Medicare Advantage

Before Jan. 1: what to do if your plan is ending

For 2027, Scottsdale is looking at 92 Medicare Advantage plans: 17 new, 13 gone since 2026, and 33 still here but changed on premium, deductible, plan type or name, 13 of them under a new name. Below, how the lineup shifted in Maricopa County and what to compare, with no plan ranked or recommended.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — If you open your mailbox this fall and find a letter saying your Medicare Advantage plan will not be offered next year, you are not alone. Thirteen Medicare Advantage plans sold in Maricopa County — the county Scottsdale sits in — are not on CMS's 2027 list, according to the agency's Landscape Source Files for the current and coming plan year. That means some Scottsdale neighbors will need to pick a new plan during Annual Enrollment 2027 (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7, 2026), or let the default happen on Jan. 1.

Here is what the letter means, what happens if you do nothing, and the extra time Medicare gives you to decide.

Which Medicare Advantage plans are not returning in Scottsdale for 2027?

Scottsdale is in Maricopa County, where CMS's 2027 Landscape file shows 13 Medicare Advantage plans from 2026 are not being offered again. Listed alphabetically by carrier, they are:

• Aetna Medicare Elite (PPO) — Aetna (CVS Health)
• Aetna Medicare Prime (HMO) — Aetna (CVS Health)
• Aetna Medicare Prime Chronic Care (HMO C-SNP) — Aetna (CVS Health)
• Aetna Medicare Prime Extra (HMO) — Aetna (CVS Health)
• Aetna Medicare Signature Extra (HMO) — Aetna (CVS Health)
• Wellcare Arizona Complete Health Dual Align (HMO D-SNP) — Centene (WellCare)
• Wellcare Dual Liberty Sync (HMO D-SNP) — Centene (WellCare)
• Wellcare Giveback (HMO) — Centene (WellCare)
• Wellcare Simple Value (HMO) — Centene (WellCare)
• Wellpoint I CareMore Home Care (HMO I-SNP) — Elevance Health (Anthem)
• eternalHealth Grand Give Back (HMO) — eternalHealth
• HealthSpring Preferred (HMO) — Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC)
• SCAN Strive (HMO C-SNP) — SCAN Health Plan

If your plan name is not on this list, your coverage is expected to continue into 2027 — but still read your Annual Notice of Change, which lays out any shifts in costs, benefits or network.

How do I know if my plan is one of them?

The clearest sign is a non-renewal letter, which the plan is required to mail by early October 2026. The letter will usually say the plan is being "discontinued," "non-renewed" or "not offered" in your service area for 2027. It will also explain that your membership ends Dec. 31, 2026 and describe your options.

If you are not sure what you received, you can look up your plan at medicare.gov using the Plan Finder, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

What happens in Scottsdale if I do nothing after a non-renewal?

If you take no action, on Jan. 1, 2027 you will be enrolled in Original Medicare — Part A (hospital) and Part B (medical) — through the federal program. You will not automatically have Part D drug coverage, and you will not have the extras many Medicare Advantage plans bundle in (such as dental, vision or hearing benefits).

Original Medicare also has no annual out-of-pocket maximum on its own. Many people pair it with a stand-alone Part D plan and a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policy, but those are separate choices you have to make.

What is the Special Enrollment Period for a non-renewed plan?

When your Medicare Advantage plan leaves the market, Medicare gives you a Special Enrollment Period that runs from Dec. 8, 2026 through Feb. 28, 2027. During this window you can:

• Join a different Medicare Advantage plan offered in Maricopa County for 2027 (CMS lists 92 plans from 16 carriers for the county next year, and the table on this page shows every one).
• Return to Original Medicare and add a stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan.

You can also make a change during Annual Enrollment 2027 itself (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7, 2026), which may be the simpler path if you have already decided.

Can I still buy a Medigap plan if my Advantage plan is ending?

When a Medicare Advantage plan non-renews, federal law gives you a guaranteed-issue right to buy certain Medigap policies — meaning an insurer cannot turn you down or charge you more based on your health, if you apply within the allowed window. The specific Medigap plan letters you qualify for and the application window are set by federal rules, with state details handled by the Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions.

Medigap only works with Original Medicare, not with a Medicare Advantage plan, so this choice goes hand in hand with the decision above.

What else is changing in Medicare for 2027?

A few program-wide figures are already set for 2027: the Part D out-of-pocket cap rises to $2,400 (up from $2,100 in 2026), and the Part D maximum deductible rises to $700 (up from $615 in 2026). The 2027 Part B standard premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets, have not been announced yet; CMS typically publishes those later in the fall.

In Maricopa County, 92 Medicare Advantage plans from 16 carriers are on CMS's 2027 list, including 17 new plans and 13 plans that have been renamed. If your plan was renamed, the specifics are in your Annual Notice of Change.