Hospitals Dropping Medicare Advantage Plans in 2027: List and What to Do
A growing number of hospitals and health systems are leaving Medicare Advantage networks for 2027, citing claim denials, prior-authorization burden, and low reimbursement. Becker’s Hospital Review has tracked dozens. If your hospital dropped your plan, the most important thing to understand is that this is different from your plan ending, and it changes your deadlines. Here is the list we have verified, and exactly what to do.
Last updated: October 13, 2026. We update this during open enrollment; always confirm the current status with your hospital and your plan.
Read this first: your hospital leaving is not the same as your plan ending
When your hospital drops your Medicare Advantage plan but the plan still exists, you generally do not get a special window to switch. Your reliable window is the Annual Enrollment Period, October 15 to December 7, with coverage starting January 1. There is a narrow, case-by-case Special Enrollment Period for a significant network change, but you must request it by calling 1-800-MEDICARE and it is not guaranteed, so plan to act during open enrollment. (If your whole plan is non-renewing, that is different and does open a Special Enrollment Period, see Medicare Advantage plans not renewing in 2027.)
Verified health-system exits for 2027
Kettering Health
January 1, 2027Leaving: Anthem Medicare Advantage (including Anthem MyCare)
Where: Western Ohio (Dayton area)
Formal non-renewal. In-network through Dec 31, 2026. Kettering still accepts Original Medicare and some other MA plans.
Fairview Health Services
January 1, 2027Leaving: UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage
Where: Minnesota
Fairview says the decision is final. It has also sued UnitedHealthcare over provider-directory accuracy, so confirm your status directly.
VCU Health
January 1, 2027Leaving: Anthem Medicare Advantage (non-D-SNP plans only)
Where: Richmond, Virginia
A carve-out, not a full split: VCU stays in-network for Anthem D-SNP (dual-eligible), commercial, Medicaid, and Medigap plans.
Sentara Health
January 1, 2027Leaving: Anthem Medicare Advantage (and ACA Marketplace)
Where: Virginia
As of October 2026 this is an unresolved rate dispute, not a formal non-renewal, and it could still settle before year-end. Confirm the current status.
This list covers the exits we have verified against the system’s own notice. Others have been reported (including some Mayo Clinic and Lee Health locations with UnitedHealthcare and Humana); we add an entry once we confirm the specific plan and effective date. If your hospital is not here, check your own notice and confirm with the hospital.
What to do if your hospital dropped your plan
Read the notice, or have it explained. Your hospital or plan letter says exactly what is changing and when. If it is unclear, upload it to our free Medicare Letter Check and we explain it in plain language.
Decide during open enrollment (by December 7). If keeping that hospital matters, switch to a plan it accepts or to Original Medicare, with coverage starting January 1. Do not wait for a special window that may not come.
In active treatment? Ask about continuity of care. Call the number on your plan card and ask whether you can keep your provider at in-network cost for a transition period. It is limited and not automatic.
Already got an out-of-network bill? Have it reviewed, these often contain errors or reducible amounts. CareRoute Bill Defense reviews and negotiates it, free to start.
Find the plan that keeps your hospital and doctors
For a flat $99, CareRoute Decision Support researches the plans available to you and checks each against your specific hospital, doctors, and drugs, verifying participation directly, not just trusting the directory. We are independent, do not sell insurance, and take no commissions.
Frequently asked questions
What does it mean when my hospital drops my Medicare Advantage plan?
It means the hospital and your Medicare Advantage insurer did not renew their contract, so starting on the effective date the hospital is out-of-network for that plan. Care there may cost more or may not be covered, except for true emergencies, which a hospital must treat regardless of network. Your plan itself does not change; only the hospital’s network status does.
Can I switch plans because my hospital left my network?
Not automatically. A hospital leaving your plan’s network does not by itself open a Special Enrollment Period. Your reliable window to switch is the Annual Enrollment Period, October 15 to December 7, with coverage starting January 1. There is a narrow, case-by-case Special Enrollment Period for a significant network change that you must request by calling 1-800-MEDICARE, but it is not guaranteed. The safest move is to act during open enrollment while it is open. (A different situation: if your whole plan is non-renewing, you do get a Special Enrollment Period.)
Why are so many hospitals dropping Medicare Advantage?
Hospitals and health systems cite three recurring problems with Medicare Advantage plans: frequent prior-authorization requirements, high claim-denial rates, and reimbursement that is slower and often lower than traditional Medicare. Becker’s Hospital Review has tracked dozens of systems ending or declining to renew MA contracts over the past two years.
How do I find out if my hospital still takes my plan for 2027?
Check two sources, because plan directories are often out of date: confirm with the hospital’s billing or scheduling office directly, and check your plan’s current provider directory. Read any Annual Notice of Change or network letter you received. If you are not sure what a notice means, you can have it explained for free before you decide anything.
I am in the middle of treatment. Can I keep my provider?
Possibly, for a transition time. If you are in an active course of treatment, your plan may offer a continuity-of-care period that lets you keep seeing a departing provider at in-network cost for a while. It is limited, varies by plan, and is not automatic, so call the number on your plan card and ask the exact terms.
Is this list kept up to date?
We update it during open enrollment as systems announce changes, and we date each entry. Contract disputes can also be resolved before they take effect, so always confirm the current status with your hospital and your plan before making a decision. The dates and details here are as of the last-updated date shown.
Related
Sources & references
This is general information, not insurance advice, and not a recommendation of any specific plan or insurer. The health-system exits listed are as announced and verified as of October 2026; some are unresolved negotiations that could still settle, and effective dates and scope can change. Always confirm the current status with your hospital, your plan (the number on your card), or 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). Enrollment windows and continuity-of-care terms are set by federal rules and by each plan and vary. Last updated: October 13, 2026.