Medicare Advantage

18 Medicare Advantage Plans Not Returning in Iowa for 2027: The List

DES MOINES — Eighteen Medicare Advantage plans currently offered somewhere in Iowa are not in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 2027 Landscape file for any county in the state, according to a comparison of the CMS CY2026 and CY2027 source files. For 2027, Iowa will have 74 Medicare Advantage plans available from 16 carriers.

The non-renewals touch nearly every corner of the state, from plans that served a handful of counties to several that were available in 90 or more. If your plan is on the list, you have time and defined choices — but you also have a date on the calendar.

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

Eighteen Medicare Advantage plans available in Iowa for 2026 do not appear in the CMS 2027 Landscape file for any Iowa county. The affected carriers are Aetna (CVS Health), Align powered by Sanford Health Plan, Elevance Health (Anthem) under the Wellpoint brand, Humana, Medica, Passport Advantage (Molina), UnitedHealthcare, and Wellmark Advantage Health Plan.

The full list of the 18 plans — with plan name, carrier, plan type, and the number of Iowa counties each one served in 2026 — is rendered as a table on this page. Iowa's 2027 lineup still includes 74 plans from 16 carriers.

Which non-returning Iowa plans served the most counties in 2026?

Several of the plans not coming back for 2027 served large portions of the state in 2026. Wellpoint Full Dual Advantage (HMO-POS D-SNP) was offered in 99 counties, Blue Medicare Advantage Valor PPO from Wellmark Advantage Health Plan in 98 counties, and Humana Together in Health and Humana Together in Health Select (both PPO I-SNP) in 98 counties each.

Also serving broad territory this year: Humana Full Access H5216-411 (PPO) in 90 counties, Molina Medicare Complete Care (HMO D-SNP) under Passport Advantage in 83 counties, Blue Medicare Advantage PPO from Wellmark Advantage Health Plan in 81 counties, Aetna Medicare Elite (PPO) in 69 counties, and UHC Complete Care IA-5 (HMO-POS C-SNP) from UnitedHealthcare in 54 counties. Smaller-footprint non-renewals include four Medica Advantage PPO plans at three counties each, two Align powered by Sanford Health Plan PPO plans at four counties each, and two AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC HMO-POS plans at seven counties each. A plan's county count is the counties it served in 2026, not a statement that it was offered everywhere.

How can an Iowa member tell if their Medicare Advantage plan is not returning in 2027?

Two signals confirm it. First, the plan's carrier is required to mail a non-renewal (or plan termination) notice, generally by the end of September 2026, telling the member the plan will not be offered in 2027. Second, the plan's exact name appears on the list of 18 plans shown on this page.

Match the plan name on the member ID card to the name in the table, carrier for carrier. If the names line up, the plan is not returning anywhere in Iowa for 2027. If they do not, the plan may still be offered — though benefits, service area, or pricing can still change, which is why the Annual Notice of Change matters.

What happens to an Iowa member who does nothing by December 7, 2026?

A member of a non-renewed Medicare Advantage plan who makes no choice by December 7, 2026 is returned to Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) effective January 1, 2027. They will not have Part D prescription drug coverage unless they actively enroll in a stand-alone Part D plan or a new Medicare Advantage plan that includes drug coverage.

Original Medicare also does not include the extra items some Medicare Advantage plans package in. Anyone who wants drug coverage or a different Medicare Advantage plan for 2027 needs to make that choice.

What is the Special Enrollment Period and Medigap guaranteed-issue right when a Medicare Advantage plan is discontinued?

At the federal program level, members whose Medicare Advantage plan is non-renewed get a Special Enrollment Period that runs December 8, 2026 through February 28, 2027 to join another Medicare Advantage plan or a stand-alone Part D plan. That is in addition to the regular Annual Enrollment Period of October 15 – December 7, 2026.

Federal rules also create a Medigap guaranteed-issue right for people losing Medicare Advantage coverage because the plan is leaving the service area, allowing enrollment in certain Medigap policies without medical underwriting within a defined window. State-specific Medigap rules vary; the Iowa Insurance Division is the authority on how those protections apply in Iowa.

How can an Iowa resident check their own county's 2027 Medicare Advantage lineup?

Use the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov and enter the ZIP code, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), available 24/7. Both show the Medicare Advantage and Part D plans available in that specific county for 2027.

Because Medicare Advantage is sold county by county, a plan listed statewide may or may not be offered in any given Iowa county. Plan details — premiums, deductibles, copays, provider networks, drug formularies, and star ratings — come from the Plan Finder, 1-800-MEDICARE, or the plan's own Evidence of Coverage and directories.

What should an Iowan do before December 7, 2026 if their plan is on the list?

Before December 7, 2026, confirm the plan is non-renewed by reading the carrier's letter and checking the plan name against the table on this page. Then compare the 2027 options in your county on medicare.gov, with doctors, hospitals and prescriptions in hand, and enroll in whatever fits.

If December 7 passes without a choice, the Special Enrollment Period through February 28, 2027 is still available to members of non-renewed plans — but Part D coverage does not begin until the new enrollment takes effect.

Where can Iowans get free help?

Free, unbiased help is available from Medicare itself: medicare.gov for the Plan Finder and plan documents, and 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Both can confirm whether a specific plan is returning in a specific Iowa county for 2027 and walk through enrollment.