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Medicare Part D
Prescription Drug Coverage 2027
Aetna Medicare Part D Plans 2027: Where Aetna Still Sells a Drug Plan
Reviewed by Russell Noga, Licensed Medicare Insurance Broker (all 50 states) — Last updated October 31, 2026
For 2027, Aetna offers one standalone Medicare Part D plan, SilverScript Choice, and only in 22 states plus Washington, D.C. Aetna, which is owned by CVS Health, pulled the plan out of 13 drug plan regions for 2027, so many current members must pick a new drug plan by December 31, 2026, to avoid a gap.
2027 by the Numbers
1
Aetna standalone Part D plan design for 2027, SilverScript Choice (our count of CMS 2027 plan filings)
20 of 34
Medicare drug plan regions where Aetna filed a 2027 PDP (our count of CMS 2027 plan filings)
13
regions SilverScript Choice is leaving for 2027 (KFF analysis of CMS data)
$2,400
2027 Part D out-of-pocket cap that applies to Aetna plans too (CMS)
Aetna has long been one of the best-known names in Medicare drug coverage through its SilverScript brand. For 2027 it files a single standalone drug plan and sells it in fewer places, while its Medicare Advantage business stays much larger.
This page covers Aetna as a company: who owns it, where its 2027 drug plan is sold, what to do if your plan is ending, and when an Aetna Advantage plan may fit better. For tiers and cost math, see SilverScript Medicare Part D 2027; for the wider market, see Medicare Part D plans 2027.
Key Takeaways
- Aetna’s only 2027 standalone Part D plan is SilverScript Choice; earlier SmartSaver and Plus versions are gone.
- Our count of CMS 2027 plan filings puts SilverScript Choice in 20 of Medicare’s 34 drug plan regions, which covers 22 states and D.C.
- Members in the 28 states without the plan, including California and Pennsylvania, need a new drug plan for January 1, 2027.
- Members of an ending plan get a special enrollment window that runs from December 8, 2026, through the end of February 2027.
- Aetna still files hundreds of Medicare Advantage plans with drug coverage, so the company and its standalone plan are not the same thing.
Who Aetna Is in the Medicare Drug Market
Aetna is a health insurer owned by CVS Health, the same parent company that runs CVS pharmacies and the CVS Caremark pharmacy benefit manager. When CVS Health bought Aetna in 2018, Aetna’s older standalone drug plan business was sold off to WellCare, and CVS’s own SilverScript plans became the drug plan line sold under the Aetna name.
CVS Health
parent company of Aetna, CVS pharmacies and CVS Caremark
SilverScript
brand name on Aetna’s standalone Part D plan
S5601
CMS contract number for the 2027 SilverScript Choice filings
The plan is issued by SilverScript Insurance Company, an Aetna company, which is why letters may show the SilverScript name while the website says Aetna Medicare. Claims and mail service run through other CVS Health businesses, covered on our CVS Caremark Medicare Part D 2027 page.
Where Aetna's 2027 Drug Plan Is and Is Not Sold
Medicare splits the country into 34 regions for standalone drug plans, and plans are sold region by region. We matched every 2027 SilverScript Choice filing to its region.
| Status for 2027 | States (our count of CMS 2027 plan filings) |
|---|---|
| SilverScript Choice filed (22 states + D.C.) | Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Washington, D.C. |
| No Aetna standalone plan: Northeast | Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, Pennsylvania, West Virginia |
| No Aetna standalone plan: South and Midwest | Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Wisconsin |
| No Aetna standalone plan: Plains and West | California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming |
Based on our count of CMS 2027 plan filings; Medicare Plan Finder listings can differ slightly. Always confirm with your ZIP code.
Look at your region, not just your state: Aetna sells or skips whole regions. For example, Pennsylvania and West Virginia share one region, and the seven Upper Midwest states from Iowa to Wyoming share another, so all of those states lost the plan together.
Why So Many Aetna Members Must Switch for 2027
KFF’s review of CMS plan data found CVS Health is withdrawing SilverScript Choice from 13 regions for 2027, one of the two biggest reasons standalone choices fell this year. News coverage of that analysis put affected SilverScript members near 950,000, based on mid-2026 enrollment.
If you live in a region that kept the plan
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You stay enrolled automatically unless you choose another plan
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Read your Annual Notice of Change for premium, tier and drug list changes
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You can still switch during open enrollment, October 15 to December 7, 2026
If you live in a region the plan left
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Your SilverScript coverage ends December 31, 2026
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You must pick a new drug plan or a Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage
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No plan is picked for you unless you get Extra Help
KFF counts 316 standalone plans from 15 parent companies for 2027, down from 360 from 17 in 2026.
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What to Do if Your Aetna Plan Is Ending
1
Find your plan notice. Aetna mails a non-renewal letter to members in exiting regions. Keep it as proof you qualify for a special enrollment window.
2
Pick a new plan by December 7 if you can. Your new coverage then starts January 1, 2027, with no break.
3
Missed December 7? Act before December 31. A plan chosen by the end of December still starts January 1.
4
Use the extra window only as a backup. Members of an ending plan can enroll from December 8, 2026, through February 2027, but coverage starts the month after you enroll.
5
Extra Help members get a safety net. If you do not choose, Medicare places you in a plan, which may not cover your drugs as well as one you pick.
A short gap will not trigger a late penalty, but it can mean paying full price at the pharmacy for those weeks. Our Part D special enrollment period 2027 guide lists the other windows.
Aetna Standalone Plan or Aetna Medicare Advantage?
Many people searching for Aetna drug coverage are really choosing between two products. Our count of CMS 2027 plan filings shows more than 600 individual Aetna Medicare Advantage filings, sold county by county, versus one standalone drug plan design.
SilverScript Choice (standalone PDP)
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Adds drug coverage to Original Medicare
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Works with a Medigap policy
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Any doctor who takes Medicare
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Separate drug premium, which may be well above the national average in some regions
Aetna Medicare Advantage with drugs
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Replaces Original Medicare with one plan for medical and drug costs
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Uses a provider network, often an HMO or PPO
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Cannot be paired with Medigap
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Drug benefit and formulary set by that specific plan
Living in a region Aetna left? An Aetna Advantage plan may still be sold in your county even though SilverScript Choice is not. Advantage changes your whole Medicare setup, so compare networks and medical costs too.
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How Aetna's Footprint Compares With Other 2027 Drug Plan Sponsors
| Sponsor | 2027 standalone filings | Plan designs |
|---|---|---|
| Humana | 102 | Basic Rx, Premier Rx, Value Rx in all 34 regions |
| UnitedHealthcare | 73 | Medicare Rx Preferred from UHC, Medicare Rx Saver from UHC |
| Wellcare | 68 | Several designs sold nationally |
| HealthSpring | 40 | Assurance Rx nationwide, Extra Rx in five areas |
| Aetna (SilverScript) | 20 | SilverScript Choice only, 20 regions |
Our count of CMS 2027 plan filings (323 individual standalone filings nationally). Medicare Plan Finder counts can differ slightly.
Aetna now has the smallest standalone presence of the five national sponsors. That alone does not make its plan better or worse for you. See our 2027 Part D plans by state page for local counts.
Is Aetna's 2027 Drug Plan Worth a Look for You?
Signs SilverScript Choice deserves a spot on your shortlist
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You live in one of the 22 states or D.C. where it is filed for 2027
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Your drugs are on its 2027 formulary at a tier you can afford
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You want to keep Original Medicare and a Medigap policy
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Its 2027 premium in your region is close to other plans with similar coverage
Reasons to look harder at other options
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You mainly take low-cost generics and want a plan that skips the deductible on them
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Your region’s premium is far above the roughly $36 national average CMS estimates for 2027
The Bottom Line
The Bottom Line
Aetna is still a major Medicare company, but its standalone drug plan is now one SilverScript Choice design sold in 22 states and D.C. Elsewhere, Aetna drug coverage ends December 31, 2026, so choose a replacement by December 7 to avoid a gap.
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY 1-877-486-2048) to get information on all of your options.
Frequently Asked Questions
➤ Is Aetna leaving Medicare Part D for 2027?
Not completely. Aetna still offers SilverScript Choice in 20 of the 34 Medicare drug plan regions for 2027, but it is leaving 13 regions, and it has no standalone drug plan in 28 states.
➤ Is SilverScript Choice available in California or Pennsylvania in 2027?
No. Based on our count of CMS 2027 plan filings, Aetna did not file a standalone drug plan for California or for the Pennsylvania and West Virginia region. Members there need a different plan for 2027.
➤ Who owns Aetna’s drug plans?
Aetna is part of CVS Health. The SilverScript plans are issued by SilverScript Insurance Company, an Aetna company.
➤ What happens if I do nothing and my Aetna plan is ending?
Your coverage stops December 31, 2026, and you will have no Part D drug coverage in January unless you enroll in another plan. Extra Help members are the exception, since Medicare will assign them a new plan.
➤ Can I switch from SilverScript to an Aetna Medicare Advantage plan?
Yes, if an Aetna Advantage plan is sold in your county. Advantage replaces Original Medicare and does not work with Medigap, so compare doctors and medical costs too.
➤ Does Aetna still sell SilverScript SmartSaver or SilverScript Plus?
No. Those versions are gone, and SilverScript Choice is the only standalone Aetna drug plan filed with CMS for 2027.
➤ Will my Aetna drug plan ID card change in 2027 if my region kept the plan?
Members who stay in the same plan usually keep their card, but Aetna may send new materials. Check your Annual Notice of Change.
➤ Why does Aetna sell its plan in Texas but not in Oklahoma?
Each Medicare drug plan region is filed separately. For 2027, Aetna filed in the Texas region but not the Oklahoma region, so neighboring states can have very different choices.
ZRN Health & Financial Services, LLC, a Texas limited liability company.
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