How to Switch Medicare Advantage Plans for 2027 in Alabama

Short answer: You can switch Medicare Advantage plans for 2027 during Medicare Open Enrollment, which ends December 7, 2026, and your new plan starts January 1, 2027. If your current plan is not renewing its contract with Medicare, you also get a Special Enrollment Period that runs from December 8 through the last day of February, plus a guaranteed right to buy certain Medigap policies if you return to Original Medicare. If you're already in a Medicare Advantage Plan, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 to March 31) lets you make one more change.

This fall we keep hearing the same two worries from people in Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile, and Montgomery, and they match what people post on Medicare forums almost word for word: “My current Medicare Advantage plan will not be offered in 2027. Can I change to regular Medicare and choose a Plan G supplement?” and “My plan is being discontinued, and my primary care doctor no longer takes it.” If one of those is you, this guide explains which enrollment window applies to your situation, what happens if you do nothing, and how to compare 2027 plans without losing your doctors or your prescriptions.

The three windows to switch Medicare Advantage plans

Think of Medicare enrollment periods like doors that open at different times of year. Which door is open to you depends on your situation, not just the calendar.

When you can change Medicare Advantage coverage (Medicare.gov)

Window	Dates	Who can use it	When the change starts
Medicare Open Enrollment	October 15 – December 7, 2026	Anyone with Medicare	January 1, 2027
Special Enrollment Period for a non-renewing plan	December 8, 2026 – last day of February 2027	Members whose Medicare Advantage or drug plan contract isn't renewed	Depends on when you enroll
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period	January 1 – March 31, 2027	People already in a Medicare Advantage Plan (one change only)	First of the month after the plan gets your request

During Open Enrollment you can switch from one Medicare Advantage Plan to another, drop Medicare Advantage and go back to Original Medicare, or join a different drug plan. The Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period is narrower: you can switch to another Medicare Advantage Plan or return to Original Medicare (and join a separate drug plan), but people who only have Original Medicare can't use it to join a Medicare Advantage Plan. Our Medicare enrollment periods guide covers the rest of the calendar.

If your Medicare Advantage plan is ending in 2027

Plans that are leaving Medicare or leaving your county must send you a written notice in the fall. Look for a letter that says your plan is not renewing, and keep it. You may need it later.

What happens if you do nothing

According to Medicare.gov, if you don't join another Medicare Advantage Plan before your current plan ends, you're enrolled in Original Medicare. That sounds like a safety net, and partly it is. But Original Medicare doesn't include most prescription drug coverage, so you would need to join a separate Medicare drug plan (Part D). Going without creditable drug coverage for too long can lead to a Part D late enrollment penalty.

Your extra time and your Medigap right

When a plan's contract isn't renewed, Medicare gives affected members a Special Enrollment Period from December 8 through the last day of February of the following year. You can use it to join another Medicare Advantage Plan or a drug plan.

You also get a Medigap guaranteed issue right if you switch to Original Medicare. Medicare's official guide Choosing a Medigap Policy says you can apply as early as 60 days before your Medicare Advantage coverage ends and no later than 63 days after it ends. During that window, insurers can't turn you down or charge you more because of your health for the Medigap plans covered by the right. That's the answer to the forum question above: depending on when you became eligible for Medicare, a plan such as Medigap Plan G may be available to you under this right. Medicare.gov lists exactly which plan letters apply.

If your doctor left your plan's network

A doctor leaving your network is one of the most common reasons people want to switch. In most cases, a doctor leaving does not open a special enrollment period on its own, so the December 7 Open Enrollment deadline (or the January–March Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period) is usually your chance to follow your doctor.

• Call the doctor's office and ask, by name, which 2027 Medicare Advantage Plans they will accept. “We take Medicare” is not the same as being in a specific plan's network.
• Check the 2027 provider directory for any plan you're considering, not the 2026 one.
• If seeing specific doctors matters more to you than a low premium, compare Original Medicare plus Medigap. Our Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage comparison walks through the tradeoffs.

Thinking about leaving Medicare Advantage for Original Medicare?

Switching back to Original Medicare is always possible during the right window. Getting a Medigap policy afterward is the tricky part. Outside a guaranteed issue right, a Medigap insurer may be allowed to review your health history before accepting you. Guaranteed issue situations listed by Medicare include:

• Your Medicare Advantage Plan is leaving Medicare or stops giving care in your area.
• You move out of the plan's service area.
• You joined a Medicare Advantage Plan when first eligible for Medicare and, within the first year, decide to switch to Original Medicare (a “trial right”).

If none of these apply, ask a licensed agent to check whether you would likely qualify for a Medigap policy before you drop your Medicare Advantage Plan. Don't cancel one coverage until the next one is confirmed.

How to compare 2027 Medicare Advantage plans

Comparing Medicare Advantage plans is like comparing cell phone plans: the monthly price is only one line on the bill. Use this checklist with the Medicare Plan Finder or with a licensed agent:

1. Doctors and hospitals. Confirm each doctor and your preferred hospital are in the 2027 network.
2. Prescriptions. Enter every drug and dose. Check the tier, any prior authorization, and your pharmacy.
3. Maximum out-of-pocket. Every Medicare Advantage Plan has a yearly cap on covered Part A and B costs. Compare it, not just the premium.
4. Premium. A $0 premium plan still requires you to keep paying your Part B premium. Some plans have a Part B give-back; check the 2027 Evidence of Coverage.
5. Plan type. HMOs generally require you to use network providers; PPOs may cover out-of-network care at a higher cost.
6. Extra benefits. Dental, vision, and hearing benefits vary widely. Read the dollar limits in the plan documents instead of relying on the ad.
7. Star ratings. Medicare's Plan Finder shows each plan's overall star rating.

Alabama help and resources

• Alabama SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) offers unbiased Medicare counseling at no cost through the Alabama Department of Senior Services and local Area Agencies on Aging. Call 1-800-AGELINE (1-800-243-5463).
• Alabama Department of Insurance publishes Medicare Supplement information for Alabama residents and handles insurance complaints.
• Medicare and Medicaid together: if you have both, you may be able to change plans more often. See Dual Special Needs Plans and our Alabama Medicare guide.
• Birmingham hospital networks: if UAB or St. Vincent's matters to you, read UAB vs. St. Vincent's for Medicare Advantage before you choose.
• If your prescription costs are a struggle, see whether you qualify for Medicare Extra Help in 2027.

Next steps this week

• Find your Annual Notice of Change and any non-renewal letter. Note what changes on January 1.
• List your doctors, hospitals, prescriptions, and pharmacy.
• Compare at least two or three 2027 options before Medicare Open Enrollment ends on December 7, 2026.
• If your plan is ending and you want Medigap, apply within your guaranteed issue window (up to 63 days after your plan coverage ends).
• Talk with a licensed agent at (331) 343-2584 or request a plan review. You can also meet our licensed agents.