Millions of older Americans will have fewer health plan choices next year.

Medicare's open enrollment period begins Oct. 15 and runs through Dec. 7, MarketWatch reported. Several insurers have pulled out of markets or cut back their offerings to protect profits. That means many people will need to find new coverage for 2027.

The average Medicare beneficiary will be able to choose from 35 plans in 2027, down from 39 in 2026, according to the health research group KFF. There will be no Medicare Advantage plans at all in 181 counties, up from 67 this year.

Medicare covers more than 70 million people aged 65 and older and younger adults with long-term disabilities, KFF says. People can get benefits through traditional Medicare or through a private Medicare Advantage plan.

Medicare Advantage plans have been popular because many charge no extra premium and add benefits like dental, vision and hearing. But several major insurers are also tightening their networks of doctors and hospitals for 2027, Newsweek reported. Insurers cite rising health spending and higher drug costs.

That means even if monthly costs stay low, seniors may have less choice of doctors.

Experts urge people on Medicare to review their plans every year during open enrollment. Check whether your doctors and medicines are still covered, and compare costs. A plan that worked this year may change.

Free help is available through State Health Insurance Assistance Programs and Medicare's official website and helpline.

If your plan is leaving your area, you will get a notice and a chance to pick a new one.

What we know: beneficiaries will have fewer plan choices for 2027.
What we don't: how premiums and networks will change for individual plans.