Medicare Advantage

Got a plan termination letter in Charlotte? Read this

People in Charlotte can choose from 89 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, against 94 this year. 19 of this year’s plans are gone, 14 are new to Mecklenburg County, and 28 that continue have changed their premium, deductible, plan type or name, 10 of them under a new name.

CHARLOTTE — This fall, some Medicare Advantage members in Mecklenburg County are opening a letter they did not expect: a notice that their plan will not be offered in 2027. In the county that includes Charlotte, 19 Medicare Advantage plans are not returning next year, according to CMS's 2026 and 2027 Landscape files. If you got one of these letters, you have time and you have choices — but the clock does matter.

How to tell if your plan is one of them

If your plan is ending, the insurer must send a written notice — often called a non-renewal letter or plan termination notice — in the weeks before the Annual Enrollment Period. It will say the plan will not be offered in 2027 and will explain your options.

Two things to check:

• The envelope and letter come from your current plan's carrier (not from Medicare).
• The letter is separate from the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC), which plans that ARE returning send each fall to explain next year's updates.

If you are not sure what you received, call the member services number on the back of your plan ID card, or call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048).

The Charlotte-area plans not returning in 2027

Charlotte is in Mecklenburg County, where Medicare Advantage availability is set. Based on CMS's MA Landscape Source Files for 2026 and 2027, the following 19 plans offered this year are not in the 2027 file for the county. They are listed alphabetically by carrier; the table below lists every plan on the page.

• Aetna Medicare Signature Care (HMO) — Aetna (CVS Health)
• Blue Medicare Choice (HMO) — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina
• Wellcare Dual Access (HMO-POS D-SNP) — Centene (WellCare)
• Wellcare Giveback Open (PPO) — Centene (WellCare)
• HealthSpring Preferred Plus (HMO) — HealthSpring
• HealthSpring Preferred Select (HMO) — HealthSpring
• HumanaChoice H5525-050 (PPO) — Humana
• HumanaChoice H5525-083 (PPO) — Humana
• Provider Partners North Carolina Community Plan (HMO I-SNP) — Provider Partners Health Plans
• Provider Partners North Carolina Essential Plan (HMO I-SNP) — Provider Partners Health Plans
• AARP Medicare Advantage Access from UHC NC-23 (PPO) — UnitedHealthcare
• Erickson Advantage Champion (HMO-POS C-SNP) — UnitedHealthcare
• Erickson Advantage Freedom (HMO-POS) — UnitedHealthcare
• Erickson Advantage Guardian (HMO-POS I-SNP) — UnitedHealthcare
• Erickson Advantage Liberty (HMO-POS) — UnitedHealthcare
• Erickson Advantage Liberty no Rx (HMO-POS) — UnitedHealthcare
• Erickson Advantage Signature (HMO-POS) — UnitedHealthcare
• UHC Dual Complete NC-D001 (HMO-POS D-SNP) — UnitedHealthcare
• UHC Dual Complete NC-S3 (HMO-POS D-SNP) — UnitedHealthcare

For 2027, CMS's file shows 89 Medicare Advantage plans from 12 carriers available in the county.

What happens if you do nothing

If your plan is on the non-renewal list and you do not make a choice, you will not simply be left without coverage. On January 1, 2027, you will be moved to Original Medicare — Part A (hospital) and Part B (medical).

Two things to know about that:

• Original Medicare does not include Part D prescription drug coverage. You would need to add a stand-alone Part D plan to keep drug coverage without a gap.
• Original Medicare does not have a yearly out-of-pocket limit the way Medicare Advantage does. Many people pair it with a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policy to help with the 20% coinsurance Part B leaves behind.

For context on drug costs in the new year: CMS has confirmed the Part D out-of-pocket cap will be $2,400 in 2027 (up from $2,100 in 2026), and the Part D maximum deductible will be $700 in 2027 (up from $615 in 2026). The 2027 Part B premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets, are announced by CMS later in the fall.

Your choices and your Special Enrollment Period

When your plan is non-renewed, Medicare gives you more time and more flexibility than the standard window.

During the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7, 2026), you can:

• Choose a different Medicare Advantage plan offered in Mecklenburg County for 2027 (with or without drug coverage, as the plan allows).
• Return to Original Medicare and add a stand-alone Part D plan.

Because your plan is leaving, you also qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) that runs from December 8, 2026 through the end of February 2027. During that SEP you can:

• Join a new Medicare Advantage plan (with or without drug coverage), or
• Switch to Original Medicare and enroll in a stand-alone Part D plan.

There is also a federal guaranteed-issue right to buy certain Medigap policies when your Medicare Advantage plan is discontinued. That means an insurer cannot deny you or charge you more because of your health, as long as you apply within the federal window. The specific Medigap plans available and any additional state protections are set by the North Carolina Department of Insurance, so confirm the details with them or with the Medigap insurer before you apply.

How to compare the plans that are offered for 2027

The most reliable tools are free and official:

• The Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov lets you enter your ZIP code and your medications to see 2027 Advantage and Part D plans in Mecklenburg County.
• 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048) can walk through options and enrollment, 24 hours a day.
• Your plan's own Evidence of Coverage, Summary of Benefits and provider and pharmacy directories are the source of truth for what a specific plan covers in 2027.

If keeping a specific doctor, hospital system or pharmacy matters to you, check each plan's directory directly — networks can change from year to year, even for plans that are returning.