If you’ve heard that AvMed is going out of business, you’re not alone. But the full picture is more specific than that headline suggests. AvMed made a real and significant change — but it’s not a full shutdown.
This article covers exactly what changed, who it affects, what your options are if you were on an AvMed Medicare Advantage plan, and how to verify your current coverage status.
AvMed Is Not Shutting Down — But It Did Exit One Major Market
Let’s get straight to the answer: AvMed is still an operating health insurance company. It is now owned by Sentara Healthcare, which completed its acquisition of AvMed from SantaFe HealthCare. That’s a change in ownership, not a sign of collapse.
The confusion comes from one specific decision: AvMed discontinued all of its Medicare Advantage plans in Florida, effective January 1, 2026. That’s a big deal for the members who were on those plans. But it does not mean the company closed.
AvMed still serves individuals, families, and employer groups in Florida. Its contact page shows active phone lines for all of those groups, plus agent support, renewals, and quoting — all still running out of Doral, Florida. The lights are on.
What AvMed Actually Changed — The Medicare Advantage Exit Explained
In early 2025, AvMed announced it would discontinue all Medicare Advantage plans in Florida by December 31, 2025. As of January 1, 2026, those plans are gone.
Four specific plans were terminated:
- AvMed Medicare One (HMO)
- AvMed Medicare Circle (HMO)
- AvMed Medicare Choice (HMO)
- AvMed Medicare Access (HMO-POS)
About 12,555 Medicare beneficiaries were affected. The impacted counties include Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Orange, Osceola, and Seminole.
AvMed did not cite financial trouble or regulatory problems as reasons for this exit. The sources describe it as a strategic decision — not insolvency, not a penalty. The company chose to stop offering this particular product in this particular market.
The Difference Between a Product Exit and a Company Closing
This distinction matters, and it’s worth understanding clearly — not just for AvMed, but for any insurer you deal with in the future.
Insurance companies regularly exit specific markets or product lines while continuing to operate in others. Think of it like a supermarket chain that shuts down its in-store pharmacy but keeps all its locations open. The stores are still there, still selling groceries — one service stopped.
AvMed’s situation fits this pattern exactly. Medicare Advantage in Florida ended. Commercial health insurance for individuals, families, and employer groups in Florida did not.
There’s also been noise around AvMed losing the Miami-Dade County employee health contract. After a County Commission vote, Aetna replaced AvMed as the plan administrator for more than 31,000 county employees. That sounds alarming, but it’s actually a normal part of how employer health contracts work. Large contracts go out to competitive bids on a regular cycle. Winning and losing them is standard in this industry — it’s not a signal that a company is about to collapse.
These two events together — the Medicare Advantage exit and the Miami-Dade contract loss — created a perception of decline. But perception and reality aren’t the same thing here. AvMed’s enrollment page confirms it’s still actively participating in ACA marketplace plans, with open enrollment running November 1 through January 15.
What Happens to Members Who Had AvMed Medicare Advantage
If your AvMed Medicare Advantage plan ended on December 31, 2025, you did not automatically lose all health coverage. There are protections in place for exactly this situation.
When a Medicare Advantage plan exits a market, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) grants affected members a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). This lets you pick a new plan outside the usual Annual Enrollment Period window. You don’t have to wait until the next open enrollment cycle.
You have three main paths forward:
- Switch to another Medicare Advantage plan in Florida. Use Medicare.gov to compare plans available in your county. Look at your doctors, prescriptions, and costs before choosing.
- Return to Original Medicare (Parts A and B) and add a standalone Part D prescription drug plan. This gives you more flexibility in where you get care, but you’ll pay more out of pocket without supplemental coverage.
- Add a Medigap supplement to Original Medicare. This covers costs like deductibles and co-payments that Original Medicare doesn’t pay. People losing Medicare Advantage coverage may qualify for guaranteed issue rights on Medigap — meaning insurers can’t turn you down or charge you more because of pre-existing conditions.
Here’s a practical example. Suppose Maria is 72 years old and lives in Miami. She had AvMed Medicare Choice (HMO). She received notice that her plan would end December 31, 2025. Using her Special Enrollment Period, she goes to Medicare.gov in early 2026, compares plans in Miami-Dade County, and switches to a new Medicare Advantage plan that keeps her current doctors in-network. No gap in coverage. No panic required.
The key is acting quickly once you know your plan is ending. Procrastinating during an SEP can leave you in a coverage gap, even though you had the option to avoid one.
Does AvMed Still Offer Other Plans?
Yes. AvMed continues to offer health plans for individuals, families, and employer groups in Florida. If you’re under 65 or not on Medicare, your AvMed coverage is not affected by the Medicare Advantage exit.
AvMed’s website still lists active enrollment options and SEP rules for qualifying life events, with enrollment windows of 60 to 120 days. Its agent and broker support lines are also active, which suggests ongoing business operations well beyond what you’d expect from a company that’s winding down.
If you have any doubt about your specific plan, the most reliable thing you can do is call AvMed directly. Their contact page lists separate numbers for individuals and families, employer groups, and agents. You can confirm in one phone call whether your coverage is continuing or not.
Why People Think AvMed Is Closing
Several things happened around the same time, and they compounded each other in the news cycle.
First, the Medicare Advantage exit was significant because it affected over 12,000 people and generated local press coverage. Second, losing the Miami-Dade County contract was covered by the Miami Herald and framed as being “ousted.” Third, the acquisition by Sentara raised questions for people unfamiliar with what corporate acquisitions usually mean in healthcare.
None of these individually — and not all of them together — amount to a company going out of business. But when you see three negative-sounding headlines in a row, it’s easy to assume the worst.
If you’re researching this for yourself or for someone you know, it’s worth going directly to AvMed’s website and Medicare.gov rather than relying on secondhand headlines. Business decisions in the insurance industry are often misread by general audiences, especially when the language involves phrases like “exit,” “discontinue,” or “ousted.”
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How to Verify Your Own Coverage Right Now
If you’re not sure whether your AvMed coverage is still active, here’s what to do:
- Check your plan type. If you were on a Medicare Advantage plan through AvMed in Florida, that coverage ended December 31, 2025. You need a new plan.
- If you have a non-Medicare plan (individual, family, or employer group), your coverage is not affected by the Medicare Advantage exit.
- Call AvMed directly. Their contact page lists phone numbers by plan type. A five-minute call can clear up any uncertainty.
- Use Medicare.gov to find available plans in your county if you need to switch Medicare coverage.
- Work with a licensed Medicare broker if you want help comparing options. Brokers are typically paid by the insurer, not by you, so the guidance is free.
The Bottom Line
AvMed is not going out of business. The company exited the Medicare Advantage market in Florida as of January 1, 2026, which is a real and meaningful change for roughly 12,555 people. But it continues to operate as a Sentara Healthcare subsidiary, offering commercial health insurance to individuals, families, and employer groups in Florida.
If you were on an AvMed Medicare Advantage plan, you have options. CMS provides a Special Enrollment Period specifically for situations like this. You can switch to another Medicare Advantage plan, return to Original Medicare, or add supplemental coverage — and you may qualify for guaranteed issue rights on Medigap.
The most important thing is not to assume the worst and not to wait too long. Use the resources available — Medicare.gov, AvMed’s own contact lines, and a local broker if needed — and get your coverage sorted before any gap opens up.
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