AEP appointments can fill quickly while the cases needing the most work remain unresolved. A client who has not called back may be losing their plan. Another may have accepted a renewal without realizing that a change affects treatment already underway. A useful mid-AEP review starts by identifying where a delayed decision could have the greatest consequence.
National premium headlines provide only part of the picture. CMS projects the average Medicare Advantage premium will fall to $12 in 2027. Individual markets still have meaningful disruptions. Providence, for example, has announced that it will not offer Medicare Advantage plans in 2027. A national average offers little reassurance to a client who needs replacement coverage.
For brokers, the practical response is to organize follow-up around the effect on the client and the work needed to resolve the case. The following approach can help you use the remaining weeks before December 7 more effectively.
Start with clients whose current coverage is ending
Place confirmed plan nonrenewals and service area reductions at the top of the review list. Obtain the actual notice and identify the affected contract, plan, county, and termination date. A carrier name alone does not tell you whether a client’s coverage will continue or what action is required.
Keep coverage status separate from compensation status in your records. A notice about broker compensation is not, by itself, evidence that the client’s plan is terminating. Record what the notice actually changes so the next conversation starts with the correct issue.
For each affected client, identify the replacement options that deserve consideration and the unanswered questions that could delay a decision. Those may include access to a treating specialist, an upcoming procedure, or the feasibility of returning to Original Medicare with supplemental coverage.
Keep the enrollment and Medigap timelines separate
Medicare.gov identifies a Special Enrollment Period for plan contract nonrenewals that runs from December 8 through the last day of February. If an affected MA member does not join another MA plan before the current plan ends, they generally return to Original Medicare. That does not automatically provide a replacement standalone Part D plan.
The additional enrollment opportunity should not become a reason to postpone an otherwise achievable January 1 transition. Confirm the event described in the notice and the effective-date rules that apply. Contract terminations and nonrenewals can have different election periods.
If the client is considering Original Medicare, evaluate Medigap guaranteed issue rights separately. A qualifying MA plan exit can provide protections for purchasing certain Medigap policies, with application timing generally beginning 60 days before MA coverage ends and extending no more than 63 days afterward. Available policies and additional protections depend on the person’s circumstances and state rules.
Preserve the coverage-loss notice and confirm the applicable right before making assurances about acceptance. AEP itself does not create a universal right to purchase Medigap without medical underwriting.
Move ongoing care and substantial cost changes forward
Next, identify clients whose plans are continuing but whose circumstances make a routine renewal review insufficient. Give earlier attention to cases involving active treatment, a major provider change, or a benefit change that could materially alter the client’s expenses.
Focus on the consequence. If a client is in the middle of treatment, document whether the relevant provider and facility will participate in the proposed plan and what the plan says about authorizations or transition arrangements. Keep unresolved questions visible instead of treating an initial comparison as a completed recommendation.
For clients with substantial prescription costs, refresh the estimate using the 2027 benefit. The Part D out-of-pocket threshold rises to $2,400, and the maximum deductible rises to $700. Explain the projected annual expense and when the client may encounter it. A client who can manage the annual total may still need help understanding a larger expense early in the year.
Resolve eligibility questions before comparing benefits
A benefit comparison cannot settle whether the client is eligible to enroll. That is especially relevant for certain D-SNPs in 2027, when new enrollment may require alignment with an affiliated Medicaid managed care plan.
If the case involves uncertain Medicaid status or alignment, assign a specific follow-up task before proceeding. Record which carrier or state program must answer the question, what documentation is needed, and when you will check again. Avoid leaving the case with a general note that says only “waiting on Medicaid.”
Give each open case a concrete next step
A practical tracking list does not need to be elaborate. For each unresolved case, record the coverage issue, the decision still needed, who is responsible for the next action, and the next contact date. Keep application submission, carrier acceptance, and confirmed effective date as separate milestones.
Set aside time during the week to review cases that have stopped moving. A client who needs another conversation, a missing document, and an unanswered carrier question require different follow-up. Naming the obstacle makes it easier to resolve.
Clients whose coverage still fits deserve a clear outcome, too. Document the review and the reason for keeping the existing plan. Completing a review does not require recommending a change.
Close the conversation with a clear explanation
Before ending an appointment, summarize the decision, the remaining action, and the expected coverage start date. When a question is unresolved, tell the client exactly what you are checking and when they should expect to hear from you.
The time you spend on these details can make a difficult transition easier for a client to understand. As AEP continues, give your earliest attention to the people facing the greatest disruption and keep each case moving toward a documented resolution.
Need help working through a plan change or an unresolved enrollment question? Contact the TAIA team for help identifying the appropriate carrier resources and next steps.