600,000 Humana Medicare members are about to lose coverage

If you have Humana Medicare Advantage, check your mailbox. Roughly 600,000 Humana members are expected to receive letters in September telling them their current Medicare Advantage plan will not exist in 2027. Humana confirmed the plan exits during its July 29 earnings call, saying the changes will affect about 600,000 members out of its roughly 7.2 million Medicare Advantage customers.

The good news is that affected members won’t simply wake up on January 1 without options. The letter opens special enrollment rights that could give you a chance to choose another Medicare Advantage plan or make a switch to Original Medicare. And one particular deadline could matter more than the others.

That letter is basically a countdown timer

Humana's plan exits mean your current coverage ends December 31, 2026. Once you receive the termination notice, you get several opportunities to choose what comes next. The regular Medicare Annual Enrollment Period runs from October 15 through December 7, 2026, when you can select a new Medicare Advantage or standalone Part D plan for 2027.

If you miss that window, there is another escape hatch. Because your plan is being terminated, you will generally have a Special Enrollment Period running from December 8, 2026, through February 28, 2027, allowing you to switch to another Medicare Advantage or Part D plan. But if you are considering leaving Medicare Advantage altogether, there is another clock you really don't want to ignore.

The 63-day window could be the big one

Affected members may qualify for a 63-day guaranteed-issue period for Medigap after their Medicare Advantage coverage ends. This is important because Medigap isn't just another Medicare plan. It's supplemental insurance that helps cover some of the costs Original Medicare leaves behind.

During a guaranteed-issue period, insurers generally can't use your health history to deny you certain Medigap policies or charge you more because of pre-existing conditions. Outside that protected window, things can get much messier depending on where you live.

In many states, insurers can medically underwrite Medigap applications once you're outside a guaranteed-issue period. That can mean higher premiums—or, in some circumstances, being denied coverage altogether.

Medicare Advantage vs. Original Medicare: the decision gets real

For many people, staying with Medicare Advantage may make perfect sense. You could choose another Humana plan or move to a different insurer, particularly if your doctors, medications and preferred hospitals are covered and the costs work for your budget.

But switching to Original Medicare plus Medigap can offer a different kind of predictability. Original Medicare by itself doesn't have an annual out-of-pocket maximum. A Medigap policy can help cover many of the remaining costs for Medicare-approved services, depending on the plan.

That doesn't automatically make it cheaper. You'd still have the Part B premium, the applicable deductible, and the monthly Medigap premium. But for someone expecting significant medical care, the trade-off could be worth considering.

The important thing is not to assume that a $0-premium Medicare Advantage plan is automatically the cheapest option. After all, healthcare has a talent for hiding the bill until you actually need it.

Humana expects many members to switch to another plan

This is not the first time Humana has cut back its Medicare Advantage offerings. The company says it expects to recapture a significant portion of the members affected by the latest exits through other plan offerings, similar to what happened after its 2025 plan exits.

So most affected members will probably have alternatives. But "another plan is available" isn't the same thing as "another plan is equally good for you."

Before clicking enroll on the first plan promising a low or zero monthly premium, check whether your doctors are in-network, your prescriptions are covered, what you'll pay for specialist visits and hospital care, and what the plan's out-of-pocket maximum looks like. That five-minute comparison could save you a very expensive surprise later.

Don't let the September letter become junk mail

When that Humana notice arrives, don't toss it into the pile with political flyers and coupons. Read the exact date your coverage ends and start comparing your options before the enrollment windows close.

If you're considering Medigap, pay particular attention to your guaranteed-issue deadline. You may also want to contact your state's SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) for free Medicare counseling. Some states, including New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Maine, have additional Medigap protections that can change the equation.

600,000 Humana Medicare Advantage members are about to be forced to make a healthcare decision for 2027. You don't have to panic. But you absolutely shouldn't ignore the letter.

Source: 24/7 Wall St.