Medicare Advantage

Got a Non-Renewal Letter in Grand Rapids? Read This

For 2027, Grand Rapids is looking at 89 Medicare Advantage plans: 20 new, 11 gone since 2026, and 43 still here but changed on premium, deductible, plan type or name, 10 of them under a new name. Below, how the lineup shifted in Kent County and what to compare, with no plan ranked or recommended.

Grand Rapids, Mich. — If you have a Medicare Advantage plan in the Grand Rapids area, this fall's mail is worth opening carefully. The federal government's plan year 2027 lineup for Kent County is now set, and it brings 20 new plans, 11 plans leaving, 10 renamed plans and two new carriers entering the county. For members whose plan is going away, a special window to switch opens automatically.

What's changing in Kent County for 2027

Every year, insurers file their Medicare Advantage lineups with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Comparing the 2026 file to the 2027 file for Kent County shows a fairly busy year of changes:

• 11 plans leaving after 2026
• 20 plans new for 2027
• 10 plans renamed (same plan, new name)
• 33 plans changing in some way — such as premium, deductible, type or name — where the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) will spell out the details
• 59 plans continuing without a listed change

The table below lists every Medicare Advantage plan sold in Kent County so you can see how your plan fits in.

Plans that will not be offered after 2026

If you're enrolled in one of these plans, you'll get a non-renewal notice from your insurer. In alphabetical order by carrier, the plans leaving Kent County after 2026 are:

• Aetna Medicare Enhanced (PPO) — Aetna (CVS Health)
• BCN Advantage Elements (HMO-POS) — Blue Care Network
• Medicare Plus Blue + Meijer (PPO) — Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
• Wellcare Dual Access Open (PPO D-SNP) — Centene (WellCare)
• Wellcare Dual Reserve (HMO-POS D-SNP) — Centene (WellCare)
• Wellcare Patriot Giveback Open (PPO) — Centene (WellCare)
• Wellcare Simple Open (PPO) — Centene (WellCare)
• Humana USAA Honor Giveback with Rx (PPO) — Humana (two plan versions)
• PriorityMedicare Vintage (HMO-POS) — Priority Health Medicare
• PriorityMedicare Vital (PPO) — Priority Health Medicare

If your plan is on that list, don't panic — you have more time than most people to make a new choice (see the enrollment section below).

New plans and new carriers for 2027

Twenty plans are new for 2027, including the first Kent County offerings from Devoted Health and Zing Health. In alphabetical order by carrier, the new plans are:

• BCN Advantage Elements (HMO-POS) — Blue Care Network
• Medicare Plus Blue + Meijer (PPO) — Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
• Wellcare Meridian Health Dual Liberty (HMO D-SNP) — Centene (WellCare)
• DEVOTED C-SNP CHOICE ENHANCED 012 MI (PPO C-SNP) — Devoted Health
• DEVOTED C-SNP CHOICE GIVEBACK EXTRAS 009 MI (PPO C-SNP) — Devoted Health
• DEVOTED C-SNP CHOICE PLUS 013 MI (PPO C-SNP) — Devoted Health
• DEVOTED CHOICE 005 MI (PPO) — Devoted Health
• DEVOTED CHOICE GIVEBACK 006 MI (PPO) — Devoted Health
• DEVOTED CHOICE GIVEBACK EXTRAS 017 MI (PPO) — Devoted Health
• HAP Senior Plus (HMO-POS) — Health Alliance Plan by Henry Ford Health
• PriorityMedicare Align (HMO-POS) — Priority Health Medicare
• Trinity Health Plan of Michigan Plus (HMO) — Trinity Health Plan of Michigan
• AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC MI-4 (HMO-POS) — UnitedHealthcare
• AARP Medicare Advantage Patriot No Rx MI-MA2 (HMO-POS) — UnitedHealthcare
• UHC Complete Care MI-5 (HMO-POS C-SNP) — UnitedHealthcare
• Zing Open Choice Diabetes & Heart MI (PPO C-SNP) — Zing Health
• Zing Open Choice MI (PPO) — Zing Health
• Zing Select Care MI (HMO) — Zing Health
• Zing Select Diabetes & Heart MI (HMO C-SNP) — Zing Health
• Zing Select Dialysis MI (HMO C-SNP) — Zing Health

Plans that are just being renamed

Ten plans are keeping going but under a new name. If you spot your plan on this list, the change may be mostly cosmetic — but you should still read the ANOC to see whether anything else about the plan is different for 2027:

• Aetna Medicare Dual Care (HMO D-SNP) — was Aetna Medicare Full Dual Care (HMO D-SNP)
• Wellcare Meridian Health Dual Access (HMO-POS D-SNP) — was Wellcare Dual Access (HMO-POS D-SNP)
• Humana Full Access (PPO) — was Humana Full Access H5216-011 (PPO)
• Humana Full Access (PPO) — was Humana Full Access H5216-384 (PPO)
• Humana Full Access (PPO) — was Humana Full Access H7617-052 (PPO)
• Humana Full Access Giveback (PPO) — was Humana Full Access Giveback H5216-306 (PPO)
• Humana Full Access Giveback (PPO) — was Humana Full Access Giveback H7617-058 (PPO)
• McLaren Medicare Inspire Giveback (HMO) — was McLaren Medicare Inspire Select (HMO)
• UHC Dual Advantage MI-V1 (HMO-POS D-SNP) — was UHC Dual Complete MI-V001 (HMO-POS D-SNP)
• UHC Dual Complete MI-Q1 (HMO-POS D-SNP) — was UHC Dual Complete MI-S002 (HMO-POS D-SNP)

What a member should do right now

Whether your plan is leaving, new, renamed or continuing, take these steps:

1. Read the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC). Insurers must send it by the end of September. It lists any changes to premium, deductible, drug coverage, provider network and extra benefits. 2. Check your doctors, hospitals and pharmacies. Networks can change year to year. So can the pharmacies where your plan gets the lowest price. 3. Check your drug list (formulary). Confirm your prescriptions are still covered and at what tier. 4. Compare on medicare.gov. The Plan Finder tool at medicare.gov lets you enter your ZIP code and prescriptions to see how plans stack up for your specific situation. 5. Ask for help. Michigan's State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), called MMAP, offers free, unbiased counseling: 1-800-803-7174. Or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), 24/7.

Key dates and enrollment windows

• Annual Enrollment Period (AEP): Oct. 15 – Dec. 7. Anyone with Medicare can join, switch or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. Coverage starts Jan. 1.
• Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment: Jan. 1 – March 31. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you can switch to another MA plan or return to Original Medicare (and add a Part D plan) one time.
• Special Enrollment Period for non-renewed plans. If your