Why this is happening
Each year, companies decide which Medicare Advantage plans to offer in each county. For 2027, CMS data show that a number of plans in Washington won't continue after December 31, 2026, through company exits and plan non-renewals. If yours is one of them, the company must send you a notice. See plans ending in 2027 for the details and the sources.
Your deadlines
- Through December 7, 2026: the Annual Enrollment Period, open to everyone.
- December 8, 2026 through February 28, 2027: a special enrollment period because your plan is ending. You can join another Medicare Advantage plan or a Part D drug plan.
- By December 31, 2026, for no gap: choose by then and your new coverage starts January 1, 2027. Choose in January and it starts February 1; in February, March 1. Until then you'd have Original Medicare with no drug coverage.
- Through March 4, 2027: your guaranteed right to buy certain Medigap policies with no health questions, which runs until 63 days after your plan ends.
Your choices
Another Medicare Advantage plan. CMS 2027 data list 71 Medicare Advantage plans open to everyone in Washington, from 14 companies, but what's offered varies a lot by county. Check that your doctors and prescriptions are covered before you join.
Original Medicare, a Part D plan and Medigap. Original Medicare works with any doctor or hospital in the U.S. that accepts Medicare. You'd add a stand-alone Part D plan (8 are offered in Washington for 2027) and, if you want help with Medicare's deductibles and coinsurance, a Medigap policy. Because your plan is ending, RCW 48.66.055 gives you guaranteed issue: a company can't turn you down, charge more for your health, or exclude a pre-existing condition for Plan A, B, C, D, F, K or L (D and G in place of C and F if you became eligible in 2020 or later). Once you have Medigap in Washington, you can later switch to most other plans without health questions under RCW 48.66.045.
If you have Apple Health. You can choose an Apple Health Medicare Connect plan (a D-SNP) where one serves your county, and you have monthly special enrollment periods; see Apple Health and Medicare Advantage.
Tip: You don't need to cancel your current plan. It ends on its own on December 31, and joining a new Medicare Advantage or Part D plan switches you over when the new coverage starts. If you choose Medigap, keep the notice your plan sent you: it is your proof of the guaranteed-issue right.
Get help
A licensed insurance agent with Benefits Life can compare Medicare Advantage, Part D and Medigap options from the companies they work with in your county, at no cost to you: (206) SENIORS (206-736-4677), TTY 711. You can also see plans in your ZIP code, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227, TTY 1-877-486-2048) for information on all your options.
Related questions
Can I switch Medigap plans in Washington?
Washington's year-round replacement right.
Can I have Apple Health and Medicare Advantage?
Apple Health Medicare Connect plans.
What is Washington's Medicare phone number?
Official numbers for help with your options.
Sources
- Medicare.gov — Special Enrollment Periods (your plan is leaving Medicare or your area)
- Medicare.gov — When can I buy Medigap? (guaranteed issue rights)
- RCW 48.66.055 — Guaranteed issue periods (63 days after coverage ends; plans available)
- RCW 48.66.045 — Replacement policies without evidence of insurability
- CMS — Medicare Advantage and Part D plan data (2027 Landscape)
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I do nothing?
When your plan ends on December 31, 2026, you are returned to Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) on January 1, 2027, but without drug coverage and without a Medigap policy. You can still choose a plan through February 28, 2027, with coverage starting the first of the month after you choose.
What is the last day for guaranteed-issue Medigap?
For a plan that ends December 31, 2026, the Medigap guaranteed-issue period lasts until 63 days after it ends, which is March 4, 2027. You can apply as early as when you get the notice; the policy starts when your Medicare Advantage coverage ends.
Which Medigap plans can I get without health questions?
Washington law, RCW 48.66.055, gives you a policy classified as Plan A, B, C, D, F (including high-deductible F), K or L from any company that sells it. If you first became eligible for Medicare in 2020 or later, Plans D and G (including high-deductible G) take the place of C and F.
Do I need to tell my doctors?
Yes. Check that your doctors, hospitals and pharmacies work with your new coverage before January 1, and give them your new card when it arrives.
Medicare in your Washington county
Plans, local agents and help, county by county: Adams · Asotin · Benton · Chelan · Clallam · Clark · Columbia · Cowlitz · Douglas · Ferry · Franklin · Garfield · Grant · Grays Harbor · Island · Jefferson · King · Kitsap · Kittitas · Klickitat · Lewis · Lincoln · Mason · Okanogan · Pacific · Pend Oreille · Pierce · San Juan · Skagit · Skamania · Snohomish · Spokane · Stevens · Thurston · Wahkiakum · Walla Walla · Whatcom · Whitman · Yakima
