By Mike Miligi, Certified Medicare Insurance Planner- Michael M Insurance Services
Every fall, Bay Shore mailboxes fill up with Medicare notices, and every fall, a lot of those notices go straight into a drawer unread. This year, that habit is riskier than usual. For the 2027 plan year, Bay Shore and Suffolk County residents have 18 standard Medicare Advantage plans and 21 Special Needs Plans to choose from, along with 9 stand-alone Part D drug plans and 6 insurance companies offering Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policies locally. If those numbers look different from what you remember, that’s not a mistake — standard Medicare Advantage plan counts have dropped noticeably nationwide for 2027, while Special Needs Plans have actually grown. The Annual Enrollment Period is your once-a-year chance to make sure your coverage survived that shift intact.
What Is the Annual Enrollment Period?
The Medicare Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), also called Fall Open Enrollment, runs every year from October 15 through December 7. Any changes you make take effect January 1. During this window, you can:
- Switch from one Medicare Advantage plan to another
- Move from Original Medicare into a Medicare Advantage plan, or go back
- Switch from one Part D prescription drug plan to another
- Enroll in Part D for the first time, or drop it
For Bay Shore, Islip, Babylon, Deer Park, Brightwaters, and the rest of the surrounding South Shore communities, this window is when the local plan landscape actually gets worth revisiting — because, as this year shows clearly, it can change substantially from one year to the next.
Why AEP Matters More in Bay Shore This Year
Here’s a real, local example of why “if it worked last year, it’ll work this year” doesn’t hold up — and it’s not hypothetical this time. Nationally, CMS’s newly released 2027 landscape file shows major carriers meaningfully reducing their standard Medicare Advantage offerings: UnitedHealthcare is cutting roughly 690 plans nationwide and Humana roughly 2,400, even as the total number of plans stays relatively flat overall. Nearly 3 million people were already forced to find new Medicare Advantage coverage for 2026 after losing their old plan, according to Johns Hopkins research — and this year’s pullback looks similar in scale.
Bay Shore isn’t immune to that trend. Suffolk County’s standard Medicare Advantage count has fallen from 27 plans to 18 for 2027 — a real, local drop of exactly the kind this national pullback predicts. At the same time, Special Needs Plans locally grew from 19 to 21, matching the national pattern of insurers leaning harder into SNPs while pulling back on standard Medicare Advantage. If you’re on a standard Medicare Advantage plan today, it’s worth specifically confirming it’s still being offered before you assume “no news is good news.”
This is exactly the kind of change your plan’s Annual Notice of Change (ANOC) letter — mailed every September — is designed to flag. If your specific plan isn’t being renewed, you should also receive a separate non-renewal notice. Either way, don’t wait until December to find out.
The Local Carrier Landscape
Bay Shore and Suffolk County residents see Medicare Advantage plans from several major carriers, and they are not interchangeable:
| Carrier | What Bay Shore Residents Should Know |
|---|---|
| Aetna | Generally the widest local hospital and doctor network, including out-of-state usability. Historically a popular $0-premium option locally. |
| Humana | A long-standing local presence, though Humana is among the carriers reducing its national plan count for 2027 — worth confirming your specific plan is still offered. |
| Anthem | A strong local network and still accepted by Northwell facilities — one of the more reliable options locally if your doctors are in the Northwell system. |
| WellCare | A narrower local network, and no longer accepted by Northwell facilities — worth confirming carefully before enrolling or renewing. |
| United Healthcare |
Locally, largely limited to Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) for those eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid; United is also among the carriers reducing standard plan counts nationally for 2027. |
| EmblemHealth | An established regional carrier with a solid presence among Suffolk County seniors — worth comparing directly against your specific doctors and medications. |
| Healthfirst | A regional plan with a strong foothold in the New York metro area, including some Suffolk County offerings — particularly worth a look for Dual Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) eligibility. |
Two people in the same Bay Shore neighborhood, on paper-similar plans from two different carriers, can end up with very different access to Southside Hospital, Good Samaritan, or their specific specialists — and this year, some of those plans may not exist at all going into 2027. That’s not something premium comparisons alone will tell you.
The Medicare Calendar at a Glance
A lot of AEP confusion comes from mixing it up with other Medicare windows. Here’s the full picture:
| Window | When It Runs | What It's For |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Enrollment Period (IEP) | 7-month window around your 65th birthday | First-time Medicare enrollment |
| Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) | October 15 – December 7, every year | Full range of plan changes for anyone on Medicare |
| Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (MA OEP) | January 1 – March 31, every year | One additional switch, only if you're already in a Medicare Advantage plan |
| Special Enrollment Periods (SEPs) | Triggered by specific life events, including a plan non-renewal | Enrollment changes outside the standard windows |
If you’re already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan and miss AEP, the MA OEP that follows on January 1 gives you one more shot — but it’s narrower, and it’s not a substitute for reviewing your options every fall, especially this year.
Common AEP Pitfalls Bay Shore Residents Should Watch For
- Assuming your current plan is automatically still available. With fewer standard Medicare Advantage plans locally this year, confirm your plan is actually being renewed before assuming it carries over.
- Assuming your hospital is still in-network. Confirm Southside, Good Samaritan, and any specialists you see directly against your specific plan for 2027, not last year’s plan.
- Comparing plans by premium alone. A $0 premium plan with a narrow network or a weak formulary for your specific medications can cost more overall than a plan with a modest premium.
- Skipping the ANOC letter or a non-renewal notice. Both are mailed in the fall and spell out exactly what’s changing — or ending — for your coverage.
- Missing the December 7 deadline. There’s no grace period. Miss it, and you’re generally waiting for the narrower MA OEP or the next AEP.
- Not rechecking your prescriptions. Drug formularies and tier placement change annually, and the Part D deductible and out-of-pocket cap are both rising for 2027.
Your AEP Checklist for Bay Shore Residents
- Read your ANOC letter or non-renewal notice the week it arrives — don’t set it aside.
- Confirm your current plan is actually being offered for 2027. With the local standard Medicare Advantage count down to 18 plans, this is a real possibility worth ruling out directly rather than assuming.
- List your current doctors and hospitals — especially if you use Southside, Good Samaritan, or a Northwell-affiliated specialist.
- Pull your medication list, including dosages, and check it against your plan’s formulary for the coming year, factoring in the new $700 Part D deductible and $2,400 out-of-pocket cap.
- Compare more than one plan. Between 18 standard Medicare Advantage plans and 21 Special Needs Plans, there’s still real choice locally — just fewer standard options than last year.
- Check the out-of-pocket maximum, which rises to $9,850 in-network for 2027, not just the monthly premium.
- Decide before December 7 — give yourself a buffer instead of waiting for the final days of the window.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Medicare Advantage plans are available in Bay Shore for 2027?
For the 2027 plan year, Bay Shore and Suffolk County residents have 18 standard Medicare Advantage plans and 21 Special Needs Plans — down from 27 standard plans in 2026, while Special Needs Plans actually grew from 19. That shift mirrors a national pattern this year, where major carriers are pulling back on standard Medicare Advantage while leaning further into SNPs. With fewer standard options than last year, a side-by-side comparison matters more than ever.
Why did the number of Medicare Advantage plans drop so much this year?
CMS’s newly released 2027 landscape file shows major insurers nationally reducing their standard Medicare Advantage plan counts to protect margins after years of higher-than-expected medical spending — UnitedHealthcare by roughly 690 plans and Humana by roughly 2,400, nationwide. Suffolk County’s drop from 27 to 18 standard plans reflects that same trend locally. Special Needs Plans, which tend to generate higher margins per enrollee, grew instead.
Will my doctors and local hospitals still be covered if I don't change plans?
Not necessarily, and this year it’s worth checking twice. Provider networks can and do shift year to year — WellCare’s loss of Northwell acceptance in this area is a real recent example — and on top of that, some plans aren’t being renewed at all for 2027. The only way to know for certain is to confirm your specific doctors and hospitals against your plan’s actual 2027 status and network.
What's the difference between AEP and the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period?
AEP (October 15 – December 7) is open to everyone on Medicare and allows a full range of changes — switching Medicare Advantage plans, switching Part D plans, or moving between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage. The MA OEP (January 1 – March 31) is narrower and only available if you’re already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, allowing one additional switch.
I like my current plan — do I still need to do anything during AEP?
Yes, more so this year than usual. Even if you want to stay with the same plan, it’s worth confirming the plan is still being offered for 2027 before assuming it is. If it’s not being renewed, you should receive a non-renewal notice, but it’s worth checking directly rather than waiting for mail that may or may not arrive in time.
What happens if my plan isn't being renewed for 2027?
You’ll generally receive a formal non-renewal notice, and your current coverage stays active through December 31. You’ll need to choose a new Medicare Advantage plan, or return to Original Medicare, before your current coverage ends — and a plan termination can open up additional guaranteed-issue rights for a Medicare Supplement plan if you’re considering that route instead.
Can I switch from a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan to Medicare Advantage during AEP?
Generally, yes, and it typically doesn’t require medical underwriting. Moving the other direction — from Medicare Advantage back to Medigap — can involve underwriting in most states, though New York’s guaranteed-issue protections make this significantly easier here than in most other states.
Does Medicare Advantage cover dental, vision, and hearing in Bay Shore?
Many local plans include some level of dental, vision, or hearing coverage as an extra benefit, but the specifics — routine cleanings versus major work, annual allowances, in-network providers — vary significantly from plan to plan, and insurers nationally are trimming these benefits for 2027 more than in past years. It’s worth confirming exactly what’s included rather than assuming it matches what you had before.
What if I qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid — are there local options for that?
Yes. Several carriers, including United Healthcare, offer Dual Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) in the Bay Shore and Suffolk County area specifically for people who qualify for both programs. Locally, SNP availability has actually grown for 2027 even as standard plan options shrank.
Does Good Samaritan Hospital accept Medicare Advantage plans?
It depends on the specific plan and carrier, not on Medicare Advantage as a category. Good Samaritan and Southside are both major local hospitals, but network participation varies by carrier and can change from year to year — the same way WellCare’s relationship with Northwell shifted. The only reliable way to know is to check your specific plan’s current-year network directly, even if you’ve used that hospital under the same plan before.
I live in Islip, Babylon, or Brightwaters — does this apply to me too?
Yes. AEP rules and deadlines are federal and apply the same way regardless of which South Shore community you’re in. What does vary locally is which specific plans and networks serve your exact address, since Medicare Advantage plans are approved by county and network participation can differ slightly even between neighboring towns.
What should I bring to a Bay Shore Medicare consultation?
Your current Medicare card, a list of every medication you take with dosages, and the names of your doctors and any hospitals you use regularly — Southside, Good Samaritan, or otherwise. If you have your current plan’s ANOC letter or a non-renewal notice, bring that too. Having all of it in one place lets us move straight to comparing real options instead of tracking down details after the fact.
What happens if I miss the December 7 deadline?
If you’re already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you’ll have the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period (January 1 – March 31) as a narrower second chance. Otherwise, you’re generally waiting until the next AEP,unless a qualifying life event — including your plan being discontinued — gives you a Special Enrollment Period.
Get a Local, Side-by-Side Comparison
Reading formularies and checking hospital networks isn’t how most people want to spend a fall afternoon — but with fewer standard Medicare Advantage plans locally this year, it matters more than ever. If you’re a Bay Shore, Islip, Babylon, Deer Park, or Brightwaters resident and want a straightforward comparison built around your actual doctors and medications, I can put one together for you at no cost. You can also see more about how I work with local residents on my Bay Shore Medicare Broker page.
Mike Miligi
Owner, Michael M Insurance Service
For over 10 years, Mike has helped seniors and other Medicare-eligible individuals understand their options, including Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C), Medicare Supplement Plans (Medigap), Prescription Drug Plans (Part D), and dental and vision programs. Mike is licensed in 12 states and certified with 15 insurance carriers. As an independent Medicare health insurance broker, he works for the client, not the insurance carriers, providing accurate, unbiased options. Mike recertifies with CMS annually and completes continuing education to stay current on industry standards.
(631) 774-3786 | mmilinsurance@gmail.com | www.mymedicaremike.com
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