Medicare 2026

Medicare in Hawaii for 2027: 6 Advantage Plans Leaving, 8 New, and What Else Changes

HONOLULU — People with Medicare in Hawaii will see a modest reshuffle of Medicare Advantage choices for 2027, a steady slate of stand-alone Part D plans, and a higher annual cap on what Part D plans can ask members to pay out of pocket for covered drugs. Choices made during Medicare Open Enrollment 2027, which runs October 15 through December 7, 2026, take effect January 1, 2027.

How many Medicare Advantage plans are offered in Hawaii for 2027?

Hawaii will have 46 Medicare Advantage plans in 2027, compared with 44 in 2026. Across the state, 6 plans are not returning anywhere in Hawaii, 8 new plans are entering, and 15 are changing in some way — a different premium, drug deductible, plan type, or plan name — across the state's 5 counties. Wellcare will not offer a Medicare Advantage plan in Hawaii for 2027.

Because Medicare Advantage plans are sold county by county, the statewide tally is not the number of plans an individual can choose from. The Medicare Plan Finder at Medicare.gov shows the exact list for a ZIP code.

What happens if my Medicare Advantage plan is leaving Hawaii in 2027?

If a plan is not returning, the insurer must send a non-renewal letter, and the member qualifies for a Special Enrollment Period that runs through February 2027 to choose a new Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare (and, if desired, add a stand-alone Part D plan). The letter typically arrives in the fall.

Members whose plans are continuing should still receive an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) by late September 2026. The ANOC lays out next year's premium, deductible, cost sharing, drug list, and provider network — the places most changes show up for the 15 Hawaii plans listed as changing. Reading the ANOC side by side with current coverage is the single best way to spot a change that matters.

Which Hawaii counties are seeing the most Medicare Advantage change for 2027?

All five Hawaii counties are seeing movement. By the state's county-level counts: Honolulu County has 4 plans leaving and 10 changing; Maui County has 4 leaving and 8 changing; Kauai County has 4 leaving and 7 changing; Hawaii County has 5 leaving and 5 changing; and Kalawao County has 3 leaving and 3 changing.

"Changing" means a plan is still offered but with a different premium, drug deductible, plan type, or plan name — details a member will want to confirm on Medicare.gov or in plan documents before December 7, 2026.

How many stand-alone Part D drug plans will Hawaii have in 2027?

Hawaii will have 8 stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plans in 2027, the same as the 8 offered in 2026, from 4 insurers. Stand-alone Part D is the route most often used by people who keep Original Medicare, with or without a Medigap policy.

Two national Part D rules matter for everyone with drug coverage in 2027: the annual out-of-pocket cap on covered Part D drugs rises to $2,400 (up from $2,100 in 2026), and the most any Part D plan may charge as a deductible is $700. Specific premiums, deductibles under that cap, and drug lists vary plan by plan and are posted on Medicare.gov.

How many Medigap insurers are available in Hawaii for 2027?

Medicare.gov lists 8 Medigap (Medicare Supplement) insurers for a Hawaii ZIP code. Medigap policies pair with Original Medicare and are standardized by letter (Plan G, Plan N, and so on), so the same lettered plan covers the same gaps regardless of which insurer sells it.

Medigap enrollment is not tied to the October-to-December window. Federal rules give a one-time Medigap Open Enrollment Period when someone is first 65 and enrolled in Part B; outside that window, medical underwriting may apply. Medicare.gov explains the state and federal protections in detail.

What are the national Medicare numbers for 2027, and what did Social Security announce?

For 2027, the Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,400, the maximum Part D deductible any plan may charge is $700, and the Part D base beneficiary premium — a national figure used to calculate the late-enrollment penalty — is $41.33. Individual plan premiums are set plan by plan.

The Social Security Administration announced on October 14, 2026 a 3.6 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for benefits payable beginning January 2027.

The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income-related surcharges, have not yet been announced. CMS typically publishes those figures in the fall, usually November. They will appear on Medicare.gov when released.

What should Hawaii Medicare members do before December 7, 2026?

A short checklist for Medicare Open Enrollment 2027:

• Watch the mail in September and October 2026 for the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) from a current Medicare Advantage or Part D plan, or a non-renewal letter if the plan is leaving.
• Make a current list of prescriptions, pharmacies, and doctors.
• Use the Medicare Plan Finder at Medicare.gov to compare plans available in the member's ZIP code for 2027.
• Confirm any choice before December 7, 2026; coverage takes effect January 1, 2027.
• If a plan is not returning, remember the Special Enrollment Period runs through February 2027.

Where can Hawaii residents get free help with Medicare for 2027?

Free, unbiased help is available from Medicare itself. Medicare.gov hosts the Plan Finder, plan documents, and the full rulebook on enrollment periods, Part D, and Medigap. The 1-800-MEDICARE line (1-800-633-4227) is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with language assistance.