Roughly 5,700 Des Moines residents are 65 or older, about 17.4% of the city according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 estimates. That is a noticeably older population than King County overall, where the same survey shows 14.0% at 65-plus.
If your plan sent the letter, the most useful thing I can show you is the difference between acting and not acting.
Act by December 31, or let it ride
| You choose by December 31, 2026 | You do nothing | |
|---|---|---|
| Health coverage on Jan 1 | The plan or combination you chose | Original Medicare (Parts A and B) automatically |
| Prescription coverage on Jan 1 | Yes, if your choice includes it | None, unless you have Extra Help |
| Medigap | Can start Jan 1 if you applied in time | Still possible until March 4, 2027 under your guaranteed right, but not yet in place |
| Doctor visits in January | Covered under your new choice | Original Medicare pays its share; you owe the rest with no supplement |
| Penalty risk | None from this change | Part D late penalty if you go 63+ days without drug coverage |
| Time left to fix it | Not needed | Until February 28, 2027 under your special enrollment period |
Sources: Medicare.gov; CMS CY2027 enrollment guidance; RCW 48.66.055. Assumes a plan end date of December 31, 2026.
The "do nothing" column isn't a disaster. You keep Medicare. But it is the column where people end up paying full price for a January prescription and covering Original Medicare's deductibles and coinsurance with nothing to back them up. If a hospital stay lands in that window, the bill is yours to sort out.
What "choosing" means
Two roads, and Medicare itself frames it this way: join another Medicare Advantage plan, or go back to Original Medicare. If you take Original Medicare, most people add a stand-alone Part D drug plan, and some add a Medigap supplement.
Because your plan is leaving, Washington law (RCW 48.66.055) lets you buy certain Medigap policies without health questions. OIC suggests applying on or after November 1, and the right lapses 63 days after your plan ends, March 4, 2027. You don't get that protection if you go into another Medicare Advantage plan, and once it lapses an insurer can screen your health. The statewide guide lists the eligible Medigap plans and explains the trade-offs between the two roads.
The windows: Open Enrollment lasts through December 7. Starting December 8 you also have a special enrollment period that lasts through February 28, 2027. Requests in December start January 1; January requests start February 1; February requests start March 1.
No hospital in town, so check the neighbors
None of the hospitals on the Department of Health and CMS lists has a Des Moines address. Listed hospitals in nearby cities include St. Anne in Burien, St. Francis Community Hospital in Federal Way, or Valley Medical Center in Renton. If you are comparing Medicare Advantage plans, check the hospital you would actually use, by name, in each 2027 network. With Original Medicare, any hospital that accepts Medicare works.
Help in Des Moines
The city's Des Moines Activity Center, 2045 S 216th St, is run by Community Enrichment Services (formerly Senior Services) and is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; call (206) 878-1642. It serves hot lunches Monday through Thursday at noon with Sound Generations, can point homebound residents to Meals on Wheels, and handles forms for the city's senior utility discounts. The city lists SHIBA Medicare counseling among the center's support resources.
A caution there: on October 26, 2026, OIC's directory showed the King County SHIBA sponsors, Solid Ground and the Chinese Information and Service Center, as not taking appointments and directing people to Medicare. Ask the Activity Center whether counseling sessions are running before you count on one. Meanwhile:
- SHIBA statewide: 800-562-6900, weekdays 8:30 to 4:30.
- 1-800-MEDICARE: 1-800-633-4227, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except some federal holidays.
- Community Living Connections (King County): 1-844-348-5464.
- Metro Access paratransit, if a disability keeps you off regular buses: 206-205-5000.
Countywide context
CMS counts, July 2026: 368,813 King County residents on Medicare. 197,594 in Medicare Advantage and other health plans, 171,219 in Original Medicare. 58,692 were dual-eligible for Medicare and Apple Health; if you're one of them, or you get Extra Help, CMS will place you in a drug plan if your Medicare Advantage plan ends, and you can switch drug plans monthly. If money is tight and you have neither, check the Medicare Savings Programs at HCA.
The fine print, in one line: federal Medicare rules and Washington law govern this, the dates in your plan's own letters are the ones that apply to you, and 1-800-MEDICARE, SHIBA or a licensed agent can confirm your specific case.
Des Moines readers ask
My Medicare plan was dropped in Des Moines. Where can I get help in person?
Is there a hospital in Des Moines?
What if I miss December 31?
Sources
- City of Des Moines: Community Enrichment Services
- City of Des Moines: Senior Services
- U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024 B09020
- WA OFM age estimates 2025
- CMS Medicare Monthly Enrollment, July 2026
- CMS CY2027 enrollment guidance
- Medicare.gov: Special enrollment periods
- RCW 48.66.055
- WA OIC: local SHIBA offices
- King County Metro: Access Transportation
