What can I do if I have to leave my Medicare Advantage Plan because my plan reduces its service area?
At the end of the year, Medicare Advantage Plans can decide to discontinue providing services in certain areas. If your Medicare Advantage Plan reduces its service area and there are no other Medicare Advantage Plans in your area, you may be able to keep your coverage with that plan. Ask your plan. If your plan has this option, you must agree to travel to the plan's service area to get all your services (except for emergency and urgently needed care). If your plan doesn't have this option, you will automatically return to the Original Medicare Plan on January 1. In this case, you will have the right to buy a Medigap Policy (see Buying a Medigap (Medicare Supplement Insurance) Policy ). If you decide to return to the Original Medicare Plan, and you want to continue to have drug coverage, you will have to join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (Part D).Regional Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) (see Compare How Three Types of Medicare Advantage Plans Work) won't reduce their service area, but they can join or leave the Medicare Program each year.
(Primary Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services - Medicare and You Handbook. This content may have been enhanced by this site to include further examples, explanations, and links.)