New Hampshire's Medicare Advantage market is shrinking dramatically for 2027: CVS Health and BMC Health System are leaving the state entirely, affecting more than 14,200 current enrollees, while Coös County will have no Medicare Advantage plans available at all, displacing roughly 2,760 beneficiaries (NH Insurance Department). If you received a letter saying your plan is ending on December 31, 2026, you have protected rights and a clear deadline to act.
This matters now because the annual window to act is open: the Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) runs October 15 through December 7, 2026. CMS projects statewide Medicare Advantage enrollment to decline by 18,104 beneficiaries in 2027, and the disruption extends beyond people whose insurers are leaving — individual plans from carriers that stay in New Hampshire are also changing (NH Insurance Department). Reviewing your notice before December 7 gives you time to confirm doctors, prescriptions, and out-of-pocket costs before coverage changes take effect on January 1, 2027.
New Hampshire's 2027 Medicare Advantage market is shrinking
New Hampshire will have 20 Medicare Advantage plans offered by three organizations — Humana, UnitedHealth Group, and new market entrant Devoted Health — in 2027, down from a broader field. Availability will differ significantly by county, and eight of the state's 10 counties will still have multiple organizations offering coverage (NH Insurance Department).
The Concord Monitor reports the departure continues a run of exits — Martin's Point and Anthem left this year, and Aetna pulled back to the state's southeast section. It also notes insurers blame the federal reimbursement cuts, a growing older population, and rising health-care costs for making the private-plan market less attractive.
The sharpest losses are concentrated in three moves. CVS Health and BMC Health System are leaving New Hampshire's Medicare Advantage market entirely, affecting more than 14,200 current enrollees. Coös County will have no Medicare Advantage plans available in 2027, leaving roughly 2,760 beneficiaries without a local Advantage option. Meanwhile, Devoted Health is entering the state with six plans in portions of New Hampshire (NH Insurance Department).
The disruption is broader than the two departing carriers. CMS's files list 13 Medicare plans from five companies as no longer offered in at least one New Hampshire county for 2027, covering at least 24,500 people enrolled in county-by-county plans (New Hampshire Health Insurance). Some of those are renumbered or replaced plans, so your plan's written notice — not any list — is what tells you what is happening to your specific coverage. And the market's shape is shifting too: New Hampshire is moving from nine HMO plans and 10 local PPO plans in 2026 to six HMO plans and 14 local PPO plans in 2027, which can alter your network access and referral rules even when your carrier stays (NH Insurance Department).
Plan termination preserves your Medicare rights
A plan termination does not touch your Medicare eligibility — you stay covered. What changes is which plans you can choose from. Your two broad paths are enrolling in another Medicare Advantage plan available in your county, or returning to Original Medicare (Parts A and B) — and if you go that route, pairing it with a standalone Part D drug plan and possibly a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy (NH Insurance Department).
The key protection is guaranteed-issue rights: people whose Medicare Advantage plan is being discontinued can buy certain Medigap policies without going through medical underwriting. In my experience helping New Hampshire clients through these exits, this is the window most people undervalue — because if you miss it, Medigap pricing after the window reflects your health history. But the rights are not automatic for everyone. As the NH Insurance Department warns, “Do not assume that you will automatically qualify for a Medicare Supplement policy without medical underwriting. Guaranteed-issue rights depend on the circumstances under which your Medicare Advantage coverage is ending.”
If you switch to a Medigap policy, you will typically need to add a standalone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan — Medigap does not cover outpatient prescriptions. And remember that returning to Original Medicare changes your cost structure: it has no annual out-of-pocket maximum the way Medicare Advantage plans do, so a serious illness can mean larger out-of-pocket bills (NH Insurance Department).
The deadlines you need to know
Two windows matter. The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) runs October 15 through December 7, 2026 — during it you can change your Advantage plan, change your drug plan, switch to Original Medicare, or switch to a Medicare Advantage plan. Because your coverage ends December 31, you also qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) running January 1 through February 28, 2027, during which you can change plans, add a drug plan, or move to Original Medicare (NH Insurance Department).
The NH Insurance Department notes that guaranteed-issue protection is available beginning 60 days before your coverage ends — so the clock on your Medigap options starts earlier than many people expect. Acting before December 7, rather than waiting for the SEP, leaves more time to verify your doctors, review your prescriptions, understand your benefits, and confirm your guaranteed-issue eligibility before the transition. If you decide Original Medicare is the right path, free, unbiased help is available: New Hampshire's ServiceLink SHIP counselors do not sell insurance and can be a second opinion on any plan you are weighing.
What to do right now, step by step
If you've received a non-renewal notice, work through these checks in order:
Read your insurer's notice carefully. Confirm whether your plan is ending entirely or just changing benefits and service areas for 2027 — carriers that stay in New Hampshire are also reshaping coverage (NH Insurance Department).
List your doctors, specialists, and hospitals. Network participation is the single biggest factor that differs between replacement plans.
List your prescriptions and check the formulary, pharmacy network, and copays on any plan you're considering.
Check ongoing care and prior authorizations. If you're receiving ongoing treatment, understand how changing plans affects existing approvals.
Confirm your guaranteed-issue eligibility before switching. Rights depend on the specific reason your coverage is ending — verify them first (NH Insurance Department).
Compare every option before choosing. A $0 premium plan can still carry higher out-of-pocket costs or a narrower network (NH Insurance Department).
Talk to a licensed Medicare insurance professional who can walk you through the tradeoffs by county.
You don't have to make this decision alone. As a licensed Medicare insurance professional serving New Hampshire, I help clients affected by these exits review their options and find stable coverage for 2027. If your Medicare Advantage plan is ending on December 31, schedule a review now — before the December 7 deadline passes.
Medicare plan availability, benefits, and enrollment rights vary by individual circumstances and service area. This article is for educational purposes and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.
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