Vermont Just Had the Worst Medicare Advantage Collapse in America. Here's Why New Agents Are Needed Before December 7

Vermont's Medicare Advantage market didn't just shrink this year. It nearly vanished. If you're thinking about getting a Vermont insurance license before the December 7 deadline, this is the moment Vermont needs you most.

Here's what happened. Here's why it matters. And here's how fast you can get licensed to help.

The Numbers Tell the Story

In 2025, Vermont had eight Medicare Advantage plans. In 2026, that number dropped to three. All three come from one company: Humana. And Humana only sells plans in six counties; Bennington, Caledonia, Essex, Orange, Windham, and Windsor.

That leaves the rest of the state with no Medicare Advantage plans at all.

Nearly 170,000 Vermonters use Medicare. Federal data show only about 35.68% of them have access to a Medicare Advantage plan this year. Everyone else must use Original Medicare, often paired with a separate Medigap policy. Many are left to sort this out on their own.

Why Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont Pulled Out

Vermont Blue Advantage was the state's biggest Medicare Advantage provider. It covered between 26,000 and 35,000 people. In October, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont announced it would stop offering Medicare Advantage plans for 2026.

This was not an easy choice. It was a matter of survival. Vermont Blue Advantage lost more than $50 million in 2025 on its Medicare members alone. Company leaders pointed to three problems hitting at once: other insurers already leaving the state, lower federal payments from CMS, and members using more medical care than expected.

UnitedHealthcare made a similar move. It dropped its individual Medicare Advantage plans in 14 counties, affecting about 7,800 more Vermonters.

Put both exits together, and the impact is huge. Vermont's Health Care Advocate, Mike Fisher, said it plainly: Vermont's Medicare Advantage market has collapsed. That's not an exaggeration. It's the most accurate word for what happened.

Why This Hit Vermont Harder Than Other States

Medicare Advantage works like this: the federal government pays an insurer a fixed amount each month for every member. The insurer then manages that person's care. This only works if members' costs stay below what the government pays.

Vermont has an older population with real health needs. It's also a small market. That means one company's losses can sink the whole system fast. When MVP and WellCare left in 2024, their members moved to Vermont Blue Advantage. That sudden growth added stress to an already strained system. Add in nationwide cuts to Medicare Advantage funding, and Vermont became the clearest example in the country of a market that broke.

What This Means for Vermont Families Right Now

Thousands of Vermonters who had a Medicare Advantage plan must now make a choice before December 7. That's the deadline for Medicare's open enrollment period.

Some will switch to Original Medicare. Some will look at a Medigap policy for the first time. Some qualify for Humana's plans if they live in one of the six covered counties. Others have no Medicare Advantage option left at all.

None of these are simple choices. They involve premiums, doctor networks, drug coverage, and costs that differ from person to person. Right now, Vermont does not have enough licensed agents to help every affected family before time runs out.

That's where you come in.

Why Now Is the Right Time to Get a Vermont Insurance License

If you've ever thought about becoming a licensed agent, this is your sign. The need isn't just talk. It's sitting in mailboxes across Vermont right now in the form of cancellation letters.

Getting a Vermont insurance license for life and health is easier than most people think. Vermont does not require a formal pre-licensing course. But taking one is still smart. It prepares you for the real exam. Most people who skip this step end up taking the test more than once, which wastes more time than the course would have.

Here's the simple path to follow:

Step 1: Take a pre-licensing course that covers life, accident, and health topics. This is where you'll learn the material behind the Vermont pre-licensing requirements, even though the state doesn't set a fixed number of hours.

Step 2: Book your exam through Prometric, Vermont's official testing company. The combined Life, Accident, Health and HMO exam has 155 questions. You get 2.5 hours to finish. You need a 70% score to pass.

Step 3: Pay the exam fee. The combined exam costs around $65 to $67.

Step 4: After you pass, wait 48 hours. Then apply through NIPR, the National Insurance Producer Registry, to activate your license.

Step 5: Keep your license active. You'll need 24 hours of continuing education every two years. Three of those hours must cover ethics.

That's the whole process. No years of school. No past insurance experience needed. Just a course, a test, and an application.

What Comes After Licensing

Once you hold an active Vermont Life & Health insurance license, you can start helping Medicare-eligible Vermonters right away. You can compare Medigap plans, walk families through Original Medicare, and explain what changed and why. Many agents also get certified to sell Humana's remaining Medicare Advantage plans in the six eligible counties. That gives you one more way to serve your clients well.

Vermont's Medicare Advantage collapse won't end on December 7. Next year's enrollment period will likely bring the same confusion, the same hard questions, and maybe more insurers leaving if this trend continues. Agents who get licensed now aren't just helping with one deadline. They're stepping into a state that will need this kind of help for years to come.

If you've been waiting to get your Vermont insurance license, the market just gave you the clearest reason to stop waiting and start now.