Bellingham is the one place in Whatcom County where most people can reach a hospital without leaving town, and that changes how a plan non-renewal plays out here. PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center on Squalicum Parkway is the only hospital the state Department of Health lists anywhere in the county. If your Medicare Advantage plan told you it won't renew for 2027, the practical question in Bellingham is less "can I find care" and more "which coverage will that hospital, and your clinic, take next year."
Below are the questions I'd expect from someone in Bellingham holding one of these letters, answered in the order they usually come up.
How common is this in Bellingham?
CMS doesn't publish Medicare enrollment by city, only by county, so the Whatcom figures are the closest gauge. Bellingham holds about 41% of the county's 242,250 residents, so it's reasonable to assume a large share of the county's beneficiaries live inside city limits, though CMS doesn't count them by city.
| Bellingham | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population, April 1, 2026 (OFM) | 99,030 | 242,250 |
| Age 65 and older (ACS 2020–2024) | about 15,400 (16.5%) | 43,568 (18.9%) |
| People with Medicare (CMS, July 2026) | not published by city | 54,297 |
| In Medicare Advantage and other health plans | not published by city | 25,421 (46.8%) |
| Hospitals listed by DOH | 1 | 1 |
Sources: WA OFM; U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates (Bellingham 65+ margin of error ±701); CMS Medicare Monthly Enrollment, July 2026; WA DOH hospital data.
Bellingham skews a little younger than the county as a whole, which fits a city with Western Washington University in it. That doesn't make your situation any smaller. With close to half of Whatcom's beneficiaries in Medicare Advantage and other health plans, a plan leaving the area can send letters to many households.
What is the date that actually matters?
December 31, 2026. Your current plan covers you through that day. If you have chosen your 2027 coverage by then, it begins January 1 and you never go a day without it.
You do have a cushion. Because your plan is being discontinued, Medicare gives you a special enrollment period from December 8, 2026 to February 28, 2027. The catch is in the start dates: sign up in January and coverage starts February 1; sign up in February and it starts March 1. Those are weeks without a drug plan, and possibly without a supplement, for no good reason.
One more timing trap. People often hear about the January–March "Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment" and assume it's a fallback. It only helps someone who is already in a Medicare Advantage plan on January 1. If you let your plan lapse and default to Original Medicare, that window isn't yours; your window under this special enrollment period ends February 28.
What if I just let it go?
Then Medicare enrolls you in Original Medicare on January 1. Parts A and B keep working, and you can use St. Joseph or any other U.S. provider that accepts Medicare. What you won't have is prescription coverage, because the drug benefit lived inside your old plan. The exception is anyone getting Extra Help: CMS assigns those members to a stand-alone Part D plan so they aren't left uncovered.
Going without drug coverage for 63 days or more in a row can also trigger a Part D late enrollment penalty that sticks for as long as you have Medicare drug coverage. Picking a drug plan before New Year's avoids the question entirely.
Can I buy a Medigap policy without a health review?
Yes, if you move to Original Medicare. Under Washington's RCW 48.66.055 and the matching federal rule, a plan leaving your area gives you a guaranteed issue right. Insurers must sell you an eligible Medigap policy, cover pre-existing conditions and not charge more for your health history. OIC advises applying on or after November 1; the right runs out 63 days after your plan ends, on March 4, 2027. People first eligible before 2020 can choose from Plans A through F (including high-deductible F), K or L; people first eligible on or after January 1, 2020 can choose A, B, D, G (including high-deductible G), K or L. Choose another Medicare Advantage plan and this right doesn't apply.
The details, including what to send with an application, are in our statewide guide for Washington residents.
Who can I talk to in Bellingham?
- SHIBA through the Whatcom Council on Aging. The council's SHIBA team works out of 315 Halleck Street, the same building as the Bellingham Senior Activity Center. OIC's online office list showed both local listings (Central and North) as not taking appointments on October 26 and directed people to 1-800-MEDICARE. The council's own SHIBA page lists online drop-in Q&A sessions on Nov. 4, 9, 18 and 23 and Dec. 2, with some sessions supported by Spanish speakers. Local line: 360-788-2725.
- Statewide SHIBA: 800-562-6900, weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Medicare: 1-800-633-4227, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week except some federal holidays.
- Northwest Regional Council (Area Agency on Aging), 600 Lakeway Drive, 360-738-2500, which serves older adults, persons with disabilities, and their families.
The Bellingham Senior Activity Center also runs a second site, BSAC North, at 140 E. Bellis Fair Parkway (Monday to Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). Whatcom Transportation Authority's fixed routes include four high-frequency corridors inside the city, and WTA paratransit serves riders who qualify because of a disability, so getting to a different clinic after a switch is workable without a car.
Three things to do before Thanksgiving
- Ask your primary care clinic and any specialists which 2027 coverage they plan to accept. Write down the answers and the date you asked.
- Enter your exact prescriptions into Medicare Plan Finder for 2027 and compare a Medicare Advantage option against Original Medicare with a stand-alone Part D plan.
- If your income is limited, apply for a Medicare Savings Program at washingtonconnection.org now, since approval also qualifies you for Extra Help.
None of this replaces the notices your plan mailed you, which control your specific dates; federal Medicare law and Washington statute set the rights, and 1-800-MEDICARE, SHIBA or a licensed agent can confirm how they apply to your case.
More Bellingham questions
Does CMS publish how many Bellingham residents are in Medicare Advantage?
If I miss December 31, can I use the January to March Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period?
Where is the SHIBA program based in Bellingham?
Sources
- CMS Medicare Monthly Enrollment, July 2026
- WA OFM April 1, 2026 population
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024, table B09020
- WA DOH hospital data
- WA OIC: Medicare Advantage plan changing or leaving
- WA OIC: Find a local SHIBA office
- Whatcom Council on Aging: SHIBA
- Bellingham Senior Activity Center
- RCW 48.66.055
- Medicare.gov: Part D costs and late enrollment penalty
- CMS CY 2027 Enrollment and Disenrollment Guidance
- WTA fixed routes
