Humana Is Dropping Plans That Cover 600,000 Medicare Members in 2027. The Letters Arrive in September.

In September, roughly 600,000 Humana Medicare Advantage members will open a letter telling them their plan will not exist in 2027. Humana (NYSE: HUM | HUM Price Prediction) confirmed the exits on its July 29, 2026 earnings call, and CFO Celeste Mellet was blunt about the scope: “For 2027, we anticipate these plan exits will impact approximately 600,000 members, though we will work to recapture a significant portion of that volume as we did in 2025.”

That is about 8% of Humana’s 7.2 million MA members. If you are one of them, treat the letter as a deadline. Your current plan ends December 31, 2026, and one of your most valuable options now has an expiration date.

Why the Letter Matters More Than It Looks

The termination notice does two things at once. It ends your coverage, and it unlocks a set of rights you would not ordinarily have. The most important is a guaranteed-issue Medigap window that lasts 63 days after your MA coverage ends. Inside that window, an insurer must sell you certain Medigap policies, disregard your health history when setting the price, and cover pre-existing conditions. Outside it, in most states, the insurer can medically underwrite you, raise your premium, or deny you outright.

This is one mechanic that could shape the next decade of your out-of-pocket costs. Original Medicare has no out-of-pocket maximum on its own. A Medigap Plan G covers most remaining costs for Medicare-approved services after the Part B premium, annual Part B deductible, and Plan G monthly premium. Miss the window, develop a condition, and you could find it difficult or impossible to buy a supplement later.

The Three Dates That Control Your 2027

Humana’s letters key off the CMS Annual Notice of Change deadline, which requires plans to notify members by September 30. Once you have that letter, three windows overlap:

• Annual Enrollment Period: October 15 to December 7, 2026. Pick a new Medicare Advantage plan or a stand-alone Part D drug plan for 2027 coverage that starts January 1.
• Special Enrollment Period for plan nonrenewal: Because Humana is terminating the plan, you get an SEP that runs from December 8 through February 28, 2027, to join another MA or Part D plan. Use it if you miss AEP.
• Medigap guaranteed-issue window: 63 days after coverage ends. If you want to move to Original Medicare plus a supplement, this is the window. You may apply starting 60 days before your MA coverage ends to avoid a gap.

The Medigap window is the one people miss. It keys off your disenrollment date, not the AEP calendar.

Advantage Again, or Back to Original?

Humana says it expects to recapture roughly 40% of affected members through other offerings, based on its 2025 exit that shed roughly 500,000 members. Translation: most of you will shop, and many will choose a different insurer. Before you sign up for the next zero-premium plan on the comparison screen, price the alternative.

A healthy 68-year-old on Original Medicare plus a Plan G pays the Part B premium, the Plan G premium, commonly $150 to $250 per month depending on state and age, and the annual Part B deductible. In a sick year, that is most of the cost for Medicare-approved care. The same person on a $0-premium MA plan still pays Part B, then faces copays and coinsurance until reaching the in-network out-of-pocket maximum, which excludes drugs and may not protect against all out-of-network costs.

The 63-day guaranteed-issue window is your one clean shot to make that switch without underwriting. If your health is deteriorating or you travel and want provider flexibility, this is the moment to consider moving. If you are healthy, use low-cost care, and your doctors are in another MA network, staying in Advantage is defensible. Just know that switching back later will likely require medical underwriting.

What to Do When the Letter Arrives

If you’re among those impacted, do these three things before enrolling anywhere else:

1. Confirm your disenrollment date and write it on the calendar. Count 63 days forward. That is your Medigap deadline.
2. Get Medigap quotes before choosing a new MA plan. If a Plan G premium at your age fits your budget, apply during the guaranteed-issue window. You can still enroll in a stand-alone Part D drug plan during AEP.
3. Call your state’s SHIP counselor for free before October 15. A few states, including New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine, offer broader continuous or annual Medigap protections. If you live there, the math changes.

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