Medicare Advantage

21 Medicare Advantage Plans Not Returning in Kentucky for 2027: The List

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Twenty-one Medicare Advantage plans offered somewhere in Kentucky in 2026 are not in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) 2027 Landscape file for any county in the state, according to a comparison of the CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape Source Files for 2026 and 2027. For 2027, Kentucky's Medicare Advantage lineup includes 123 plans from 11 carriers statewide. This article walks through what that means for a Kentuckian whose current plan is one of the 21.

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

Twenty-one Medicare Advantage plans sold in Kentucky in 2026 are not in CMS's 2027 Landscape file for any county in the state. They come from five carriers: Aetna (CVS Health), Centene (WellCare), Humana, Provider Partners Health Plans and UnitedHealthcare. The full list, with plan type and the number of Kentucky counties each one served in 2026, is in the table on this page. Alongside those non-renewals, 123 Medicare Advantage plans from 11 carriers are offered somewhere in Kentucky for 2027.

A plan being "not returning" is a statewide fact drawn from the CMS files; it is not a judgment about the carrier, which in most cases continues to offer other plans in Kentucky for 2027.

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

Several of the 21 plans had broad footprints across Kentucky in 2026. Wellcare Assist (HMO-POS) and Wellcare Patriot Giveback Open (PPO) from Centene (WellCare) were each offered in 120 Kentucky counties this year. From Humana, Humana Together in Health Select (PPO I-SNP), Humana USAA Honor Giveback (PPO) and Humana USAA Honor Giveback with Rx (PPO) were also in 120 counties, Humana Gold Plus SNP-DE H1036-320 (HMO D-SNP) in 118 counties, and Humana Gold Plus Chronic Kidney Disease (HMO C-SNP) in 115 counties. UHC Dual Complete KY-S002 and UHC Dual Complete KY-S4, both HMO-POS D-SNP plans from UnitedHealthcare, were offered in 119 counties each.

Other plans on the list — including Aetna Medicare Signature (PPO), Humana Community HMO SNP-DE, Humana Gold Plus H5619-049, H5619-053, H5619-071 and H5619-173, HumanaChoice Giveback H5216-309 and H7617-003, Provider Partners Kentucky Advantage Plan (HMO I-SNP), and the AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC OH-0003 and OH-0015 plans — served smaller sets of counties. Because plans are sold county by county, a plan on the statewide list may or may not have been offered in your county; the table above shows the 2026 county count for each.

How can a Kentucky member tell if their plan is leaving for 2027?

Two signals confirm it. First, by late September or early October 2026, carriers mail a non-renewal notice — sometimes called an Annual Notice of Non-Renewal — to any member whose plan will not be offered in 2027. Second, the plan's exact name appears on the list of 21 above. Match the plan name on your member ID card or Annual Notice of Change to the names in the table, spelled exactly as CMS lists them (for example, "Wellcare Assist (HMO-POS)" or "Humana Gold Plus Chronic Kidney Disease (HMO C-SNP)").

If the name is not on the list, the plan is expected to continue in 2027, though benefits may change — the Annual Notice of Change describes those changes.

What happens to a Kentuckian who does nothing before January 1, 2027?

If your Medicare Advantage plan is one of the 21 not returning and you take no action, your Medicare Advantage enrollment ends December 31, 2026, and you are returned 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 starting January 1, 2027. Late enrollment penalties for Part D can apply later if you go without creditable coverage.

Doing nothing is a valid choice for someone who wants Original Medicare, but it should be a deliberate one.

What Special Enrollment Period and Medigap rights apply when a Kentucky plan is non-renewed?

Members whose plan is non-renewed get a Special Enrollment Period that runs from December 8, 2026 through the end of February 2027 (February 28, 2027). During that window you can enroll in another Medicare Advantage plan or a stand-alone Part D plan, with coverage effective the first of the month after you enroll.

At the federal level, a non-renewal also triggers a Medigap guaranteed-issue right, meaning you can buy certain Medicare Supplement policies without medical underwriting within a set window. The specific Medigap plan letters, timelines and any additional Kentucky-specific protections are set by the Kentucky Department of Insurance; confirm the details with that department or on medicare.gov before you apply.

How do I check my own Kentucky county's 2027 Medicare Advantage lineup?

Use the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov and enter your ZIP code, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048), available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Plan Finder shows every 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D plan available in your county, with premiums, deductibles, drug coverage, provider networks and star ratings — the plan-level details this article intentionally does not include. Your plan's own Evidence of Coverage and provider and pharmacy directories are the authoritative source for benefits and networks.

Statewide, 123 Medicare Advantage plans from 11 carriers are offered somewhere in Kentucky for 2027; the number available in your specific county will be smaller.

What should a Kentuckian do before December 7, 2026?

Three steps. First, read any Annual Notice of Change or non-renewal letter that arrives in September or October 2026. Second, if your plan is one of the 21 on the list above, compare the 2027 options in your county on the Medicare Plan Finder, checking that your doctors, hospitals and prescriptions are covered. Third, enroll in your choice during the Annual Enrollment Period, October 15 – December 7, 2026, for a January 1, 2027 effective date — or plan to use the Special Enrollment Period through February 28, 2027 if your plan is non-renewed.

Writing down your preferred plan name and plan ID before you call or enroll online makes the process faster.

Where can a Kentuckian get free help?

Free, unbiased help is available from Medicare itself. Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), TTY 1-877-486-2048, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or visit medicare.gov to use the Plan Finder, review enrollment periods and read plan documents. These are the official federal resources and do not sell insurance.