The 2027 deadlines
| Date | What it means |
|---|---|
| December 7, 2026 | End of Medicare's fall open enrollment period. |
| December 31, 2026 | Choose by this date for coverage starting January 1, 2027, with no gap. Your Special Enrollment Period lets you choose after December 7. |
| January 1, 2027 | Your current plan's coverage ends. |
| February 28, 2027 | Last day of your Special Enrollment Period to join a new Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. |
| 63 days after your plan ends | Last day of your Medigap guaranteed-issue right. |
Medicare.gov says a plan whose contract isn't renewed gives you a Special Enrollment Period from December 8 through the last day of February of the following year. If you join after January 1, coverage starts the first of the month after you join, so you'd go some time without coverage from the new plan.
Your choices
- Another Medicare Advantage plan in your county. Texas has 214 Medicare Advantage plans open to everyone in 2027, but the number differs by county. Check your county on our county pages.
- Original Medicare with a Part D plan, and Medigap if you want help with Original Medicare's costs. Your guaranteed-issue right lets you buy certain Medigap plans without health questions. Texas has 10 standalone Part D plans in 2027.
- A special needs plan, if you have both Medicare and Medicaid or a qualifying condition.
Steps to take now
- Find your non-renewal letter and note your plan's last day.
- List your doctors, hospitals, medicines and pharmacies.
- Compare plans that include them, and choose by December 31.
- If you're switching to Original Medicare and Medigap, apply for Medigap before your 63-day window closes, and join a Part D plan too.
For the full list of affected areas, see plans ending in 2027.
Get help
A licensed insurance agent with Benefits Life can check which plans from the companies they work with cover your doctors and drugs, at no cost to you, at (512) 265-6565, TTY 711. You can also see plans in your ZIP code.
Related questions
When can I buy Medigap in Texas?
Guaranteed-issue rights explained.
Can I switch Medicare Advantage plans after open enrollment?
All the windows for changing plans.
Can I have STAR+PLUS and Medicare Advantage?
Choices if you also have Medicaid.
Sources
- Medicare.gov — Special Enrollment Periods (plan contract not renewed)
- Medicare.gov — Plan Non-Renewal Notice
- Medicare.gov — CMS Non-Renewal Action Notice
- Medicare.gov — Choosing a Medigap Policy (guaranteed-issue rights)
- Texas Department of Insurance — Medicare supplement insurance guide
Frequently asked questions
How do I know my plan is ending?
Your plan must send you a non-renewal notice, usually in October, saying it's leaving Medicare or your area. Medicare may also send reminders. Keep these letters; they prove your Special Enrollment Period and Medigap rights.
What happens if I don't pick a new plan?
On January 1, 2027 you'll be in Original Medicare. Your plan's drug coverage ends with it, so you'd have no Part D coverage until you join a drug plan, and going more than 63 days without creditable drug coverage can lead to a Part D late enrollment penalty. If you get Extra Help, Medicare may assign you to a drug plan.
Can I buy Medigap without health questions?
Yes, within the guaranteed-issue window. You can apply as early as 60 days before your plan coverage ends and no later than 63 days after it ends. You can choose from Medigap Plans A, B, D, G, K or L, or Plans C and F if you were eligible for Medicare before 2020.
Will my doctors still take my new plan?
Not necessarily. Before you pick a plan, check that your doctors, hospitals and pharmacies are in its network and that your medicines are on its drug list.
Medicare in your Texas county
Plans, local agents and help, county by county: Harris · Dallas · Tarrant · Bexar · Travis · Collin · Denton · Fort Bend · Hidalgo · El Paso · Montgomery · Williamson · Cameron · Brazoria · Bell · Galveston · Nueces · Lubbock · Hays · Webb · McLennan · Jefferson · Brazos · Smith · Ellis · Johnson · Comal · Kaufman · Guadalupe · Midland · All 254 counties →
