By Marc Gilman
Questions?
Call (800) 927-9326 or email
Key Takeaways
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The letter is a plan non-renewal notice. It means your Aetna Medicare Advantage plan is ending, usually on Dec. 31, 2026. It is not the same as the Annual Notice of Change (ANOC), which describes changes to a plan that is continuing.
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You have coverage through Dec. 31, but you need to act. You are generally not moved into a replacement Medicare Advantage plan automatically. Without a new choice, you would be left with Original Medicare (Parts A and B) and no drug coverage.
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You have two windows. The Annual Enrollment Period runs Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, 2026, and a special enrollment period for people whose plan is non-renewed generally runs Dec. 8 through the end of February. Choosing in December means your new coverage can start Jan. 1.*
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Don’t let the 63-day clock surprise you. Two protections tend to run on a roughly 63-day timeline: guaranteed-issue rights for a Medigap plan, and avoiding a late-enrollment penalty for Part D drug coverage.
What Does the Letter Actually Mean?
Medicare.gov calls this a Plan Non-Renewal Notice and says you get it if your plan is leaving Medicare in the coming year. Your plan sends it in October, and Medicare’s guidance is plain: “You must look for a new plan for coverage next year.” Medicare plans must tell members when a plan is not renewing for the next year. These notices are required to go out in the fall, before the Annual Enrollment Period. Plan non-renewals come in a few versions, including a single plan ending, a service area reduction, and a full market exit. In each case your coverage under that plan generally ends Dec. 31.
Reporting on Aetna’s 2027 changes indicates the company is pulling back plans in New Hampshire, and as of this writing we are seeing letters reach Hillsborough and Rockingham County members. A July 2026 report described Aetna discontinuing roughly 90 plan options across 34 states as service-area reductions rather than full contract terminations, though it didn’t name the states. Aetna’s 2027 footprint was not confirmed when we last wrote about it, so the letter in your hand is the document that controls. Read it for the plan name, the date coverage ends, and your options.
If you are unsure the letter is real, call the member services number on the back of your Aetna card, or 1-800-MEDICARE, rather than using a number printed only on a mailer.
What Are My Options?
You have three main paths:
Which fits best depends on your doctors, prescriptions and budget. Our guide to Medicare Advantage vs. Original Medicare walks through the tradeoffs.
What Should I Do, Step by Step?
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Keep the letter. Note the plan name, the date your coverage ends and any instructions.
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List what you can’t give up. Write down your doctors, hospitals, medications and pharmacy.
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See what is available in your county. Plan details for 2027 are posted on Medicare.gov Plan Compare, and the full set of plan options is visible for Annual Enrollment starting Oct. 15. Search your ZIP code, doctors and medications.
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Decide your path. Another Medicare Advantage plan, or Original Medicare with Part D and possibly Medigap.
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If you lean toward Original Medicare, ask about Medigap early. People who return to Original Medicare after a plan termination generally have guaranteed-issue rights for certain Medigap plans, meaning the insurer can’t deny you or charge more because of health conditions. The window is generally about 63 days around when coverage ends. Some Medigap plan letters (such as C and F) are available only to people who were first eligible for Medicare before 2020. Confirm New Hampshire’s rules and your window before relying on it.
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Don’t go without drug coverage. Going 63 days or more without creditable drug coverage can lead to a permanent late-enrollment penalty for Part D.
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Enroll before Dec. 7 if you can.* Changes made during Annual Enrollment start Jan. 1. The later special enrollment period is a backup, and a January or February choice typically starts the first of the following month, which can leave a gap.
*Some 2027 Medicare Advantage plans can set enrollment caps and may close to new members before Dec. 7, so starting early gives you more options.
What Happens If I Do Nothing?
Your Aetna plan ends on its end date. You are generally not placed in another Medicare Advantage plan on your own. You would continue to have Original Medicare Parts A and B, but your prescription coverage, if it came with the Aetna plan, would end, and you may miss your Medigap guaranteed-issue window. Doing nothing is the riskiest choice.
Does the CMS Rulebook Back This Up?
Yes. CMS’s 2027 enrollment guidance describes a special enrollment period for people whose plan is non-renewed effective Jan. 1, beginning Dec. 8 and ending the last day of the following February. That SEP lets affected people enroll in Medicare Advantage and Part D plans.
Where Does Insurance Planning Fit In?
A cancellation letter feels urgent because it is a deadline. The plan you pick next year affects your doctors, your drug costs and your risk of a large bill. We can check your ZIP code, your doctors and your prescriptions against the plans available in Hillsborough and Rockingham counties and explain how each option, including Original Medicare with Medigap, would work for you. For a similar situation in northern New Hampshire, see our post on Coos County.
What To Do Next
If your Aetna letter has arrived, bring it with your list of doctors and medications and we’ll walk through your options before the Dec. 7 deadline.
Questions? Call (800) 927-9326 or email
Prefer we reach out to you instead? Complete our Permission to Contact form and a licensed Gilman Agency agent will follow up.
Sources: The Money Overview, “Aetna Is Closing About 90 Medicare Advantage Plans Across 34 States for 2027” (July 4, 2026); Medicare.gov, “Plan Non-Renewal Notice” (Medicare mailings); CMS, Contract Year 2027 Part C and D Enrollment and Disenrollment Guidance, section 30.6.10 (non-renewal special enrollment period); Senior Benefit Assistance, “What to Do If You Get a Medicare Advantage Plan Exit Letter (2026)”; Skyline Benefit, “My Medicare Plan Is Being Terminated: What Should I Do?” (Nov. 15, 2025); Gilman Agency, “Medicare Advantage in New Hampshire for 2027” (Aug. 4, 2026) and “Coos County, NH: What to Do If You Have No Medicare Advantage Plan for 2027” (Oct. 3, 2026); CompareMedicareAdvantagePlans.org, “Is Aetna Leaving Medicare Advantage in 2027?” (updated Oct. 7, 2026).
Gilman Agency is not affiliated with or endorsed by Aetna, CVS Health, Medicare or the federal government. This article is for general educational purposes and is not an offer of coverage or a recommendation of any specific plan. Plan availability, benefits, networks and enrollment rules change; refer to your plan’s notice for the controlling details. We do not offer every plan available in your area. For more information, contact Marc Gilman, licensed insurance agent, at (800) 927-9326, or call 1-800-MEDICARE for a full list of your options.
