Waiting to Pick a Medicare Plan Could Carry a New Risk

Medicare Advantage beneficiaries may encounter more uncertainty when choosing coverage for 2027.

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Some insurers have been withdrawing plans from markets where they say they cannot operate profitably. A lesser-known change could also allow insurers to limit enrollment in a particular Medicare Advantage plan within a county.

The extent of those enrollment limits is not yet known. But Jae Oh, author of “Maximize Your Medicare,” said beneficiaries should begin reviewing their choices when Medicare open enrollment starts on Oct. 15. If they find a plan that meets their needs, waiting until the December deadline will not produce a better price or better benefits.

Below is a transcript of the interview with Oh, edited for brevity and clarity.

What could change in 2027?

Bob Powell: Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans that include prescription drug coverage could face several changes in 2027. One lesser-known development is that an insurer may be able to limit the number of people who enroll in a plan within a particular county. What should beneficiaries know?

Jae Oh: This is not widely known. Beginning in 2027, a Medicare Advantage plan may be able to limit the number of members it accepts in a particular location.

We do not yet know which insurers, if any, will exercise that option. The final rules, terms, and conditions for 2027 Medicare Advantage plans are not yet available.

Why should Medicare beneficiaries act early?

Powell: When open enrollment begins, should beneficiaries review their choices immediately and apply promptly if they find the plan they want?

Oh: I do not want to overstate the risk. It may be that only one or two insurers choose to limit enrollment. But beneficiaries should not be surprised if some insurers do.

If you want to enroll in a plan offered by an insurer that is exercising this option, you should complete your application early. The first day to do that is Oct. 15.

Powell: Someone who applies on Oct. 15 or Oct. 16 might face less risk than someone who waits until Dec. 6.

Oh: That is common sense. The question is: Why would I risk it?

If I want to enroll in a particular plan and its insurer is limiting enrollment, why wait until Dec. 6 to apply when I could submit the application on Oct. 15?

That is one of the central messages of Maximize Your Medicare: You do not get a better price or better benefits by delaying. For some people, that could become especially important in 2027.

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Why are insurers leaving some markets?

Powell: Another change is that some insurers are withdrawing Medicare Advantage plans from certain markets. Is that trend continuing?

Oh: Yes. The trend began a few years ago and has become increasingly common.

Medicare Advantage insurers operate in a highly competitive market and face pressure on pricing. Once an insurer offers a plan in a particular location, it could attract more members on whom it loses money than it anticipated.

If the insurer concludes that it cannot make money in that location, it may withdraw the plan entirely.

The result is that someone who has been enrolled in the same Medicare Advantage plan for five years could receive a notice saying the plan will no longer be available in 2027.

Can consumers predict where limits will appear?

Powell: Are enrollment limits more likely in places with fewer insurers and fewer available plans, or could they also occur in major metropolitan areas with greater competition?

Oh: I generally do not recommend trying to outguess insurers.

They have their own data, corporate priorities, and agreements with healthcare providers. Those factors make it too difficult to predict where an insurer might limit enrollment or withdraw a plan.

Once the decisions are announced, beneficiaries can evaluate the available choices. Predicting those decisions in advance is a different matter.

How can beneficiaries avoid being blindsided?

Powell: What is the most important step Medicare Advantage beneficiaries should take?

Oh: Stay on top of the changes. Medicare is not becoming less complicated, and each person’s circumstances can involve many nuances.

Beneficiaries should understand their rights and options so they are not blindsided and can get the most from a system whose rules are heavily weighted in the consumer’s favor.

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This story was originally published September 6, 2026 at 7:07 AM.