Medicare Plan Leaving Airway Heights, WA: What to Do

Airway Heights was built next to an air base. The city's own history says talks with officials at Galena Air Depot, the base that later became Fairchild Air Force Base, showed the need for local housing, that work on the town's electric and water systems began in spring 1942, and that one square mile was incorporated on April 15, 1955 with 412 residents. Today OFM counts 12,140 people. It is still a young city, which shapes how a Medicare plan ending plays out here.

A young city with a small, specific Medicare group

The Census Bureau's 2020–2024 survey puts Airway Heights' 65-and-older population at roughly 1,000 people, about 9% of residents. That estimate is soft: the margin of error is about 300 either way, so treat it as a ballpark. Compare Spokane County as a whole, where OFM counted 111,803 people 65 and older in 2025, close to 20% of the county.

Medicare enrollment isn't published for cities, only counties. In Spokane County, CMS counted 123,249 people with Medicare in July 2026, and 57.1% were in Medicare Advantage and other health plans, above the 49.7% statewide. Two other county numbers are worth knowing: 13,749 people on Medicare because of a disability, and 21,489 who also have Apple Health. Anyone under 65 who has Medicare got it through a disability or end-stage renal disease, and dual eligibles have extra options of their own.

What January 1 looks like, depending on who you are

Your situation	If you pick nothing	What to do now
Medicare at 65 or older, no other coverage	Original Medicare (Parts A and B) starts January 1. No drug plan, no supplement.	Choose another Medicare Advantage plan, or Original Medicare plus a Part D plan and, if you want one, a Medigap policy, by December 31.
You get Extra Help with drug costs	Original Medicare, and CMS assigns you a stand-alone Part D plan unless you already have one for 2027.	Check that the assigned plan covers your drugs. You can switch stand-alone drug plans once a month.
You have Medicare and full Apple Health	Same default, plus your Apple Health continues.	Ask about Apple Health Medicare Connect, Washington's integrated plans for dual eligibles, which you can join once a month where one is offered.
Under 65, on Medicare because of a disability	Original Medicare starts January 1.	Call SHIBA before you count on a Medigap policy; under-65 options are limited in Washington.
Military retiree with TRICARE eligibility	Original Medicare starts January 1.	Read the TRICARE For Life note below, then confirm with TRICARE before you decide.

Sources: CMS CY 2027 enrollment guidance, Medicare.gov special enrollment periods, HCA Apple Health Medicare Connect, Choosing a Medigap Policy, TRICARE For Life.

Your dates, short and plain

The plan that's ending keeps paying through December 31, 2026. Open Enrollment stops December 7, and on December 8 your own special window opens, lasting until February 28, 2027. Sign-ups through December 31 begin January 1, January sign-ups begin February 1, and February sign-ups begin March 1. Those later starts are legal but leave you uncovered for a month or two.

The drug side is where waiting gets expensive. Medicare charges a late enrollment penalty if you go 63 days or more in a row without Part D or other creditable drug coverage; it is 1% of the national base beneficiary premium, $41.33 in 2027, for every month without coverage, added for as long as you have Part D. Extra Help members are exempt.

If you go to Original Medicare, Washington law (RCW 48.66.055) gives you a guaranteed issue right to certain Medigap plans until March 4, 2027. OIC says to apply on or after November 1. The full plan list and the reasoning behind these dates are in our Washington discontinued-plan guide.

A note for Fairchild-area military retirees

TRICARE describes TRICARE For Life as Medicare-wraparound coverage for people who are TRICARE-eligible and have both Medicare Part A and Part B, and it says you must pay your Part B premiums to keep it. If that's you and your Medicare Advantage plan is ending, call TRICARE before choosing what comes next and ask how each option would work with your TRICARE For Life coverage. I'm not going to guess on that one for you; get it from them.

The closest VA hospital on the federal list is the Spokane VA Medical Center in Spokane. VA care runs on your VA eligibility, and Original Medicare doesn't pay for care at VA facilities. If you use VA care alongside Medicare, ask the VA as well as TRICARE before you settle on 2027 coverage.

Getting to appointments from Airway Heights

There is no hospital inside Airway Heights; Spokane County's hospitals on the state and federal lists are in Spokane, Spokane Valley and Medical Lake. That makes the bus relevant. Spokane Transit says its paratransit service area covers most of Airway Heights and Fairchild Air Force Base. If a disability keeps you off the regular bus, apply through 509-328-1552; STA says it decides within 21 days of a complete application. Riders 60 and older can get STA's Honored Rider card, which halves the fare to $1, and a Medicare card is accepted as proof.

Help with the decision

The city has a Senior Advisory Commission appointed by the City Council to advise on programs for seniors, but Medicare counseling runs through other channels. The area SHIBA sponsor is Aging and Long Term Care of Eastern Washington in Spokane (509-625-4801). On October 26, 2026, OIC's listing for it said it was not accepting appointments and pointed to Medicare at 1-800-633-4227. The statewide SHIBA line, 800-562-6900, is staffed Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 4:30. You can compare 2027 options on Medicare Plan Finder any time.

Medicare's federal rules and Washington law control here, and your plan's own letters set your exact dates; confirm before you change anything by calling 1-800-MEDICARE, SHIBA or a licensed agent.

Airway Heights questions

What do I do if my Medicare plan is leaving Airway Heights?

Keep using it through December 31, 2026, save the letter, list your doctors and drugs, and pick new coverage by December 31 so it starts January 1. You can still choose through February 28, 2027, but later choices start later.

I live in Airway Heights and have Extra Help. Will I lose drug coverage?

No. If your Medicare Advantage plan ends and you don't have Part D for 2027, CMS reassigns people with Extra Help to a stand-alone Part D plan. You can switch drug plans once a month if the assigned one doesn't fit.

Is there a hospital in Airway Heights?

Not on the state and federal hospital lists. Spokane County's listed hospitals are in Spokane, Spokane Valley and Medical Lake, so check those by name in any plan network you consider.

Does STA paratransit serve Airway Heights?

Spokane Transit says its paratransit area includes most of Airway Heights and Fairchild Air Force Base. You need to apply and be approved; call 509-328-1552.

Your Medicare plan is leaving Airway Heights. Here is what to do