Texans enrolled in Medicare plans from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas will need different coverage next year. The insurer's website now says it will stop selling, as of 2027, its Blue Cross Medicare Advantage plans, its Medicare Advantage Dual Care Plus plans or its Blue Cross MedicareRx prescription drug plans, KERA News reported Tuesday.
The change surfaces in the first week of Medicare's annual open enrollment period, when people with Medicare can switch plans for the coming year.
What the company says
In a statement to KERA, the insurer said affected customers were sent letters before Oct. 2 laying out their options, and that a "special election period" will let them move to another plan.
"Like all carriers, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas evaluates its Medicare products annually by market to determine their ongoing viability," the company said, adding that it remains committed to the market and that "in some cases, we need to make adjustments."
Fewer choices nationally
Medicare Advantage, also called Part C, is run by private insurers. A KFF analysis of federal plan data found the typical Medicare beneficiary will have 28 Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage to choose from in 2027. The share of beneficiaries with more than 40 such plans fell to 20% from 27% this year.
