Medicare Advantage Plans Are Leaving Nassau County in 2027: What Long Island Residents Need to Know

Medicare Advantage coverage in Nassau County is changing for 2027. Some plans that Long Island residents use today will not be offered in the county next year. Other plans may remain available but change their premiums, copays, provider networks, drug coverage, or extra benefits. If your current plan is affected, you will need to make a new coverage decision for January 1, 2027.

Major carriers such as United HealthCare and Humana have shared earlier this month that their 2027 Medicare plan exits nationwide would impact hundreds of thousands of members. An estimated 1.1 Million individuals across the country will need to find new Medicare plans, as their current plans are exiting. And while these national announcements do not confirm specific plans leaving Nassau County, they do show that meaningful Medicare Advantage changes are coming and individuals need to be prepared. While it’s still too early to tell which Medicare Advantage Plans Are Leaving Nassau County in 2027, here is everything you need to get prepared in the coming weeks.

A plan exit is different from a benefit change

When a Medicare Advantage plan exits Nassau County or is not renewed for 2027, members generally cannot simply remain enrolled in that same plan. The coverage ends on December 31, 2026. That is different from an Annual Notice of Change showing that a plan will continue but with revised costs or benefits. In either situation, you should review your options rather than assume this year’s coverage will work the same way next year.

How will you know if your plan is leaving?

Your insurance company must send plan information explaining what will happen to your coverage. Read every notice carefully, especially your Annual Notice of Change and any non-renewal notice. Do not rely on a plan name alone: carriers sometimes offer several plans with similar names, and availability can differ by county and exact plan identification number.

What affected Nassau County members should do

Start by making a short list of the doctors, hospitals, prescriptions, and benefits that matter most to you. Then compare every replacement option against that list. Confirm your doctors with both the plan and the provider’s office, check each medication on the plan’s 2027 formulary, and review the plan’s pharmacy network, prior-authorization rules, premium, copays, coinsurance, and maximum out-of-pocket limit.

Your two main coverage paths

Many affected residents will compare another Medicare Advantage plan with Original Medicare plus separate coverage. Medicare Advantage plans may combine medical and drug coverage and may include extra benefits, but they use plan-specific networks and rules. Original Medicare allows access to any provider nationwide who accepts Medicare; many people pair it with a Medigap policy and a separate Part D prescription drug plan. The best fit depends on health needs, budget, doctors, medications, and travel habits.

How Medicare Advantage works

Medicare Advantage plans are offered by private insurance companies approved by Medicare. Most combine Part A, Part B, and Part D coverage and may include dental, vision, hearing, fitness, or over-the-counter benefits. Many plans have low or $0 additional premiums, although members must continue paying the Part B premium. In exchange, members generally use a plan network and follow its referral, authorization, and cost-sharing rules.

How Original Medicare with Medigap works

Original Medicare is administered by the federal government. It generally allows you to see any doctor or hospital in the United States that accepts Medicare. A Medigap policy can help pay some of the deductibles and coinsurance Original Medicare leaves behind. Prescription coverage is purchased separately through a Part D plan, and routine dental, vision, and hearing benefits are generally separate as well.

The biggest differences for Long Island residents

Provider access is often the first consideration. Nassau County residents may receive care across Long Island and in New York City, so confirm whether a Medicare Advantage network includes the doctors and hospitals you use in both areas. Cost structure is another major difference: Medicare Advantage may have a lower monthly premium but more pay-as-you-use copays, while Medigap usually has a higher monthly premium and more predictable medical costs.

Which option may fit you?

Medicare Advantage may appeal to someone who values bundled coverage, lower premiums, and included extra benefits and is comfortable with a local network. Original Medicare with Medigap may appeal to someone who prioritizes broad provider access, predictable medical expenses, or frequent travel. Neither structure is automatically better for everyone.

Compare before you enroll

A proper comparison should include premiums, doctors, hospitals, medications, likely medical usage, travel, and maximum financial exposure. Plan Medicare can help Nassau County residents evaluate both paths for 2027 and understand the tradeoffs before making a change.

Important dates

Medicare plan details for the coming year can be discussed beginning October 1. The Annual Election Period runs from October 15 through December 7, 2026, for coverage effective January 1, 2027. Members whose plan is terminated may also receive a Special Enrollment Period, but waiting can create unnecessary risk. Reviewing options early gives you more time to verify doctors and prescriptions.

Timing matters when a Medicare Advantage plan ends

If your Medicare Advantage plan will not return to Nassau County in 2027, your current coverage generally continues through December 31, 2026. You need a clear timeline for reviewing and enrolling in replacement coverage so that the new option can begin on January 1.

By September 30, 2026: Review plan notices

Medicare Advantage and Part D plans generally send Annual Notice of Change materials by the end of September. A member whose plan is not renewing should also receive information explaining the termination and available enrollment rights. Read the notice carefully and keep it with your Medicare records.

October 1, 2026: New plan information becomes available

Medicare marketing rules allow the coming year’s plan information to be presented beginning October 1. This is an ideal time to gather your doctors and medications and begin comparing the 2027 options available in your Nassau County ZIP code. You can prepare before enrollment opens, but applications for Annual Election Period changes cannot be accepted before October 15.

October 15 through December 7, 2026: Annual Election Period

During this period, Medicare beneficiaries can change from one Medicare Advantage plan to another, move from Original Medicare to Medicare Advantage, or return to Original Medicare and enroll in Part D. A change submitted during this period generally takes effect January 1, 2027. Completing the review early allows time to resolve unclear network or drug-coverage questions.

January 1 through March 31, 2027: Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period

People enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan on January 1 may generally make one change to another Medicare Advantage plan or return to Original Medicare and, if appropriate, add Part D. This period is not a universal do-over for every Medicare beneficiary, and it should not replace careful planning during the fall.

Get local help

Nassau County has many Medicare options, but more choices do not automatically make the decision easier. Plan Medicare can review your current coverage, identify which 2027 plans are available in your ZIP code, and compare the details that matter to you. Contact Plan Medicare to schedule a 2027 plan review.