Medicare Advantage Plans 2027

Here is how the main numbers compare with 2026:

Source: CMS 2027 Medicare Advantage and Part D landscape release, September 28, 2026; Part B 2027 figure is the Medicare Trustees projection.

A lower national average does not mean your plan got cheaper. Averages include many $0-premium plans, and they say nothing about copays, the out-of-pocket maximum or drug costs. Many plans are keeping premiums low while raising what members pay when they use care, so the total cost of the same plan can go up even if the premium stays at $0.

Medicare Advantage, sometimes called Part C, lets you receive your Medicare benefits through a Medicare-approved private insurer. These plans cover everything Original Medicare Part A and Part B cover, with the exception of hospice care, which Original Medicare continues to pay for. Most also bundle Part D drug coverage, and many may tack on extras like routine dental, vision and hearing benefits.

The trade-off is that Medicare Advantage plans generally rely on doctor and hospital networks and may call for referrals or prior authorization for certain services. Each Medicare Advantage plan sets a yearly out-of-pocket maximum for covered medical care, something Original Medicare lacks. You still pay your Part B premium, along with the plan’s premium if there is one.

Medicare Advantage replaces how you receive your Part A and Part B benefits. Original Medicare lets you see any provider in the country that accepts Medicare, but it has no yearly out-of-pocket limit and no drug coverage, so many people add a Medicare Supplement plan and a Part D plan. Here is how the two paths compare for 2027:

Neither path is right for everyone. Medicare Advantage tends to fit people who want low premiums, extras and one card, and who are comfortable with a network. Original Medicare with a Medicare Supplement plan tends to fit people who want any doctor and predictable costs and can afford a higher premium.

The overall plan count barely moved, but that hides big changes. Large insurers cut PPOs and pulled standard plans from counties where they lost money, while adding Special Needs Plans. Here are the biggest 2027 changes:

Source: company announcements and CMS 2027 landscape data reported by Becker’s on October 1, 2026. For 2027, Wellmark, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi are exiting Medicare Advantage as well.

If you are with one of these companies, check whether your own plan continues. See is UnitedHealthcare leaving Medicare Advantage, is Humana leaving Medicare Advantage, is Aetna leaving Medicare Advantage, is Blue Cross leaving Medicare Advantage and is Wellcare leaving Medicare Advantage.

Plan choice depends heavily on where you live. Some states lost dozens of plans for 2027, while others gained:

Source: CMS 2027 landscape data by state. Plan counts are statewide; what you can join depends on your county.

See Medicare Advantage plans in Florida and Medicare Advantage plans in California, or find Medicare Advantage plans by ZIP code to see your county.

Medicare Advantage plans come in several types. The type decides how freely you can choose doctors and how much you pay out of network:

For 2027, PPOs are the type being cut most: UnitedHealthcare is dropping 34, HCSC 48, Humana 37 and Aetna 20. If you are in a PPO, confirm it continues. See Medicare Advantage PPO plans 2027 and Medicare Advantage HMO plans 2027.

Special Needs Plans (SNPs) are Medicare Advantage plans designed for particular groups. Their benefits, networks and drug lists are shaped around the members they serve, and many come with care coordinators. In 2027, SNPs are one of the few places large insurers are adding plans, even while cutting PPOs.

Your real cost is more than the plan premium. These are the pieces to add up for 2027:

Compare the premium, the out-of-pocket maximum and your drug costs together. The cheapest premium is not always the cheapest plan.

Every Medicare Advantage plan has a yearly out-of-pocket maximum for covered medical services. Once you reach it, the plan pays 100% of covered in-network care for the rest of the year. Original Medicare has no such cap, which is one of the main reasons people choose Medicare Advantage.

Here is how two typical plans can compare for 2027:

If you rarely see a doctor, a $0-premium plan with a higher out-of-pocket maximum may cost less. If you expect surgery, regular specialist visits or a hospital stay, a plan with a modest premium and a lower out-of-pocket maximum may save money over the year.

Extra benefits are a main reason people choose Medicare Advantage. CMS expects supplemental benefits to remain broadly stable for 2027, but individual plans can still cut or trim them. Depending on the plan and area, 2027 plans may include:

Grocery and utility allowances are generally limited to members with qualifying chronic conditions, so not everyone who sees one advertised will qualify.

Not all plans offer all benefits. Benefits vary by plan and county and can change each year. Check each plan’s Evidence of Coverage before you enroll.

See Medicare Advantage dental plans 2027.

A non-renewal notice should have reached you in early October if your plan won’t be available in your county for 2027. Coverage doesn’t end immediately; it runs through December 31, 2026, which gives you time to decide.

Each fall, Medicare gives every Medicare Advantage and Part D plan a rating of 1 to 5 stars, based on factors such as preventive care, how well chronic conditions are managed, member complaints, customer service and accuracy of drug pricing. You can see the ratings in Medicare Plan Finder. The 2027 Star Ratings were released October 8, 2026, so every continuing plan’s new rating is already posted.

Not sure when everything became available? See when 2027 Medicare Advantage plans come out and the best 2027 Medicare Advantage plans.

Annual Enrollment is when most people make changes. If you like your current plan, no action is needed; it renews on its own. Even so, review your Annual Notice of Change, since networks, premiums, copays and drug lists can all change on January 1.

When you turn 65 in 2027, you get a seven-month Initial Enrollment Period: the three months before your birthday month, the birthday month itself and the three months that follow. If you sign up in the first three months, coverage begins on the first day of your birthday month.

When your income and savings are limited, two programs can greatly lower your Medicare costs:

If you qualify for both Medicare and full Medicaid, you may also be able to join a Dual Special Needs Plan. See help for low-income Part D beneficiaries.

You do not need to compare plans by yourself, and help should not cost you anything. Here are the free options:

Gather your Medicare card, a list of your drugs and doses, your doctors and your preferred pharmacies before you call. That way a long conversation becomes a quick one.