Polk County Medicare 2027: 23,607 people are in plans ending or changing.
If you live in Lakeland, Winter Haven and Haines City and received a letter about your Medicare Advantage plan, you’re not alone. Here’s what’s offered in Polk County for 2027 and how to choose with a licensed local agent.
Received a plan letter in Polk County?
Rafael will call, go over your letter and compare the 50 plans offered in Polk County for 2027 against your doctors and prescriptions.
Request my free reviewPrefer to talk? 904-583-8391
183,665 people in Polk County have Medicare; 127,412 (69%) are on Medicare Advantage. 11 of the 2027 plans include a Part B premium reduction in their name, and 11 have no drug coverage (often chosen by veterans with VA benefits). Source: REMCARE plan research from CMS files.
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What 2027 means in Polk County
23,607 Polk County residents are in Medicare Advantage plans that won’t be offered in the county in 2027 under the same plan number. About 11,231 of them are in plans with a Part B premium reduction, so if that was part of why you chose your plan, it’s worth checking which 2027 plans still offer one here. There are 11 that do.
Not everyone will be in the same spot. Some plans are ending; others are being merged into another plan, and those members will be moved to it automatically. Your letter says whether your plan is ending, changing, or moving you to another plan.
Annual Notice of Change
Your plan is continuing but its costs or benefits change on January 1. Compare it with other 2027 plans before December 7.
Non-renewal letter
Your plan is ending or leaving your county. Write down the end date. You can choose a new plan October 15 to December 7, and you also get a special window from December 8 through the end of February.
Moved to a new plan
Your insurance company says it will move you to a different plan. You can accept it, but check its doctors, drug list and costs first, because they may not match what you have now.
Local care to check in Polk County
Lakeland Regional Health runs Lakeland Regional Medical Center in Lakeland. Many Polk residents also see doctors in Winter Haven, Haines City or across the county line in Tampa or Orlando. List every office and hospital you use and check each one against the 2027 plan you’re considering.
Hospitals are named so you know what to check. REMCARE isn’t affiliated with them, and naming them doesn’t mean any plan covers or excludes them.
What’s new in Polk County
In July 2026, Orlando Health Watson Clinic Lakeland Highlands Hospital opened on Lakeland Highlands Road, the first new hospital in Lakeland in more than 100 years, with 306 patient beds. Patients can keep seeing their Watson Clinic doctors.
If you see Watson Clinic doctors or plan to use the new hospital, check both in the 2027 plan you’re considering.
Source: Business Observer. REMCARE isn’t affiliated with these facilities.
How Polk County’s plans changed
Returning plans
45 plans from 2026 are back in Polk County for 2027, and 5 are new. 41 of them have a $0 monthly premium, up from 40.
Out-of-pocket limits
15 returning plans raised their yearly out-of-pocket limit and 4 lowered it. The typical limit went from $4,200 in 2026 to $4,450.
Monthly premiums
1 returning plans raised their monthly premium and 4 lowered it. The rest stayed the same. Even if your plan stayed, check your Annual Notice of Change.
Plan figures are for plans open to anyone on Medicare. Source: CMS 2026 and 2027 plan files.
If you have both Medicare and Medicaid
Which of these plans you can join depends on your Medicaid level or your health condition, and they have their own enrollment rules. Bring your Medicaid card and any letter from your plan to your review.
Your 2027 deadlines
What to have ready
- Your letter. Your Annual Notice of Change or non-renewal letter, and your plan’s member card.
- Your doctors. Primary doctor, specialists, hospital, labs and any planned procedures.
- Your prescriptions. Each drug name, dose and how often you fill it, plus your pharmacy.
- Your budget. What you pay now each month and for visits, and how much a bad year could cost.
Statewide guide and nearby counties
For statewide dates, the Medicare Supplement option and all our county pages, see the Florida Medicare 2027 guide. If your plan is ending, see Is your Medicare plan ending in 2027?
Nearby: Hillsborough County, Orange County, Osceola County, Lake County, Pasco County, Manatee County.
Questions from Polk County residents
How many people in Polk County are in plans ending or changing for 2027?
23,607 people in Polk County are in 2026 Medicare Advantage plans that aren’t offered in the county in 2027 under the same plan number. That’s about 19% of the county’s 127,412 Medicare Advantage members. Some will be moved to another plan; others will need to choose.
How many Medicare Advantage plans are offered in Polk County for 2027?
50 plans are open to anyone on Medicare in Polk County, from 14 insurance companies. 46 have a $0 monthly plan premium, and 11 include a Part B premium reduction in their name. Special needs plans bring the total to 110.
What happens if my plan is ending and I do nothing?
It depends on your letter. If your plan is not renewing, you’ll be moved to Original Medicare on January 1, without drug coverage unless you join a drug plan, and going 63 days or more without drug coverage can mean a lifelong late penalty. If your plan is being merged into another plan, you’ll usually be moved to that plan automatically, so check that its doctors, drugs and costs still work for you. You can choose a new plan October 15 to December 7, and if your plan isn’t renewing you also have from December 8 through the end of February.
My primary doctor and my specialist are in different Polk County towns. What should I check?
Check both office locations, whether you need referrals, and where testing or procedures are done. Think about travel and how often you go, so the plan works for you in real life, not just on paper.
Can you help me without an office visit?
We help Polk County residents by phone or video, in English or Spanish. Call 904-583-8391 or book a time online.
I have Medicare and Medicaid. Are there plans for me in Polk County?
Yes. Polk County has 2027 plans designed for people with both Medicare and Medicaid. Which ones you can join depends on your Medicaid level. Bring your Medicaid card and any letter from your plan to your review.
Sources
- CMS 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D state fact sheets
- Medicare.gov: Special Enrollment Periods
- Medicare.gov: When you can buy Medigap
- Lakeland Regional Health locations
Local numbers come from REMCARE’s 2027 plan research using CMS public files: the CMS CY2027 Landscape (updated 09/22/2026) and CMS enrollment by contract/plan/county, September 2026. Plan counts are for the general public and don’t include special needs plans unless noted. This page is educational; your own plan letter and plan documents decide your options and dates. Updated October 1, 2026.
Rafael Mendoza, licensed agent, REMCARE Insurance Agency, NPN 8929595. Not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.