Medicare Plan Discontinued in Lake Forest Park, WA

Lake Forest Park is small, about 13,700 people on 3.5 square miles along the north end of Lake Washington, but it's old by King County standards. Roughly 2,400 residents are 65 or over, about 18% of the city, the fourth-highest share among King County cities above 10,000 people. If your Medicare Advantage plan sent a "leaving the area" letter, here are straight answers to the questions people in this situation ask first.

Am I still covered right now?

Yes. Your current plan keeps paying through December 31, 2026. Keep your appointments and refill your prescriptions as usual. The letter you got was required by federal rules: a plan that's not renewing has to mail members at least 90 days before coverage ends, which is why it should have been mailed by early October.

How long do I have to choose?

Two windows overlap. Medicare Open Enrollment runs through December 7. Because your plan is ending, you also get a special enrollment period from December 8, 2026 through February 28, 2027.

The date that actually matters is December 31. Choose by then and your new coverage begins January 1 with no break. A January decision begins February 1; a February decision, March 1. Either way you'd spend weeks without the drug coverage your old plan bundled in.

What if I just let it happen?

Medicare moves you into Original Medicare on January 1, 2027. Part A and Part B stay. What doesn't happen automatically is a drug plan, unless you get Extra Help, in which case CMS reassigns you to a stand-alone Part D plan. Nobody buys you a Medigap supplement either. So "doing nothing" really means "Original Medicare alone," which leaves you paying the deductibles and coinsurance yourself and paying full price at the pharmacy.

If I want a Medigap policy, what do I need to do and when?

This is where Lake Forest Park residents should slow down, because the window is generous but it does close.

Your right: when a Medicare Advantage plan ends, Washington law (RCW 48.66.055) requires insurers to sell you certain Medigap plans without medical underwriting, covering pre-existing conditions, at no extra charge for your health, as long as you move to Original Medicare.
When to apply: OIC tells people to apply no earlier than November 1. State law says insurers must accept an application submitted before your old plan ends, but the policy only starts once that plan's coverage stops. Applying in November or December lines it up for January 1.
Last day: 63 days after the plan ends, which is March 4, 2027.
Proof: the law asks you to submit evidence of the termination date with your application. Medicare's Medigap guide suggests keeping the plan's letters and the postmarked envelope they came in. Make a copy now.
The catch: enroll in another Medicare Advantage plan and you've passed on this right.

Which plan letters you can choose depends on when you first became eligible for Medicare; the statewide guide has the list for both groups.

What do the local numbers look like?

Lake Forest Park and King County	Figure
City population, April 1, 2026 (OFM)	13,700
City residents 65+ (ACS 2020–2024, ±324)	about 2,400 (18.2%)
County residents 65+ (same survey)	320,899 (14.0%)
County Medicare enrollees, July 2026	368,813
County share in Medicare Advantage and other health plans	53.6%
County dual-eligibles (Medicare + Apple Health)	58,692
Hospitals with a Lake Forest Park address (DOH/CMS)	none

Sources: WA OFM; Census ACS 2020–2024 (B09020); CMS Medicare Monthly Enrollment, July 2026, reported for King County only.

Put plainly: if you assume the city mirrors the county, around half of Lake Forest Park residents on Medicare would be in Medicare Advantage and other health plans. That is an assumption; CMS publishes no city counts and no count of non-renewal letters. And since there's no hospital in town, every network you look at should be checked for the hospital and specialists you'd actually use in Seattle, Kirkland or elsewhere.

Who can help me, and is it really free?

SHIBA, the Office of the Insurance Commissioner's volunteer counseling program, gives free and unbiased Medicare help. Call 800-562-6900, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Be aware that on October 26, 2026, OIC's local listings for King County said "Currently not accepting appointments" and suggested calling Medicare at 1-800-633-4227, which is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except some federal holidays.

One option nearby is the Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Senior Activity Center at 18560 1st Avenue NE in Shoreline, which lists health services by appointment, including foot care and Chinese Information Services Center (CISC) services. For broader aging services, Community Living Connections answers at 206-962-8467.

How do I get to a new doctor if I don't drive?

If a disability keeps you off regular buses, Metro's Access paratransit covers addresses within three-quarters of a mile of a regular bus line or Link station. Applying takes a form co-signed by a health professional and an in-person evaluation; Metro says processing typically takes up to 21 days after a complete application, so start before January if you'll need it. For everyday buses, a Regional Reduced Fare Permit brings a Metro trip down to $1.

What's written here reflects federal Medicare rules and Washington law as of October 26, 2026, while your own plan notice controls your dates; get confirmation from SHIBA, 1-800-MEDICARE or a licensed agent before deciding.

Medicare plan discontinued in Lake Forest Park: your questions, answered