Medicare Advantage

Got a non-renewal letter in Houston? Your Medicare Advantage options for 2027

People in Houston can choose from 99 Medicare Advantage plans for 2027, against 114 this year. 37 of this year’s plans are gone, 22 are new to Harris County, and 44 that continue have changed their premium, deductible, plan type or name, 17 of them under a new name.

HOUSTON — If you open a thick envelope from your Medicare Advantage plan this fall, read it carefully. In Harris County, where Houston sits, 37 Medicare Advantage plans on the 2026 lineup are not being offered again for 2027, according to CMS Medicare Advantage Landscape files. That means some neighbors here will need to pick a new plan — or they will land back on Original Medicare on January 1, 2027.

The good news: if your plan is on the non-renewal list, Medicare gives you extra time to choose, and you have more than one path forward. Here is what to look for, what happens if you do nothing, and how to decide.

How to tell if your plan is ending

Carriers are required to tell members in writing when a plan will not be offered the next year. Watch for a letter — sometimes labeled "Plan Non-Renewal Notice" — that typically arrives by early October 2026. It will say your plan will end December 31, 2026, and explain your options.

If you are not sure what you got in the mail, two other documents help. The Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) comes from a plan that is renewing and lists what will be different next year. A non-renewal letter is different: it tells you the plan is going away entirely in your county.

You can also confirm by calling the member services number on the back of your plan card, or by checking the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov.

The Houston-area plans not returning for 2027

The table below lists every plan on CMS's non-renewal list for Harris County, by carrier. If your plan is on it, you are the person this article is for.

• Blue Cross Blue Shield (HCSC): Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Basic (HMO); Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Choice Premier (PPO); Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Dental Value (HMO); Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Dual Care Plus (HMO D-SNP); Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Optimum (PPO); Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Preferred (PPO); Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Saver (HMO); Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Secure (HMO)
• Centene (WellCare): Wellcare Assist (HMO); Wellcare Dual Liberty (HMO D-SNP); Wellcare Giveback (HMO); Wellcare Simple Open (PPO); Wellcare TexanPlus Patriot Giveback (HMO-POS)
• Community Health Choice: Community DualCare Aligned (HMO D-SNP)
• Elevance Health (Anthem): Wellpoint Dual Advantage (HMO D-SNP); Wellpoint Dual Advantage 2 (HMO D-SNP); Wellpoint Full Dual Advantage (HMO D-SNP); Wellpoint Full Dual Advantage 2 (HMO D-SNP)
• Humana: Humana Gold Choice H8145-084 (PFFS); Humana USAA Honor Giveback (PPO)
• Memorial Hermann Health Plan: Memorial Hermann Advantage (HMO); Memorial Hermann Dual Advantage (HMO D-SNP); Memorial Hermann Prime Value MA Only (HMO)
• SCAN Health Plan: SCAN MyChoice Texas (HMO); SCAN Strive Texas (HMO C-SNP)
• UnitedHealthcare: AARP Medicare Advantage from UHC TX-0006 (PPO); AARP Medicare Advantage Giveback from UHC TX-31 (PPO); AARP Medicare Advantage Patriot No Rx TX-MA05 (PPO); Erickson Advantage Champion (HMO-POS C-SNP); Erickson Advantage Freedom (HMO-POS); Erickson Advantage Guardian (HMO-POS I-SNP); Erickson Advantage Liberty (HMO-POS); Erickson Advantage Liberty no Rx (HMO-POS); Erickson Advantage Signature (HMO-POS); UHC Complete Care Support TX-1A (Regional PPO C-SNP); UHC Dual Complete TX-Q3 (HMO-POS D-SNP); UHC Dual Complete TX-S003 (HMO-POS D-SNP)

A plan not being on this list means it is expected to be offered again in Harris County for 2027. Any changes to a renewing plan are spelled out in that plan's Annual Notice of Change.

What happens if you do nothing

If your plan is ending and you make no choice by December 31, 2026, you will not be left without insurance — but you will not be auto-enrolled in another Medicare Advantage plan either. On January 1, 2027, you will go back to Original Medicare (Part A for hospital care and Part B for doctor visits).

Two things to know about that default:

• Original Medicare does not include prescription drug coverage. If you want Part D, you have to actively enroll in a stand-alone drug plan.
• Original Medicare does not cap your out-of-pocket costs the way a Medicare Advantage plan does. Many people pair it with a Medigap (Medicare Supplement) policy to help with the shares Medicare does not pay.

Your Special Enrollment Period and your choices

When your plan leaves your area, Medicare opens a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) that runs from December 8, 2026 through February 28, 2027. During that window you can:

1. Pick a different Medicare Advantage plan offered in Harris County for 2027. CMS lists 99 plans from 15 carriers available next year — the full roster is in the table on this page. 2. Return to Original Medicare and add a stand-alone Part D drug plan. For 2027, the Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,400 and the maximum Part D deductible is $700, per CMS. 3. Add a Medigap policy to Original Medicare. Losing your Medicare Advantage plan involuntarily may give you a federal guaranteed-issue right to buy certain Medigap plans without medical underwriting. Specific rules vary; the Texas Department of Insurance can confirm what applies in your situation.

You do not have to wait for the SEP to decide. The Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7, 2026) is the main window for choosing 2027 coverage, and a choice made then takes effect January 1, 2027.

How to decide, step by step

• Make a short list of what matters. Your doctors, hospitals, pharmacy and regular prescriptions are the usual starting point.
• Check networks and drug lists. Call any plan you are considering, or use the Medicare Plan Finder at medicare.gov, to confirm your providers are in network and your drugs are covered.
• Compare total cost, not just premium. Look at the deductible, copays for services you actually use, and the plan's yearly out-of-pocket maximum.
• Think about flexibility. HMO, HMO-POS, PPO and PFFS plans handle referrals and out-of-network care differently. If you travel or split time outside Harris County, that matters.
• Note the 2026 program rules that carry weight. The Part D out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026 (rising to $2,400 in 2027), and the coverage gap is gone — Part D now has three phases. The 2027 Part B premium and deductible, and the 2027 IRMAA income brackets, will be announced by CMS later this fall.