Medicare 2026

Medicare in Illinois for 2027: 44 Advantage Plans Leaving, 23 New, and What Else Changes

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Medicare in Illinois looks different for 2027. The number of Medicare Advantage plans offered somewhere in the state drops from 160 in 2026 to 139 in 2027, two insurer brands pull their Medicare Advantage lineup from the state, and the federal out-of-pocket cap on Part D drug costs rises to $2,400. Here is what Illinois residents with Medicare should know before Annual Enrollment ends on December 7, 2026.

Medicare 2026Illinois

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

Illinois has 139 Medicare Advantage plans offered somewhere in the state for 2027, compared with 160 in 2026, spread across 102 counties. Of those changes, 44 plans are not returning anywhere in Illinois, 23 are new, and 44 are changing in at least one way — a different premium, drug deductible, plan type, or plan name.

Two insurer brands have no Medicare Advantage plan in Illinois for 2027: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of IL, NM, OK, TX; Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois; and Clear Spring Health. Medicare Advantage is sold county by county, so a plan that still exists statewide may not be offered in a given ZIP code. The Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov shows the exact lineup for a specific address.

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

If a plan is not returning, the insurer must send a non-renewal letter, and members get a Special Enrollment Period that runs through the end of February 2027 to choose a new Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare with a stand-alone Part D plan. Without a choice, coverage generally defaults back to Original Medicare on January 1, 2027, without drug coverage.

Every member of a continuing plan should also have received an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) in late September 2026. The ANOC spells out what the plan is changing for 2027 — premium, deductible, copays, drug list, network, extra benefits. Reading it side by side with current coverage is the single most useful step before December 7, 2026.

Which Illinois counties have the most Medicare Advantage change for 2027?

Five Illinois counties see the heaviest turnover for 2027. In Cook County, 17 plans are leaving and 21 are changing. In Will County, 18 are leaving and 20 are changing. In McHenry County, 27 are leaving and 10 are changing. In Kane County, 19 are leaving and 16 are changing. In DuPage County, 17 are leaving and 17 are changing.

"Changing" means the plan is still offered but at least one of these is different for 2027: premium, drug deductible, plan type, or plan name. Residents of those counties are the most likely to find that their 2027 coverage is not the same as their 2026 coverage, even if they do nothing.

How many stand-alone Part D drug plans are in Illinois for 2027?

Illinois has 10 stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plans for 2027, from 5 insurers, down from 12 plans in 2026. Stand-alone Part D is what pairs with Original Medicare (and typically with a Medigap policy) for drug coverage.

Two national Part D rules matter in 2027. The out-of-pocket cap on covered drugs is $2,400, up from $2,100 in 2026 — once a member's covered out-of-pocket drug spending reaches that amount, they pay $0 for covered drugs the rest of the year. And no Part D plan may charge a deductible higher than $700 in 2027. Specific plan premiums, deductibles, and drug lists are shown in the Medicare Plan Finder.

How many Medigap insurers sell in Illinois in 2027?

Medicare.gov lists 29 Medigap (Medicare Supplement) insurers for a ZIP code in Illinois. Medigap pairs with Original Medicare and is standardized by federal letter (Plan G, Plan N, and so on), so every insurer's Plan G covers the same medical items; what differs is price, customer service, and household discounts.

Medigap has its own enrollment rules separate from Annual Enrollment. The strongest federal protections apply during the six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period that begins when someone is 65 or older and first enrolled in Part B. Outside that window, acceptance may depend on medical underwriting. The rules are explained at medicare.gov.

What national Medicare numbers are confirmed for 2027?

Four federal numbers are set for 2027. The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,400. The maximum Part D deductible any plan may charge is $700. The Part D base beneficiary premium — a national figure used to calculate the late-enrollment penalty — is $41.33; actual plan premiums are set plan by plan. And 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 brackets, have not been announced. CMS typically publishes them in the fall, usually November. Until then, no reliable 2027 Part B number exists.

What should Illinois residents do before December 7, 2026?

Here is a short checklist for Annual Enrollment 2027:

• Open the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) or the non-renewal letter from the current plan and note what is different for 2027.
• Make a current list of prescriptions, doctors, and preferred pharmacies.
• Run the list through the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov for the exact ZIP code to see the 2027 plans available there.
• If the plan is not returning, remember the Special Enrollment Period that runs through the end of February 2027.
• Confirm any choice is submitted by December 7, 2026, for January 1, 2027 coverage.

Where can Illinois residents get free Medicare help for 2027?

Free, unbiased help is available two ways year-round: medicare.gov, which has the Plan Finder for a specific ZIP code, and 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), which is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Both can confirm what is offered in a given Illinois county for 2027 and walk through enrollment.