How to Switch Medicare Plans After AvMed Exits Florida
- Yahoska Perez
- 3 days ago
- 6 min read
If you had AvMed Medicare in Florida, your coverage ended on January 1, 2026. AvMed made the decision to exit the Medicare Advantage market entirely, leaving thousands of Florida seniors — many of whom had been with AvMed for years — suddenly needing to find a new plan.
If that's you, the most important thing to know right now is this:
You can still switch. You are not stuck. And you don't have to figure this out alone.
This guide will walk you through exactly how to switch Medicare plans after AvMed, step by step — including how to make sure you don't lose your doctors, your medications, or more money than necessary.
Step 1: Understand That You Have a Special Enrollment Period
The first thing most former AvMed members ask me is: "Isn't it too late to switch? Don't I have to wait until October?"
No — and this is critical.
When a Medicare Advantage plan exits the market the way AvMed did, CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) grants all affected members a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). This is a federally protected right. It means:
You do not have to wait for the Annual Enrollment Period (October 15 – December 7)
You can enroll in a new Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, or Part D plan right now
Coverage on your new plan can begin quickly — in many cases, as soon as the first of the following month
The window to use your SEP is limited, so the sooner you act, the better.
Step 2: Gather Your Information Before You Compare
Before you start comparing plans, pull together a few key pieces of information. Having these ready will make the process much faster and help you avoid making a choice you'll regret later.
What to gather:
✅ Your Medicare card (shows your Medicare ID number and Part A/Part B dates)
✅ A list of all your current doctors and specialists — names and practice locations
✅ A complete list of your prescriptions — drug name, dosage, and how often you take them
✅ Your preferred pharmacy (or pharmacies)
✅ Any upcoming procedures or referrals you already have scheduled
✅ Your current monthly premium and out-of-pocket costs with AvMed (for comparison)
The more complete your information, the better your broker can match you to the right plan.
Step 3: Decide What Type of Medicare Plan You Want
AvMed was a Medicare Advantage plan (also called MAPD — Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug). When you switch, you have a few options:
Option A: Switch to a New Medicare Advantage Plan
This is the most common replacement for AvMed. Medicare Advantage plans combine your Part A, Part B, and usually Part D into one private plan. Many plans in Florida offer $0 monthly premiums and include extras like dental, vision, hearing, and OTC card benefits.
Best for: Seniors who want low or $0 premiums and don't mind staying in a network.
Option B: Switch to Medicare Supplement (Medigap) + Part D
Medicare Supplement plans work alongside Original Medicare to cover out-of-pocket costs like copays and deductibles. You pair it with a standalone Part D plan for prescriptions. This gives you access to any doctor in the U.S. who accepts Medicare — no network restrictions.
Best for: Seniors who travel frequently, have multiple specialists, or want maximum flexibility and predictable costs.
Option C: Return to Original Medicare Only
You can always go back to Original Medicare (Part A + Part B) without any additional plan. However, this leaves you exposed to significant out-of-pocket costs and no prescription coverage — so this option is rarely recommended without at least adding a Part D plan.
A licensed broker can compare all three options for your specific situation at no cost.
Step 4: Check Your Doctors Before You Enroll in Anything
This is the step most people skip — and it's the one that causes the most regret.
Medicare Advantage plans have networks. If your doctor is not in the network of the plan you choose, you may have to pay out-of-network rates — or find a new doctor entirely.
Before you enroll in any new plan, verify:
Is your primary care doctor in-network?
Are your specialists in-network?
Are your preferred hospitals and urgent care facilities in-network?
If you have a surgery or procedure scheduled, does the plan cover it?
When you work with our licensed brokerage team, we check all of this for you before we recommend a single plan. We will never encourage you to enroll in a plan without confirming your doctors are covered.
Step 5: Check Your Prescriptions Against the New Plan's Formulary
Every Medicare Advantage and Part D plan has a formulary — a list of covered medications. Not all plans cover all drugs, and the cost of the same medication can vary significantly between plans.
What to do:
Get a current list of all your medications with exact dosages
Ask your broker to run a formulary check against the plans you're considering
Pay attention to which tier your medications fall into — Tier 1 is cheapest, Tier 5 is most expensive
Check whether your preferred pharmacy is in-network (or preferred) for the plan
We do this for every client as part of our free consultation. It takes a few minutes and can save you hundreds — sometimes thousands — of dollars per year.
Step 6: Compare Costs Beyond Just the Premium
A $0 premium plan sounds great — and often it is — but the premium is only one part of what you'll pay. Before deciding, compare:
Monthly premium — What you pay every month regardless of whether you use the plan
Deductible — What you pay before the plan starts covering costs
Copays — What you pay per doctor visit, specialist visit, or urgent care
Coinsurance — Your percentage of costs for hospital stays or procedures
Out-of-pocket maximum — The most you'll pay in a single year (after this, the plan covers 100%)
Drug costs — Your expected monthly cost for your specific medications
A broker can run a full side-by-side cost comparison for two or three plans you're considering so you can see the full picture — not just the advertised premium.
Step 7: Enroll — and Confirm Your Coverage
Once you've chosen a plan, enrollment is straightforward. You can enroll:
Through a licensed broker (recommended — they do the paperwork and confirm everything)
Online at Medicare.gov or through the carrier's website
By phone with the carrier directly
Through 1-800-MEDICARE
After enrolling, you should receive a confirmation and your new insurance card within a few weeks. Keep your old AvMed card until your new coverage is confirmed active — in case there's any gap in records.
Also notify your doctors' offices of your new plan right away so they can update your insurance information before your next visit.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Switching From AvMed
After helping many Florida seniors through Medicare transitions, here are the mistakes I see most often:
❌ Assuming your doctors are in-network without checking Never assume. Always verify before you enroll.
❌ Picking a plan based only on the premium A $0 premium plan with high copays may cost more than a plan with a small monthly premium. Look at the full picture.
❌ Forgetting to check your prescriptions Your medications may not be covered — or may cost significantly more — on a different plan's formulary.
❌ Waiting too long to act Your Special Enrollment Period has a time limit. Every week you wait is a week without coverage.
❌ Going directly to one carrier without comparing Carriers only show you their own plans. A broker shows you all of them.
How We Can Help — At No Cost to You
At The Health Experts Insurance, we specialize in helping Florida seniors navigate Medicare — including major transitions like this one. Our consultations are always free. We are paid by the insurance carriers, never by you.
Here's what we do for every former AvMed member we work with:
Confirm you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period
Check all your doctors against available plan networks
Run a full formulary check for your medications
Compare 3–5 plans side by side based on your specific situation
Handle the enrollment paperwork for you
Follow up to confirm your coverage is active
The whole process usually takes about 20 minutes.
Three ways to get started:
📞 Call us: 1-800-380-6821 (English & Spanish)
🔍 Use our plan finder: Compare Medicare plans in your ZIP code →
📋 Book a free consultation: Get your free AvMed replacement plan review →
You Don't Have to Navigate This Alone
Switching Medicare plans can feel overwhelming — especially when it's unexpected. But with the right guidance, the process is actually straightforward. Most of our clients go from "I have no idea what to do" to "I'm enrolled and my doctors are covered" in a single conversation.
Don't go another day without coverage. Let's get you taken care of.
To your health,
Yahoska Perez Licensed Medicare Insurance Broker The Health Experts Insurance | Doral, FL 1-800-380-6821 | healthexps.com
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent organizations which offer products in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.
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