Seniors in Carroll and Coos counties will now have access to Medicare Advantage plans through the insurance carrier Devoted Health starting on Nov. 1, according to a press release from Gov. Kelly Ayotte this week.
Devoted Health also offers Medicare Advantage plans in Hillsborough, Grafton, and Sullivan counties.
Eligible individuals in the two counties “are encouraged to wait until Nov. 1 to enroll if they wish to consider these Medicare Advantage plans,” according to the press release. More information about the plans will be available by Nov. 1.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services had initially not approved any 2027 Medicare Advantage plans for Coos County, and only one special needs plan for Carroll County, according to Ayotte’s office. Earlier this month, Ayotte announced she was working with Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, to make options available for the counties.
Medicare Advantage is offered through private insurance carriers, and is an alternative to the standard Medicare program. These plans often cover more health benefits than traditional Medicare, including eye and dental care.
Insurance carriers can choose to offer coverage, and set their own rates, within federal requirements. Nationally and in New Hampshire, the number of available Medicare Advantage plans has decreased, and plans have gotten more expensive and less comprehensive.
Last year, around 77,000 people in New Hampshire were forced to choose another Medicare Advantage plan or enroll in traditional Medicare after their plan was no longer available in the state.
According to KFF, as of early October, around 1% of Medicare recipients had Medicare Advantage plans available to them. In neighboring Vermont, the number of Medicare Advantage plans in 2026 shrunk to two, leaving most recipients without access.
The New Hampshire Insurance Department encourages all Medicare recipients to check their plans during enrollment each year. Find more information about Medicare options for 2027 on the department’s website.
