Kenmore is older than it looks from Bothell Way. The Census Bureau's 2020–2024 estimate puts about 4,080 residents at 65 or older (margin ±560), roughly 17% of a city of 24,600. And the town has no hospital of its own on the state or federal lists. Both facts shape what you should do if your Medicare Advantage plan is leaving at the end of 2026.
What to do also depends a lot on where your coverage comes from, so I've split this page by situation. Find yours.
If your Medicare coverage comes through PEBB (state or school retiree)
Stop here and call the Health Care Authority, not Medicare. Washington's insurance commissioner tells PEBB members to go directly to HCA, and for good reason: your plan choices, deadlines and premiums run through the PEBB program.
- PEBB retiree open enrollment runs October 26 through November 23, 2026. Changes take effect January 1, 2027.
- PEBB Benefits Services: 1-800-200-1004 (TRS 711), weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- That's a shorter window than regular Medicare Open Enrollment, so don't wait for December.
If you're on a fixed income
Before you compare a single plan, find out whether you qualify for help paying for Medicare. It changes what makes sense.
- Medicare Savings Programs through HCA can pay your Part B premium, and at the lowest income level, deductibles and copays as well. HCA says there's no asset test. Apply at washingtonconnection.org or at a DSHS office.
- Extra Help lowers drug plan costs. You get it automatically if you qualify for Apple Health, a Medicare Savings Program or SSI.
- With Extra Help, a plan leaving is less risky: CMS moves you into a stand-alone drug plan so you don't lose prescription coverage, you can change drug plans monthly, and you never owe the Part D late penalty.
King County had 58,692 dual-eligible residents (Medicare plus Apple Health) in CMS's July 2026 count. If you think you might be close to qualifying, it costs nothing to apply.
Everyone else: the decision and the dates
Your plan keeps covering you to the end of December. Your real choice is between two directions: sign up for a different Medicare Advantage plan sold in King County, or move to Original Medicare and buy a drug plan separately, adding a Medigap supplement if you want one.
The calendar:
| If you act… | Your new coverage begins |
|---|---|
| By December 7 (Open Enrollment) | January 1, 2027 |
| December 8–31 (special enrollment period) | January 1, 2027 |
| In January 2027 | February 1, 2027 |
| In February 2027 (window closes Feb 28) | March 1, 2027 |
| Never | Original Medicare on January 1, no drug plan unless you have Extra Help |
Source: CMS CY2027 Enrollment and Disenrollment Guidance; Medicare.gov. Assumes a December 31, 2026 plan end.
That last row is where people get hurt. No drug plan for 63 days or longer can mean a late penalty added to your Part D premium for as long as you have Medicare drug coverage.
About Medigap: if you go back to Original Medicare, Washington's RCW 48.66.055 says an insurer must sell you certain Medigap policies without underwriting while your window is open. OIC says to apply November 1 or later; the window shuts March 4, 2027. Joining another Medicare Advantage plan means you don't use that right. Our Washington discontinued-plan guide covers which plan letters are included.
No hospital in Kenmore: what to check
Since none of the hospitals on the DOH and CMS lists sits in Kenmore, think about which one you'd actually end up in. One option on those lists in a neighboring city is EvergreenHealth Medical Center in Kirkland. If you're looking at a Medicare Advantage plan, look that hospital up by name in the 2027 directory, along with your doctors and your pharmacy. With Original Medicare, any Medicare-participating hospital works, which removes the guesswork.
CMS counted 197,594 King County residents in Medicare Advantage and other health plans in July 2026, a bit over half of everyone on Medicare in the county (368,813). CMS doesn't publish how many of them got non-renewal letters.
Help in Kenmore
The Kenmore Senior Center, a branch of Northshore Senior Center, is at 6910 NE 170th St in Rhododendron Park, open weekdays 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; call (425) 489-0707. Northshore's main line is 425-487-2441. The city lists transportation among the center's services.
For Medicare counseling, SHIBA's statewide number is 800-562-6900 (Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.); it's free and doesn't sell plans. OIC's local King County listings showed a "not accepting appointments" message when I checked on October 26, 2026. 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) answers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except some federal holidays.
Bottom of the page, plainly: Medicare's federal rules and Washington law control, your plan's (or PEBB's) own notices set your dates, and you should confirm your particular case with 1-800-MEDICARE, SHIBA, HCA for PEBB, or a licensed agent.
Kenmore questions
What should Kenmore PEBB retirees do if their Medicare plan is leaving?
There is no hospital in Kenmore. How do I check a new plan?
Can the Kenmore Senior Center help with Medicare?
Sources
- WA HCA: PEBB retiree open enrollment
- WA HCA: PEBB contact
- WA HCA: Medicare Savings Program
- Medicare.gov: Part D costs and Extra Help
- CMS CY2027 enrollment guidance
- CMS Medicare Monthly Enrollment, July 2026
- RCW 48.66.055
- WA OIC: Medicare Advantage plan changing or leaving
- City of Kenmore: Life-long recreation
- U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024 B09020
- WA OIC: local SHIBA offices
