Medicare Advantage Plan Exits Hit Florida for 2027: What to Do If Your Plan Is Non-Renewed
Florida has more Medicare Advantage enrollees than almost any state in the country, and for 2027, that concentration is turning into a liability. UnitedHealthcare, the largest Medicare Advantage insurer nationally, is exiting or scaling back plans in 225 counties across the country for 2027, and Florida is one of the states absorbing the biggest share of that pullback. Humana is cutting plans covering roughly 600,000 members nationally, its second consecutive year of exits. If your parent or spouse is on a Medicare Advantage plan in Florida, this is a different problem than the Part B premium increase I covered a few weeks ago. That was about paying more. This is about whether your plan exists on January 1.
Why Florida is exposed
As of early 2026, about 57% of Florida Medicare beneficiaries were enrolled in a private Medicare Advantage plan, compared with roughly 55% nationally. That puts Florida's Medicare Advantage market at more than 5 million people, the second largest in the country after California, with the average beneficiary able to choose among 36 plans in 2026. A market that dense means when a major insurer trims its footprint, a large number of Florida households feel it at once, and Florida counties show up disproportionately on insurers' 2027 exit lists.
Which counties and insurers are pulling back
Reporting on UnitedHealthcare's 2027 filings names several major Florida counties among those where the company is exiting or significantly reducing plan offerings, including Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Lee, and Collier. Humana has not yet published a full county-by-county list, but the company has confirmed the scale of its cuts and said notification letters are going out in September.
Insurers are pointing to a consistent set of pressures: drug pricing provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act squeezing plan margins, falling CMS Star Ratings cutting into bonus payments for some plans, and medical cost inflation making certain county markets unprofitable to serve. None of that is specific to Florida, but Florida's size and its unusually high share of Medicare Advantage enrollment mean the state absorbs an outsized share of the fallout.
What actually happens if your plan is dropped
If your Medicare Advantage plan isn't being renewed for 2027, federal rules require the insurer to notify you before the end of this year, and this year those notices are landing mostly in September and early October. That notice does more than inform you. It triggers a dedicated Special Enrollment Period that runs from December 8 through the end of February, separate from the standard Medicare Open Enrollment window of October 15 through December 7. If you decide to return to Original Medicare instead of choosing another Medicare Advantage plan, a non-renewal also gives you a 63-day guaranteed-issue window to buy a Medigap policy without medical underwriting, meaning an insurer can't deny you coverage or charge you more because of a pre-existing condition.
Your options if you get a notice
There are three practical paths once a non-renewal notice arrives:
- Choose a different Medicare Advantage plan available in your county during the Special Enrollment Period.
- Return to Original Medicare and pair it with a stand-alone Part D prescription drug plan.
- Return to Original Medicare and add a Medigap policy, using the 63-day guaranteed-issue window so a health history can't be used against you.
The right choice depends heavily on what a parent or spouse actually uses their coverage for. Someone managing several chronic conditions or expensive medications often comes out ahead locking in Medigap's predictable costs while the guaranteed-issue window is open, since that protection disappears once the 63 days pass.
What this means if a parent is already receiving care
Medicare Advantage plans use narrower provider networks than Original Medicare, which matters directly if a parent already has a relationship with an assisted living facility, home health agency, or specialist. Before picking a replacement plan, confirm that the facility or provider a parent currently relies on actually accepts it. Switching plans in the middle of an active care relationship, right after a diagnosis or a placement decision, is exactly the kind of disruption families are trying to avoid. If your family is still comparing Florida assisted living and nursing home options, it's worth checking a facility's accepted insurance before a plan change forces the issue, and our compare tool makes it easier to weigh options side by side. For the broader 2027 Medicare cost picture beyond just plan availability, see our breakdown of the projected 2027 Part B premium.
What to do this month
Don't wait for a letter to find out where things stand. Medicare.gov's plan finder tool, or a direct call to your current plan, will show whether your county is affected before the official notice arrives. If a notice does show up, write down the Special Enrollment Period and the 63-day Medigap deadline immediately. Both windows are easy to let slip, and missing the guaranteed-issue period means any future Medigap application goes through normal medical underwriting, where an insurer can decline coverage or charge more based on health history.
The bottom line
Florida's outsized Medicare Advantage market means this state is taking a disproportionate share of the 2027 insurer pullback, and if your county is affected, the letter explaining it won't show up until September at the earliest. Confirm your county's status now rather than waiting, and if a non-renewal notice does arrive, treat the Special Enrollment Period and the Medigap guaranteed-issue window as hard deadlines, not suggestions.
Sources: Forbes, "Thousands Of Seniors May Lose Medicare Advantage As Plan Exits Escalate" (Aug 2, 2026); 24/7 Wall St, "Humana Is Dropping Plans That Cover 600,000 Medicare Members in 2027" (Aug 14, 2026); KFF, "Medicare Advantage in 2026: Enrollment Update and Key Trends"; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services guidance on Special Enrollment Periods and Medigap guaranteed-issue rights.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my Medicare Advantage plan being dropped in Florida for 2027?
UnitedHealthcare is exiting or significantly reducing Medicare Advantage plans in several major Florida counties for 2027, including Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Lee, and Collier. Humana is also cutting plans nationally but has not yet released a full county list. If your plan is affected, you'll receive a formal non-renewal notice from your insurer, typically in September or early October.
When will I find out if my Medicare Advantage plan is non-renewed for 2027?
Insurers are required to notify enrollees before the end of the current plan year. For 2027, Humana has said its notices are going out in September. UnitedHealthcare's affected enrollees should expect similar timing. You don't have to wait for the letter. Medicare.gov's plan finder or a call to your current insurer can confirm your county's status earlier.
What is the Special Enrollment Period for a non-renewed Medicare Advantage plan?
A non-renewal triggers a dedicated Special Enrollment Period running from December 8 through the end of February, separate from the standard Medicare Open Enrollment window of October 15 to December 7. This gives affected beneficiaries extra time, outside the normal enrollment scramble, to choose a new Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare.
Do I automatically qualify for a Medigap plan if my Medicare Advantage plan is dropped?
If you return to Original Medicare after a non-renewal, you get a 63-day guaranteed-issue window to buy a Medigap policy without medical underwriting. Insurers can't deny you coverage or charge you more during that window because of a pre-existing condition. Once the 63 days pass, that protection ends and normal medical underwriting applies.
Why are UnitedHealthcare and Humana leaving Florida Medicare Advantage markets?
Insurers point to drug pricing provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act squeezing plan margins, falling CMS Star Ratings reducing bonus payments for some plans, and rising medical costs making certain county markets unprofitable. Florida's unusually high share of Medicare Advantage enrollment means the state absorbs a large share of these national pullbacks.
What should I do if my Medicare Advantage plan is being non-renewed?
You have three main options: pick a different Medicare Advantage plan available in your county, return to Original Medicare with a stand-alone Part D drug plan, or return to Original Medicare and add a Medigap policy using your 63-day guaranteed-issue window. If a parent has significant chronic conditions, locking in Medigap coverage while guaranteed-issue protection is active is usually worth prioritizing before that window closes.