Medicare 2026

Medicare in Louisiana for 2027: 20 Advantage Plans Leaving, 33 New, and What Else Changes

BATON ROUGE — The 2027 Medicare picture in Louisiana comes into focus as mail begins arriving in September 2026 and Annual Enrollment opens October 15, 2026. Statewide, the number of Medicare Advantage plans on offer rises from 111 in 2026 to 124 in 2027, but the mix is shifting: 20 plans are not returning anywhere in Louisiana, 33 are new, and 22 are changing in a meaningful way, such as a different premium, drug deductible, plan type or plan name. Here is what Louisiana residents on Medicare can expect, and what to do before December 7, 2026.

Medicare 2026Louisiana

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

Louisiana will have 124 Medicare Advantage plans offered statewide in 2027, compared with 111 in 2026. Of the 2026 lineup, 20 plans are not returning anywhere in the state, 33 are brand new for 2027, and 22 are changing in at least one of the elements the CMS landscape tracks — a different premium, drug deductible, plan type or plan name. Those statewide totals are spread across 64 counties, and because Medicare Advantage is sold county by county, the plans available where you live may be a smaller slice of that list.

Two pieces of mail do the heavy lifting here. If you keep your current plan, the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) that arrived by late September 2026 spells out what is different for 2027. If your plan is one of the 20 leaving, you should receive a separate non-renewal letter from the insurer. Save both.

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

If your Medicare Advantage plan is not returning in 2027, you have a Special Enrollment Period that runs through February 28, 2027 to join another Medicare Advantage plan, a stand-alone Part D drug plan, or return to Original Medicare. You can also make a standard change during Annual Enrollment itself (October 15 – December 7, 2026), which takes effect January 1, 2027.

If you do nothing and your plan ends, you generally return to Original Medicare on January 1, 2027 without drug coverage, which is why reviewing the non-renewal letter promptly matters. Medicare.gov's Plan Finder is the official place to compare what is being offered in your county.

Which Louisiana parishes have the most Medicare Advantage changes for 2027?

Five parishes stand out for the volume of plan turnover in 2027. St. James Parish has 19 plans leaving and 11 changing. Pointe Coupee Parish has 19 leaving and 10 changing. St. Bernard Parish has 18 leaving and 11 changing. St. John the Baptist Parish and West Baton Rouge Parish each have 17 leaving and 11 changing.

If you live in one of these parishes, the chance that your current plan is affected is higher than average, so open the ANOC and look specifically at whether the plan name, plan type, premium or drug deductible has shifted for 2027.

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

Louisiana will have 8 stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plans in 2027, down from 10 in 2026, offered by 4 insurers. These are the drug-only plans typically paired with Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan that does not include drug coverage.

Two program-wide Part D changes take effect in 2027. The out-of-pocket cap on covered Part D drugs moves to $2,400 (it was $2,100 in 2026). And no Part D plan may charge a deductible higher than $700. Specific premiums, formularies and pharmacy networks vary plan by plan and are listed on Medicare.gov.

How many Medigap insurers are listed in Louisiana for 2027?

Medicare.gov lists 23 Medigap insurers for a Louisiana ZIP code. Medigap (Medicare Supplement Insurance) works only with Original Medicare and follows federal standardized plan letters, with details and consumer protections explained on Medicare.gov. Louisiana rules about when you can switch Medigap plans without medical underwriting differ from Medicare Advantage rules, so it is worth reading the Medigap pages on Medicare.gov before making a change.

What are the national Medicare changes for 2027?

Two 2027 Part D numbers are set: the annual out-of-pocket cap is $2,400, and the maximum allowable Part D deductible is $700. The Part D base beneficiary premium used in the late-enrollment penalty calculation is $41.33 for 2027; actual plan premiums are set by each 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 surcharge brackets, have not yet been announced by CMS. Those figures are typically published in the fall. Watch Medicare.gov for the official numbers.

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

A short checklist for Annual Enrollment 2027:

• Read the Annual Notice of Change from your current plan and flag anything different for 2027.
• If you received a non-renewal letter, note the February 28, 2027 Special Enrollment Period deadline.
• Make a current list of your prescriptions, pharmacies and doctors.
• Use the Plan Finder at Medicare.gov to compare 2027 plans in your parish.
• Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), available 24/7, with questions.

Where can Louisiana residents get free Medicare help?

Medicare.gov is the official source for plan comparisons, Medigap information, and enrollment. 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can answer questions in English and Spanish. Both are free.