensed insurance agent. A licensed insurance agent can look at your specific situation, including whether any Special Enrollment Period still applies to you, and help you compare plans available in your area without bias.
Why Did Clear Spring Health Leave Medicare Advantage?
This wasn’t a sudden move. Clear Spring had been shrinking for years. The company left South Carolina and Virginia at the start of 2025, and before that, CMS terminated its standalone Part D contract after three straight years of star ratings below three stars, along with sanctions that suspended enrollment and marketing for the plan.
Around the same time as this year’s exit, Clear Spring’s parent company, Group 1001, was fined $84,190 by CMS for overcharging enrollees due to claims processing errors, and for charging some members more than the annual out-of-pocket limit because of a tracking error.
Clear Spring said it had “decided to exit the Medicare Advantage business” after “careful consideration,” and that it remained committed to supporting members through the change.
Need Help With Medicare?
If you lost your plan and want help selecting a new plan that fits your needs, or if you have any questions about this situation (or Medicare in general), our licensed insurance agents are here to help.
Simply call us at +1 877-360-6565 (TTY: 711) or click the button below to schedule an appointment.
Calvin Bagley is the founder of PlanFit, The Medicare Store, and Nuvo Health. He and his team have helped over 60,000 people navigate Medicare options, and he’s a nationally recognized speaker in the Medicare industry. Most importantly, he’s someone who believes every American deserves clear, honest information without pressure.