Medicare Plan Discontinued in Gig Harbor, WA

Almost one in three Gig Harbor residents is 65 or older. The Census Bureau's 2020-2024 survey puts it at 30.6%, or about 3,800 people (margin of error 464), which is roughly double the Pierce County share of 14.8% in the same survey. No other city on our Pierce County list comes close.

Here's what I'd want a Gig Harbor neighbor to think about, in the order I'd think about it.

Your doctors may be on both sides of the Narrows

Gig Harbor has its own hospital: St. Anthony Hospital, on Canterwood Boulevard NW, is the city's entry on the state Department of Health and CMS hospital lists. If you also see specialists in Tacoma, where most of the county's hospitals are, keep that in mind. That means a network check here is a two-sided job. Write down every doctor, clinic and hospital you've used in the last couple of years, on this side of the bridge and the other, and check each one against any plan you consider for 2027.

The bridge itself is a small cost to keep in mind if you'll be driving to Tacoma more often. WSDOT says tolls on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge are only collected on trips headed to Tacoma, so it's the trip to the appointment, not the trip home, that gets tolled. If you'd rather not drive, Pierce Transit runs a Gig Harbor Downtown/Purdy Runner on-demand service daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and seniors and Medicare card holders with a Regional Reduced Fare Permit pay $1 a ride on the bus.

The real choice: a network or no network

Medicare's handbook says that when a plan stops participating, you either join another Medicare Advantage plan or go back to Original Medicare. For someone whose care crosses the water, the differences come down to a handful of things:

	Another Medicare Advantage plan	Original Medicare (plus Part D, maybe Medigap)
Which doctors	May need to use the plan's network and service area for non-emergency care	Any doctor or hospital in the U.S. that takes Medicare
Specialist referral	May be required	Not needed in most cases
Yearly cap on medical costs	Yes, plans set one	None, unless you add a Medigap policy
Drugs	Most plans include Part D	Separate stand-alone Part D plan

Source: Medicare & You 2027 "at a glance" comparison.

Neither column is the right answer for everybody. If all your care is at St. Anthony and a few local practices, and they're in a plan you like, staying in Medicare Advantage can be simple. If you see specialists in several places, or you spend time out of state, Original Medicare's nationwide acceptance is worth a hard look. The cost of that freedom is that Original Medicare alone has no out-of-pocket cap, which is why people pair it with a Medigap policy.

Why this year is different for Medigap

Normally, buying a Medigap policy after your six-month Medigap open enrollment (which starts once you are 65 and on Part B) means answering health questions, and an insurer can decline you. A plan leaving your area opens a guaranteed issue window under Washington law, RCW 48.66.055. During it, insurers must sell you certain Medigap policies, cover pre-existing conditions and not charge more for your health. OIC suggests applying from November 1 onward; an application in November or December means the policy starts January 1. The window ends March 4, 2027. It only applies if you go to Original Medicare, and once it closes it's gone. The statewide discontinued-plan guide lists which Medigap plan letters you're entitled to.

The dates, short version

Your plan pays through December 31, 2026. Choose by then and the new coverage begins January 1.
A special enrollment period because your plan is leaving runs December 8, 2026 through February 28, 2027. January choices start February 1; February choices start March 1.
Choose nothing and you're in Original Medicare on January 1, without a drug plan (people with Extra Help get reassigned to one by CMS). Every day after that without Part D means paying pharmacy prices yourself, and a 63-day gap can bring a late penalty that sticks for as long as you have Part D.

Help on the peninsula and in the county

Pierce County's list of senior centers includes the Gig Harbor Senior Center; call the county's Aging and Disability Resources line, 253-798-4600, for current contact details and for help with rides or in-home services. For unbiased Medicare counseling, SHIBA's statewide line is 800-562-6900 (weekdays, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). The county's local SHIBA listing on OIC's site was marked as not taking appointments when we looked on October 26, 2026, with callers directed to 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), which runs 24/7 except some federal holidays. More countywide numbers are on the Pierce County page.

Your plan's written notice sets your dates, and federal Medicare rules plus Washington law decide the rest; a licensed agent, SHIBA or 1-800-MEDICARE can confirm how it all applies to you.

Gig Harbor plan questions

Is St. Anthony Hospital in Gig Harbor covered if I switch?

Under Original Medicare, any hospital that accepts Medicare will take you. With a replacement Medicare Advantage plan, check St. Anthony Hospital and each of your doctors in that plan’s 2027 network before you join.

Why might plan changes affect more people in Gig Harbor?

About 30.6% of Gig Harbor residents are 65 or older, according to the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 survey, roughly double the Pierce County share. More older residents means more people on Medicare, so more people may be affected when a plan leaves. CMS does not publish city-level enrollment.

Can I get a Medigap policy without health questions in Gig Harbor?

Yes, if your Medicare Advantage plan is leaving and you move to Original Medicare. Washington law gives you a guaranteed issue right that lasts until March 4, 2027 for a plan ending December 31, 2026. OIC suggests applying on or after November 1.

Medicare plan discontinued in Gig Harbor: choosing with doctors on both sides of the bridge