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Did You Get a Notice That Your Medicare Plan Is Ending?
Your plan may be ending, but you still have choices.
If your Medicare Advantage plan will no longer be offered where you live, you may have special Medicare rights. We can help you understand the letter before you choose your next coverage.
Keep the letter your plan sent you. You may need it as proof of your rights.
What should I do first?
Keep the letter. Do not throw away the notice. Find out why the plan is ending. A benefit change is not always a plan ending.
Ask about both paths. Look at another Medicare Advantage plan and Original Medicare when appropriate.
Some plan endings can create a temporary guaranteed-issue right. Check which rights and deadlines apply before choosing new coverage.
Get help if the letter is confusing. MedElevate can help you understand what to ask next.
Deadlines apply. Keep the letter and check which deadlines apply to your case before choosing new coverage.
If your plan is ending, you may have two main paths.
Original Medicare Part A + Part B, plus, when eligible, Medicare Supplement (Medigap), and usually a separate Part D drug plan.
If a valid guaranteed-issue right applies, your health cannot be used to deny the Medigap coverage protected by that right or raise the price because of your health.
Medigap coverage can't start until your Medicare Advantage coverage ends.
- Doctors
- Hospitals
- Medicines
- Pharmacy
- Monthly cost
- Out-of-pocket cost
- Travel needs
Important: The Medigap guaranteed-issue right from a plan ending generally applies only if you return to Original Medicare. If you join another Medicare Advantage plan instead, you may not be able to use that right later. Ask before you choose.
Who this page helps
A benefit change alone does not mean your plan is ending.
Open a topic for the longer explanation. The short cautions above still apply.
What guaranteed issue means
“Guaranteed issue” is a special Medicare protection.
If the protection applies to you, an insurance company cannot use your health problems to deny certain Medigap coverage or charge you more because of your health.
The exact Medigap choices depend on your situation.
Guaranteed issue is a special right. It does not mean every Medigap plan is available in every case.
You still need to answer the application questions correctly. Health questions do not automatically mean your guaranteed-issue right is gone. Your letter and other proof may be very important.
Medicare.gov — When can I buy a Medigap policy? (opens in a new tab)
Plan endings and benefit changes
Certain Medicare Advantage plan endings can create extra protections. One example is when a plan or contract is not renewed or stops serving your area.
A normal benefit change is not the same as a plan ending.
A change in premium, copay, extra benefits, drug list, or routine network changes does not by itself prove you have guaranteed-issue rights. Your actual letter matters.
What CMS says for 2027
CMS released updated Medicare Advantage enrollment guidance for 2027. It includes a model letter that plans can use to confirm Medigap rights for people who leave a Medicare Advantage plan and return to Original Medicare. One situation it lists is when a plan or contract ends or is not renewed, including when a plan stops serving your area. The model letter says these people have a temporary right to buy certain Medigap policies, even if they have health problems. You may not get this letter automatically, so keep the notice your plan already sent you.
Deadlines and your letter
For a plan or contract that is not renewed for January 1, the 2027 CMS guidance says the Special Enrollment Period starts December 8 and ends on the last day of February.
If you choose a new plan between December 8 and December 31, it starts January 1. If you choose in January, it starts February 1. If you choose in February, it starts March 1.
If you don't join another Medicare Advantage plan before your plan ends, you'll be moved to Original Medicare. To keep drug coverage, you'd need to join a separate Medicare drug plan.
Medigap guaranteed-issue deadlines can be different from the Medicare Advantage / Part D enrollment deadline. In some situations, Medicare lets you apply for Medigap before your Medicare Advantage coverage ends and for a limited time after it ends.
Federal rules generally give you up to 63 days after your Medicare Advantage coverage ends to apply.
Keep any notice that says your plan is ending, your plan is not renewing, your plan is leaving your area, or your coverage area is changing. You may need the letter to prove why your coverage ended.
Florida has additional Medicare Supplement rules and guidance.
The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation explains that some people whose Medicare Advantage plan leaves their county may be able to get Medicare Supplement coverage on a guaranteed-issue basis if the rules apply.
The reason your plan is ending matters.
Keep your plan notice. You may need to give it to the Medicare Supplement company.
Living in Florida does not mean every Medicare Advantage change creates a guaranteed-issue right. Your notice needs to be reviewed.
Can I get Medigap if my Medicare Advantage plan is discontinued?
Maybe. Certain plan terminations, non-renewals, and service-area changes can create temporary Medigap guaranteed-issue rights if you return to Original Medicare. The reason your plan is ending matters.
Does guaranteed issue mean there are no health questions?
No. The application may still ask health questions. If you have proof of a valid guaranteed-issue right, Medicare says those answers cannot be used to deny the protected policy or change the price because of your health.
Is that the same as “no medical underwriting”?
Guaranteed issue gives you specific protections when buying certain Medigap policies. An application may still ask health questions. If you qualify and provide proof of your guaranteed-issue right, those answers cannot be used to deny the policy protected by that right or change its price.
Medicare.gov — How do I buy a Medigap policy? (opens in a new tab)
Do normal benefit changes give me guaranteed-issue rights?
Not by themselves. A higher copay, premium change, benefit change, or drug-list change does not automatically mean a guaranteed-issue right applies.
Can I buy any Medigap plan I want?
Not necessarily. The Medigap policies protected by these rules depend on your situation. We can help you check which options apply before you submit an application.
Medicare.gov — When can I buy a Medigap policy? (opens in a new tab)
Can I have Medicare Advantage and Medigap at the same time?
No. Medigap only works with Original Medicare. It's illegal for anyone to sell you a Medigap policy while you have a Medicare Advantage plan, unless you're switching back to Original Medicare.
What happens to drug coverage if I return to Original Medicare?
Medigap policies sold since 2006 don't include drug coverage. You may need a separate Medicare drug plan (Part D).
What should I do first if I get a non-renewal letter?
Keep the letter. Find out why the plan is ending. Ask what Special Enrollment Period and Medigap protections may apply before choosing new coverage.
Have your letter handy. We will help you understand the next step.
Molly Stanton | Licensed Florida Insurance Agent
Anywhere in Florida? We can meet by phone or video.Schedule a call (opens in a new tab)
You don't need to send the letter. Tell me what it says, and I'll call or email to go over it with you. Have it in front of you when we talk.
Last reviewed: October 2026
Official information used on this page comes from:
- CMS CY 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D Enrollment and Disenrollment Guidance (opens in a new tab)
- CMS CY 2027 MA Appendices and Exhibits (Exhibit 24) (opens in a new tab)
- Medicare.gov, Special Enrollment Periods (opens in a new tab)
- Medicare.gov, When can I buy a Medigap policy? (opens in a new tab)
- Medicare.gov, How do I buy a Medigap policy? (opens in a new tab)
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, 2026 Medigap Frequently Asked Questions (opens in a new tab)
- Florida Administrative Code Rule 69O-156.0095 (opens in a new tab)
- Section 627.6741, Florida Statutes (opens in a new tab)