Medicare Advantage 2027 plans are changing, and some Los Angeles seniors will get a notice that their plan is ending. Open enrollment runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, 2026, and new coverage starts Jan. 1, 2027.
This is general information, not medical or insurance advice. Check your own plan documents before you decide.
Medicare Advantage 2027: what the data show
The KFF analysis published Oct. 9 finds that the average beneficiary can choose from 28 Medicare Advantage drug plans in 2027. The share of people with more than 40 options falls from 27% to 20%.
Los Angeles County stays among the counties with the most options. Still, about 638,000 people nationwide have no such plan available in general enrollment, up from 399,000 in 2026. Most of those counties are rural, NPR reported through LAist.
If your plan is ending
Insurers that close a plan should have mailed a notice in early October. Read it first, because it says whether your plan ends or only changes its benefits. You can also check your status on Medicare.gov.
If you do nothing, the insurer may move you into another plan. Otherwise you may land in Original Medicare without drug coverage. Either outcome can change which doctors you can see and what you pay.
People whose plan ends get a special enrollment period that runs through Feb. 28, 2027. That gives extra time, but the plan you choose before Dec. 7 starts Jan. 1 without a gap. If you switch to Original Medicare, you can also shop for a Medigap supplement. Insurers may apply different rules there, so ask about pre-existing conditions first.
Free help in Los Angeles County
The county’s Aging and Disabilities Department runs HICAP counseling. The service is free and confidential. Call 1 (800) 510-2020 to book a phone or in-person appointment. Counselors work in English, Spanish, Japanese, Cantonese and Mandarin, and offer other languages through interpreters.
Before you call, gather your plan letter, your drug list and the names of your doctors. Counselors can check whether each doctor and drug is covered, since online lists are sometimes wrong. Also avoid sharing personal details with online agencies that call you first, because some sell contact information.
More background
For plan basics, read our explainers on what Medicare is and Medicare Part D. More health coverage is in the Health and Sports guide.