Medicare Advantage

20 Medicare Advantage Plans Not Returning in Arkansas for 2027: The List

LITTLE ROCK — Twenty Medicare Advantage plans sold in Arkansas during 2026 are not in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 2027 Landscape file for any county in the state, according to a side-by-side read of the CY2026 and CY2027 source files. For 2027, Arkansas residents will see 84 Medicare Advantage plans from 10 carriers statewide, offered county by county.

The list below names each plan that is leaving. A plan is counted once statewide even though it is sold county by county, so a plan on the list may or may not have been available where you live.

How many Medicare Advantage plans are not returning in Arkansas for 2027, and which carriers are affected?

Twenty Medicare Advantage plans offered in Arkansas for 2026 are not returning for 2027, and 84 plans from 10 carriers will be offered for 2027, according to the CMS Landscape files. The 20 non-renewing plans come from five carriers: Aetna (CVS Health), Arkansas Blue Medicare, Centene (WellCare), Humana, and UnitedHealthcare. The full plan-by-plan breakdown is in the table on this page; it includes four Aetna plans, three Arkansas Blue Medicare PFFS contracts under the BlueMedicare Preferred name, eight Wellcare plans, one HumanaChoice D-SNP, and three UnitedHealthcare regional PPO offerings.

Which non-renewing Arkansas plans served the most counties in 2026?

Several of the exiting plans had broad county footprints in 2026. Wellcare Giveback (HMO-POS), Wellcare Patriot Giveback Preferred (HMO-POS), UHC Complete Care AM-1 (Regional PPO C-SNP), UHC Complete Care Support AM-1A (Regional PPO C-SNP), and UHC Medicare Advantage AM-0002 (Regional PPO) were each offered in 75 Arkansas counties this year. HumanaChoice SNP-DE H5216-470 (PPO D-SNP) served 63 counties, and Aetna Medicare Dual Extra (PPO D-SNP) served 58 counties. A wide county count does not mean a plan was offered everywhere in the state, and it does not say anything about whether the plan was offered in your county — check the full table.

How can an Arkansas member tell if their Medicare Advantage plan is leaving for 2027?

There are two reliable ways to tell. First, the carrier is required to mail a non-renewal notice — often called the Annual Notice of Change paired with a plan non-renewal letter — before Annual Enrollment 2027 begins on October 15, 2026. Second, you can compare the exact plan name on your member ID card to the list on this page; the plans are spelled here the way CMS lists them. If your plan's name does not appear on the non-returning list, it is expected to continue for 2027, though specific details for 2027 may change and should be read in the plan's Evidence of Coverage.

What happens to an Arkansas enrollee who does nothing by December 7, 2026?

If your plan is on the non-returning list and you make no choice by December 7, 2026, your Medicare Advantage enrollment ends December 31, 2026, and you return to Original Medicare (Parts A and B) on January 1, 2027. Original Medicare does not include Part D prescription drug coverage, so unless you actively enroll in a stand-alone Part D plan or a new Medicare Advantage plan that includes drug coverage, you will not have Medicare drug coverage on January 1, 2027. That gap can also create a late-enrollment penalty later if you go without creditable drug coverage.

Is there a Special Enrollment Period and a Medigap right when a Medicare Advantage plan does not renew?

Yes. At the federal program level, members whose Medicare Advantage plan is non-renewed get a Special Enrollment Period that runs through the end of February 2027 to join another Medicare Advantage plan or a stand-alone Part D plan. There is also a Medigap guaranteed-issue right that lets eligible enrollees buy certain Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policies without medical underwriting within a limited window around the plan termination. The specific Medigap plans available, filing timelines, and any additional protections are governed by state rules; the Arkansas Insurance Department is the authority on how those rights apply in Arkansas.

How can I check my own Arkansas county's Medicare Advantage lineup for 2027?

The quickest way to see your county's 2027 lineup is the Medicare Plan Finder at Medicare.gov, which draws from the same CMS Landscape data used for this article. Enter your ZIP code, and the tool will list the Medicare Advantage and Part D plans available where you live for 2027. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including TTY at 1-877-486-2048. The number of plans in your county is often different from the statewide total of 84, because plans are sold county by county.

What should Arkansas members do before December 7, 2026?

Before December 7, 2026, members whose plan is on the non-returning list should pick a replacement — either another Medicare Advantage plan available in their county for 2027, a stand-alone Part D plan paired with Original Medicare, or Original Medicare with a Medigap policy if they qualify. Read the Annual Notice of Change and Evidence of Coverage for any plan you are considering, confirm your doctors and prescriptions on that plan's directories and formulary, and keep the non-renewal letter — it is proof of your Special Enrollment Period and your Medigap guaranteed-issue right.

Where can Arkansas residents get free Medicare help?

Free, unbiased help is available directly from Medicare at Medicare.gov and by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Medicare Plan Finder lets you compare 2027 plans by ZIP code, and 1-800-MEDICARE can walk you through enrollment, Special Enrollment Period eligibility, and Part D options at no cost.