Lessons Learned and Best Practices
The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period ended on December 7, 2025.
For more than 67 million Americans, this year revealed meaningful shifts in the healthcare landscape, and clear guidance for how to navigate coverage decisions moving forward.
Medicare Annual Enrollment Period Ended: What This Year Taught UsWhat 2025 Has Taught Us
- The era of “more for less” is ending.
For years, Medicare Advantage plans added supplemental benefits with little or no additional premium. That trend reversed as major insurers scaled back their footprints, exiting counties and trimming plan offerings.
The cause? Rising medical costs, changing federal reimbursements, and added regulatory pressure pushed carriers to focus on financial stability over expansion.
- PPO plans took the biggest hit.
Of the 1.8 million people affected by discontinued plans, roughly 70% were enrolled in PPO products. These plans are costlier to operate, making them the first to be reduced. Expect narrower-network HMO plans to dominate in the coming years.
- Some markets became coverage deserts.
In certain rural areas, beneficiaries were left with no Medicare Advantage options at all. When multiple carriers exited the same regions, Original Medicare paired with a Medicare Supplement became the only viable route.
Best Practices Moving Forward
- Review your coverage every year.
Plans regularly update costs, benefits, formularies, and networks. Make it routine to review your Annual Notice of Change each September so you’re not surprised by shifts in the new year.
- Use trusted Medicare tools.
Medicare.gov’s Plan Finder offers the most accurate side-by-side comparisons when you enter your prescriptions and preferred doctors. Independent brokers can also help you weigh your options at no cost.
- Know your free resources.
State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs) offer unbiased one-on-one guidance. You can find your state program at shiphelp.org or call 1-800-MEDICARE.
Again, brokers can also assist you for no cost or obligation!
- Understand the Medigap trap.
In most states, your guaranteed right to buy a Medigap policy lasts only for the first six months after enrolling in Part B. After that window, insurers can underwrite, which may limit your ability to switch later.
- Mark your next opportunity.
If your Medicare Advantage plan isn’t working for you, the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1–March 31) allows one plan change.
Looking Ahead
The Medicare market is still in a period of adjustment.
Benefit reductions and plan exits may continue as insurers recalibrate. The days of passive enrollment are over—those who review their coverage annually, compare options, and seek independent guidance will be best positioned in this shifting landscape.
