A Record 3.8 Million MA Members Need a New Plan for 2027: Here's How We'd Work AEP
Every AEP has some disruption. This one is different..
At least 3.8mm members need new coverage for 2027 because of plan exits and terminations. That's a record. Last year it was about 3mm, and we all felt that one.
Every one of those people is getting a letter. A lot of them are going to call somebody.
We want that somebody to be you.
The three numbers that matter
At least 3.8mm members need new coverage, up from roughly 3mm in 2026.
181 counties will have zero MA plans in 2027. That's up from 67 in 2026.
Individual MAPD products drop 8% to 425.
Read that second one again. In 181 counties MA just isn't an option next year. That's nearly triple last year..
And where MA does exist, your clients have fewer plans to pick from.
Why it's happening
Short version. Carriers are choosing margin over membership.
They're trimming counties, cutting plans and raising cost sharing. Some are capping enrollment outright. Fifteen insurers set enrollment caps for 2027.
Twelve payers are leaving MA completely. Others are pulling back to SNPs only.
Those decisions get made in a boardroom. Your clients feel them at the kitchen table.
What it means for you this AEP
Your book is going to move whether you touch it or not. If a client's plan is terminating, they're making a change. The only question is who helps them make it.
So start with your own book. Pull every client and match them against the 2027 changes. Flag anyone whose plan is going away, whose carrier is leaving their county or whose plan is moving from PPO to HMO.
Call those people first. Before the letters land if you can. A client who hears it from you first trusts you more. Every time.
Expect harder conversations. Fewer plans means fewer perfect fits. Higher premiums and out-of-pocket costs are part of the 2027 picture. Some clients are going to lose a PPO they loved.
You can't fix that. You can explain it clearly and help them pick the best of what's left.
Know your zero-MA counties. If you write in any of those 181 counties, those clients need a different path. For most of them that's a medsupp plus a PDP.
Get your medsupp and PDP appointments in order now. Week three of AEP is too late..
Plan for volume. More disruption means more calls, more appointments and more apps. Block your calendar. Tighten up your process. Make sure your quoting tools have 2027 data loaded before you need it.
The opportunity side
Let's be honest about this part. Disruption is hard on clients. It's also when good agents grow.
Every orphaned member is somebody who needs advice. If they don't have an agent they trust, they're going to go find one. A record year of disruption is a record year of people looking for help.
Be careful with that. Don't oversell. Don't promise anybody their new plan will look like their old one.
Just be the person who shows up, explains what changed and walks them through it. That's the concierge model we talk about all the time. Do it well and you keep that client for years.
Fewer products, more homework
An 8% drop in MAPD products sounds small. It isn't once you're sitting across from a client.
The plan you used as your go-to in a county might be gone. Your backup might have a new network or a higher MOOP. Some markets you thought you knew cold, you're going to have to re-learn.
So do the homework before AEP opens. Review the 2027 plans in every county you write. Know your top two or three options for the clients you see most. Have an answer ready for "what happened to my plan?"
What we'd do this week
1. Run your book against the 2027 carrier and plan changes.
2. Sort clients into "plan ending," "big change" and "stable."
3. Confirm your appointments for every carrier you'll need, medsupp and PDP included.
4. Call the "plan ending" group first.
It's simple work. Do it early and AEP gets a whole lot calmer..
We're working through the 2027 changes with our agents county by county. If you need appointments or AEP support, reach out to us at BROCK.
Industry Insight: Why is this happening?
While agents are focused on helping clients navigate plan changes, it's important to understand the forces driving these disruptions. Medicare Advantage appears highly competitive on the surface, but market concentration remains significant. According to Andrew's analysis, two major companies represented 46% of national Medicare Advantage enrollment in 2026 and most beneficiaries are located in highly concentrated markets. When major organizations make strategic adjustments, the impact can affect millions of beneficiaries and thousands of agents at once.
If this article was helpful, don't stop here. Join us throughout the week as we break down industry developments, sales strategies, carrier opportunities, and the conversations agents are having right now.
Monday
Join Justin Brock and Andrew Saul live every Monday as they discuss:
2027 Medicare changes
Carrier exits
Service Area Reductions
Industry trends
Tuesday
GPS Training: Learn how to identify the right opportunities and naviagte client conversations using Brock's GPS framework. The GPS process focuses on Medicare knowledge, health history, budge discussions, coverage reviews, and retirement conversations.
Wednesday
Selling HDG to a SAR: Strategies for helping clients impacted by Service Area Reductions and evaluating High Deductible Plan G opportunities.
Thursday
Product + Carrier Highlights: A deeper dive into carrier opportunities and product positioning.
