Maine Faces Surge in Medicare Enrollment Assistance Demand Amid Plan Disruptions

Medicare enrollment in Maine is seeing unprecedented demand for assistance due to several converging factors affecting consumers.

More than 36,000 Mainers face the loss of their current Medicare Advantage plans after multiple insurers, including Aetna, Anthem, Martin’s Point Health Care, and UnitedHealthcare, discontinued offerings.

This disruption forces beneficiaries to either select new Medicare Advantage plans or revert to original Medicare and seek separate prescription drug coverage. Compounding this challenge is the federal government’s delayed release of 2026 Medicare premium information, which has hindered advisors and consumers from making well-informed enrollment decisions. Several local area agencies on aging in Maine are at full capacity and maintaining extensive waitlists, reflecting the strain on resources needed to guide seniors through these changes.

The Southern Maine Agency on Aging reported a 37% increase in Medicare-related calls, with all appointment slots filled rapidly; similarly, other agencies such as Seniors Plus, Spectrum Generations, and the Aroostook Agency on Aging also report extensive demand. Additionally, a recent contract dispute resolution between Anthem and Northern Light Health introduced further uncertainty, prompting beneficiaries to review multiple plan options rather than remaining with their current coverage.

Assistance organizations and volunteers are stepping in to manage the surge, yet capacity limitations underscore a broader need for enhanced systems to support the increasingly complex Medicare landscape and growing senior population.