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Why is my Medicare drug plan not offered next year?

Category: ANOC: Annual Plan Changes
Updated: Nov, 16 2023


Your current Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plan may be discontinued, merged, or consolidated next year for several reasons:
  • Medicare Plan Consolidation or Merger

    Sometimes a Medicare plan will offer several different variations of a Medicare plan in a single Service Area (state or ZIP Code area) - and although all of these plans may offer slightly different drug or healthcare coverage, the company may decide to merge or consolidate these different plans into one single plan, or a Medicare Part D plan from one company may be merged together with a Medicare Part D plan from another company that was acquired during the year. In either case, existing Medicare plan members will be automatically "crosswalked" to (merged into) the new Medicare plan that starts January 1st of next year. 

    The good news is that the members who are "crosswalked" do not lose Medicare plan coverage, but are moved to another plan.  And the new Medicare plan may have new cost and coverage features.  As an example,  2.7 million people are currently enrolled in a 2023 Medicare plan that will "crosswalk" plan members to a different 2024 Medicare plan.




  • A Medicare plan's Service Area Reductions (SAR)

    Each year, Medicare plans have the option to discontinue their plan in specific service areas of the country.  The Medicare plan's affected service area may be an entire state, specific counties, or ZIP codes.  It is possible that plan members in some areas of the country will remain in the Medicare plan, but the plan will be discontinued in other areas.

    As noted above, in some cases, a discontinued plan will "crosswalk" plan members to a new Medicare plan, but, in other cases, the members of a discontinued plan will be without coverage next year if they do not select a new Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plan.  For example, in 2023, about 1.6 million people are enrolled in Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plans that will be not continued in 2024 - and these people will lose their 2024 Medicare plan coverage - unless they enrolled into a different 2024 Medicare plan.

    Remember, there is a Service Area Reduction Special Enrollment Period (SAR SEP) starting on December 8th and continuing through the end of February allowing people who who were in a terminated plan the possibility of enrolling in a new Medicare plan for the new plan year - after the December 7th close of the annual Open Enrollment Period (AEP).

  • Terminated Medicare Plans

    As just noted, sometimes an insurance company will choose to terminate a specific Medicare plan - however, it is also possible that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will terminate an insurance company's contract and the Medicare plan will no longer be offered. All members of a terminated Medicare plan will also need to actively join a new Medicare plan or be without coverage in the next year.



Question:  How will I know if my Medicare plan is being discontinued or I am being moved to another Medicare plan?

When a plan is no longer being offered, existing Medicare plan members of a Medicare Advantage plan or Medicare Part D plan will be notified in their Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) letter about the plan termination or consolidation - and plan members are given the option to join another plan during the annual Open Enrollment Period (AEP).

Need a faster way to see if your Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plan is changing next year?

Our PDP-Compare and MA-Compare tools allow you to compare annual changes in all stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plans (PDPs) or Medicare Advantage plans (MAs or MAPDs) across the country showing changes in monthly premiums and plan design changes, as well as changes in co-payments or co-insurance rates for different drug tiers along with the most recent Medicare quality star ratings.

Both the PDP-Compare and MA-Compare also show the Medicare Part D plans or Medicare Advantage plans that will be merged, discontinued, or added each year.





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Tips & Disclaimers
  • Q1Medicare®, Q1Rx®, and Q1Group® are registered Service Marks of Q1Group LLC and may not be used in any advertising, publicity, or for commercial purposes without the express authorization of Q1Group.
  • The Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D prescription drug plan data on our site comes directly from Medicare and is subject to change.
  • Medicare has neither reviewed nor endorsed the information on our site.
  • We provide our Q1Medicare.com site for educational purposes and strive to present unbiased and accurate information. However, Q1Medicare is not intended as a substitute for your lawyer, doctor, healthcare provider, financial advisor, or pharmacist. For more information on your Medicare coverage, please be sure to seek legal, medical, pharmaceutical, or financial advice from a licensed professional or telephone Medicare at 1-800-633-4227.
  • We are an independent education, research, and technology company. We are not affiliated with any Medicare plan, plan carrier, healthcare provider, or insurance company. We are not compensated for Medicare plan enrollments. We do not sell leads or share your personal information.
  • Benefits, formulary, pharmacy network, provider network, premium and/or co-payments/co-insurance may change on January 1 of each year. Our PDPCompare.com and MACompare.com provide highlights of annual plan benefit changes.
  • The benefit information provided is a brief summary, not a complete description of benefits. For more information contact the plan.
  • Limitations, copayments, and restrictions may apply.
  • We make every effort to show all available Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plans in your service area. However, since our data is provided by Medicare, it is possible that this may not be a complete listing of plans available in your service area. For a complete listing please contact 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day/7 days a week or consult www.medicare.gov.
    Statement required by Medicare:
    "We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options."
  • When enrolling in a Medicare Advantage plan, you must continue to pay your Medicare Part B premium.
  • Medicare beneficiaries with higher incomes may be required to pay both a Medicare Part B and Medicare Part D Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA). Read more on IRMAA.
  • Medicare Advantage plans that include prescription drug coverage (MAPDs) are considered Medicare Part D plans and members with higher incomes may be subject to the Medicare Part D Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA), just as members in stand-alone Part D plans. In certain situations, you can appeal IRMAA.
  • You must be enrolled in both Medicare Part A and Part B to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan. Members may enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan only during specific times of the year. Contact the Medicare plan for more information.
  • If you are enrolled in a Medicare plan with Part D prescription drug coverage, you may be eligible for financial Extra Help to assist with the payment of your prescription drug premiums and drug purchases. To see if you qualify for Extra Help, call: 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048, 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week or consult www.medicare.gov; the Social Security Office at 1-800-772-1213 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. TTY users should call, 1-800-325-0778; or your state Medicaid Office.
  • Medicare evaluates plans based on a 5-Star rating system. Star Ratings are calculated each year and may change from one year to the next.
  • A Medicare Advantage Private Fee-for-Service plan (PFFS) is not a Medicare supplement plan. Providers who do not contract with the plan are not required to see you except in an emergency.
  • Disclaimer for Institutional Special Needs Plan (SNP): This plan is available to anyone with Medicare who meets the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) level of care and resides in a nursing home.
  • Disclaimer for Dual Eligible (Medicare/Medicaid) Special Needs Plan (SNP): This plan is available to anyone who has both Medical Assistance from the State and Medicare. Premiums, co-pays, co-insurance, and deductibles may vary based on the level of Extra Help you receive. Please contact the plan for further details.
  • Disclaimer for Chronic Condition Special Needs Plan (SNP): This plan is available to anyone with Medicare who has been diagnosed with the plan specific Chronic Condition.
  • Medicare MSA Plans combine a high deductible Medicare Advantage Plan and a trust or custodial savings account (as defined and/or approved by the IRS). The plan deposits money from Medicare into the account. You can use this money to pay for your health care costs, but only Medicare-covered expenses count toward your deductible. The amount deposited is usually less than your deductible amount, so you generally have to pay out-of-pocket before your coverage begins.
  • Medicare MSA Plans do not cover prescription drugs. If you join a Medicare MSA Plan, you can also join any separate (stand-alone) Medicare Part D prescription drug plan
  • There are additional restrictions to join an MSA plan, and enrollment is generally for a full calendar year unless you meet certain exceptions. Those who disenroll during the calendar year will owe a portion of the account deposit back to the plan. Contact the plan provider for additional information.
  • Medicare beneficiaries may enroll through the CMS Medicare Online Enrollment Center located at www.medicare.gov.
  • Medicare beneficiaries can file a complaint with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services by calling 1-800-MEDICARE 24 hours a day/7 days or using the medicare.gov site. Beneficiaries can appoint a representative by submitting CMS Form-1696.