Plan year 2027
Is your Medicare plan ending in 2027?
If you got a letter saying your plan is ending, start here. It is for residents in Guilford, Alamance, and Granville counties, and for adult children helping a parent who got such a letter. It gives calm, plain steps, not a sales pitch.
Educational reading. No account, no cost, no sales pitch.
- Licensed agent in Greensboro
- One local person, not a call center
- Meet by phone or in person
Last checked 2026-10-26. Plan year 2027. Sources re-checked 2026-10-26, and must be re-checked every Monday through February 28, 2027.
What to do, key dates, and help
Counties covered
This hub covers three counties. Each county has its own page, linked below. Use your letter from your plan. That letter is the source that matters for your own coverage.
Guilford County
Towns include Greensboro, High Point, Jamestown, and Summerfield.
Alamance County
Towns include Burlington, Graham, Mebane, Elon, Haw River, and Gibsonville.
Granville County
Towns include Oxford, Creedmoor, Butner, Stem, and Stovall.
The plan list for each county is held for verification. It is not printed here yet. A list is only published after the CMS 2027 crosswalk is checked, with matching plan IDs, and after compliance review.
Ending versus replaced, in plain words
An ending plan stops on December 31, 2026. You need a new plan for January 1, 2027, or you move to Original Medicare. A replaced plan moves you to another plan from the same company. You stay covered, but costs, doctors, or drugs may change.
The way to tell which one you have is your letter. An ending letter says your plan is ending. A replaced plan sends an Annual Notice of Change. Read that notice. It tells you what changes for 2027.
What to do now: a checklist
- 1
Find and read your letter
Look for a letter from your plan saying it is ending, or your Annual Notice of Change. It comes from your plan, not Medicare. Keep it. You may need it for a Medigap application.
- 2
Match your plan ID
Find the plan ID on your member card. It starts with a letter, then numbers. Compare it to the letter from your plan, not to a table on this page.
- 3
Mark December 7
Pick a new plan by December 7, 2026, so it starts January 1, 2027. You may have extra time to the end of February, but waiting risks a gap.
- 4
Know your guaranteed issue right
If you want Original Medicare plus a Medigap policy, you may be able to buy one without health questions. Apply inside the window. See the Medigap section below.
- 5
Check your doctors and hospitals
Confirm each doctor is in the new plan network for 2027. Ask the office. Check the plan directory for 2027.
- 6
Check every drug and your pharmacy
Enter each drug on Medicare Plan Finder. Confirm costs with the plan before you enroll.
- 7
Get a second set of eyes
NC SHIIP is at 855-408-1212. Medicare is at 1-800-MEDICARE. A local licensed agent can also go through your letter with you.
Want a calm second look at your letter? Book a same-day plan check: book a 45-minute phone plan check or call (919) 408-6671.
The booking page must capture a Scope of Appointment before any Medicare Advantage or Part D discussion.
Want help reading your Annual Notice of Change? How to read your Annual Notice of Change. For Open Enrollment dates, see Medicare Open Enrollment, October 15 to December 7. For 2027 changes in general, see Medicare changes for 2027.
Key dates for ending plan members
These dates are from Medicare.gov. Your own letter still controls your own case. Confirm each date that applies to you in that letter.
| Date | What it is | Source |
|---|---|---|
| October 15 to December 7, 2026 | Medicare Open Enrollment. Changes start January 1, 2027. | Medicare.gov Open Enrollment page. |
| December 8, 2026 to February 28, 2027 | Special Enrollment Period when a plan contract is not renewed. Confirm it applies to your plan in your letter. | Medicare.gov Special Enrollment Periods page. |
| January 1, 2027 | New coverage starts. Ending plans stop. | Medicare.gov Open Enrollment page. |
| January 1 to March 31, 2027 | Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment. This is for people already in a Medicare Advantage plan. | Medicare.gov joining a plan page. |
Coverage start dates by month are not printed here. They were marked for verification in the brief, and they rest on lookup site text, not on Medicare.gov wording.
Your Medigap guaranteed issue right
What it is
Medicare.gov says you may have a guaranteed issue right when your Medicare Advantage plan leaves Medicare, or stops serving your area. That right lets you buy a Medigap policy without health questions in some cases.
Who gets it
You only have this right if you switch to Original Medicare. It does not apply if you join another Medicare Advantage plan instead.
Timing
You must apply 60 days before your Medicare Advantage plan coverage ends. You must apply no more than 63 days after your coverage ends. Medigap coverage cannot start until your Medicare Advantage plan coverage ends.
In plain terms, the window is generally from about 60 days before your plan ends until 63 days after it ends. Keep your letter. It may be needed for a Medigap application.
Doctors, hospitals, and drugs: check before you choose
Check your doctors
Confirm each doctor is in the new plan network for 2027. Ask the office. Check the plan directory for 2027. Do not assume a doctor who was in network last year is still in network.
Check every drug and your pharmacy
Enter each drug on Medicare Plan Finder. Confirm costs with the plan before you enroll. Check your pharmacy too, not just the drug list.
Bring these to a review
Bring your Medicare card, your plan card, the letter, your drug list, and your doctor list. Those five items let a reviewer check your case without guessing.
Local help
NC SHIIP offers unbiased counseling at 855-408-1212. Medicare is at 1-800-MEDICARE. Medicare Plan Finder is at medicare.gov/plan-compare. Christian meets locally in Greensboro.
For Greensboro help, see Medicare help in Greensboro. For new to Medicare help, see new to Medicare this year. To book a plan check, see book a plan check. For counties served, see counties Christian serves.
Medicare help in your community
Questions people ask
- How do I know if my plan is ending?
- Your plan sends you a letter saying it is ending. The letter comes from your plan, not from Medicare. Keep that letter. You may need it later.
- What does it mean if my plan is being replaced?
- A replaced plan moves you to another plan from the same company. Read your Annual Notice of Change. Check your drug coverage anyway, because the new plan can differ.
- What happens if I do nothing?
- You would move to Original Medicare on January 1, 2027. If your plan covered drugs, you would have no Medicare drug coverage. Do not let that happen by accident.
- What is my deadline to pick a new plan?
- Open Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, 2026. If your plan is not renewing, Medicare.gov says you can also switch from December 8 to the last day of February 2027. Picking early avoids a gap.
- Can I go back to Original Medicare and buy a Medigap policy without health questions?
- Medicare.gov says you may have a guaranteed issue right when your plan leaves Medicare or stops serving your area. You only get it if you switch to Original Medicare. Apply inside the window and keep your letter.
- Who can help me compare plans in the Triad?
- NC SHIIP offers unbiased counseling at 855-408-1212. Medicare is at 1-800-MEDICARE. Christian also meets locally in Greensboro.
Want a calm second look at your letter? Book a same-day plan check: book a 45-minute phone plan check or call (919) 408-6671.
The booking page must capture a Scope of Appointment before any Medicare Advantage or Part D discussion.
Disclosures and sources
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 8 organizations which offer 65 products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.
Christian Brinkley is a licensed insurance agent. Not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.
Sources, with dates: Medicare.gov Open Enrollment page; Medicare.gov Special Enrollment Periods page; Medicare.gov joining a plan page; Medicare.gov Medigap page. Lookup sites used only for the held county tables, not for this page: ismyplanending.com, CMS data as of October 18, 2026; plainmedicare.com, CMS 2027 landscape files September 22, 2026, revised September 30, 2026, and the October 1, 2026 crosswalk. Re-check both lookup pages on publish day.
This page names no plan and no carrier. It recommends no replacement plan. It states no prices, no star ratings, and no counts of ending plans. Every number on this page cites a source and a date above, or is a calendar date from Medicare.gov, or is the confirmed TPMO count in the disclaimer above.