Humana Medicare Advantage PPO 2027

Reviewed by Russell Noga, Licensed Medicare Insurance Broker (all 50 states) | Last updated October 8, 2026

With Humana dropping 37 Medicare Advantage PPO plans for 2027, Humana Choice PPO members should first check that their plan is continuing before comparing anything else.

Sold under the Humana Choice name, Humana’s PPOs pay for out-of-network care at a higher cost and typically need no referrals. They suit people who travel or want to stay with particular specialists.

See Humana Choice PPO and Humana Medicare Advantage.

✔ Licensed across all 50 states
✔ Built on CMS 2027 data
✔ No-cost plan comparison

Key Highlights

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Humana is cutting 37 PPOs for 2027.

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Humana Choice PPOs pay for out-of-network care, but at a higher cost.

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Humana has 861 plans overall, down from 887.

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Nationally, the average 2027 Medicare Advantage premium is $12 a month, down from $14.37 (CMS).

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The Annual Enrollment Period is October 15 to December 7, 2026.

Compare plans and enroll online

How a Humana PPO Works

Feature	In Network	Out of Network
Covered?	Yes	Yes, from providers who accept Medicare
Your cost	Lowest copays	Higher copays and coinsurance
Referrals	Usually not required	Not required
Out-of-pocket maximum	In-network limit	Higher combined limit

A PPO carries two out-of-pocket limits: one covering in-network care and a higher combined one covering all covered care. If you expect to use out-of-network providers, look at the combined limit.

Benefits Humana Plans May Offer

Humana Plans May Include

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Hospital and medical coverage matching Original Medicare Part A and B

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Part D prescription drug coverage on most plans

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Routine dental, vision and hearing benefits

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Fitness programs and over-the-counter allowances

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Telehealth visits and care coordination programs

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A yearly out-of-pocket maximum on every plan

Benefits are not offered by every plan. They differ by plan and county and may change for 2027. Review the Evidence of Coverage for each plan before enrolling.

Navigating Medicare Coverage Choices

What Changed at Humana for 2027

Humana 2027 Change	Detail
Total plans	861 (down from 887)
PPO plans cut	37
Counties losing plans	57
State exit	Minnesota
Members whose plans end	About 600,000

Source: Humana and CMS 2027 landscape data reported by Becker’s, October 1, 2026.

Keep an eye out: a non-renewal letter will arrive if your plan is ending. You stay covered through December 31, 2026. Taking no action sends you back to Original Medicare with no drug coverage.

Find & Compare Plans Online

Speak with a licensed insurance agent

1-833-641-4938TTY 711

Mon-Fri: 8am-9pm ET

PPO Cuts Across Insurers

Insurer	PPO Plans Cut for 2027
HCSC	48
Humana	37
UnitedHealthcare	34
Aetna	20
Kaiser Permanente	Its last 3

Source: CMS 2027 landscape data, as reported by Becker’s on October 1, 2026.

If Your Humana PPO Ends

Another PPO

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Compare remaining PPOs in your county

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Check both out-of-pocket limits

Original Medicare + Medigap + Part D

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Any provider who accepts Medicare

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Generally a guaranteed issue right

How Medicare Advantage Works

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 Humana plans generally rely on networks of doctors and hospitals and may require prior authorization or referrals for some services. Unlike Original Medicare, every Medicare Advantage plan has a yearly out-of-pocket maximum for covered medical care. You continue to pay your Part B premium, along with your plan’s premium if there is one.

Feature	HMO	PPO
Out-of-network care	Not covered except emergencies and urgent care	Covered at a higher cost
Referrals for specialists	Usually required	Usually not required
Premiums	Usually lower	Usually higher
Out-of-pocket maximum	In-network limit	In-network limit plus a higher combined limit
Best for	Lower costs, local care	Flexibility, travel, keeping specific doctors

Pros and Cons of Medicare Advantage

Advantages

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Often a low or $0 premium

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A yearly out-of-pocket maximum

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Drug coverage usually included

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Dental, vision and hearing benefits may be included in many plans

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One card and one plan

Tradeoffs

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Networks; except for emergencies, HMOs require in-network care

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Prior authorization and referrals are common

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Copays add up if you use a lot of care

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Plans and networks can change every year

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Moving to Medigap later may involve health questions

Humana Drug Coverage for 2027

Part D drug coverage is included in most Humana Medicare Advantage plans. Every plan has its own formulary, drug tiers and pharmacy network, and plans often charge less through mail order and at preferred pharmacies. In 2027, the Part D deductible on any plan can be as high as $700, and out-of-pocket costs for covered drugs are capped at $2,400.

Tier	Typical Drugs	Typical Cost
Tier 1	Preferred generics	Lowest copay
Tier 2	Generics	Low copay
Tier 3	Preferred brand-name drugs	Moderate copay
Tier 4	Non-preferred drugs	Higher copay or coinsurance
Tier 5	Specialty drugs	Highest coinsurance

Each plan sets its own tiers. Review every plan’s formulary.

A drug you take may not be on a plan’s 2027 formulary, or it may come with a rule such as prior authorization. Even then, you have options:

If Your Drug Is Not Covered

Request a transition fill. During the first 90 days of a new plan or plan year, plans generally have to provide a temporary supply of a drug you already take, giving you time to change drugs or ask for an exception.

Talk to your doctor about other options. A covered drug from the same class could work just as well for less money.

Ask for a tiering or formulary exception. Your doctor sends a statement explaining why you need the drug or a lower copay. Plans have to decide within set time limits.

Challenge a denial. When the plan turns you down, you have the right to appeal through several levels of review.

See steps to appeal a Medicare Part D denial.

If Your Plan Is Ending

If your Humana plan won’t be available in your county for 2027, a non-renewal notice should have arrived in early October. Your coverage doesn’t end immediately: it runs through December 31, 2026, which gives you time to decide.

If Your Plan Is Ending

Review your non-renewal letter. It verifies that your plan is ending and lays out your choices.

Write down your doctors and drugs. Comparing replacement plans requires them.

Compare your 2027 plan choices. Look at networks, drug coverage and the out-of-pocket maximum, not only the premium.

Pick a plan by December 31 to avoid a gap. If you enroll during Annual Enrollment by December 7, your coverage starts January 1, 2027.

Rely on your Special Enrollment Period if necessary. If your plan is ending, you generally have until the end of February 2027 to make a choice.

If you take no action: on January 1, 2027, you go back to Original Medicare, and you will have no drug coverage unless you pick a Part D plan. Being without drug coverage may result in a late enrollment penalty.

Medigap rights: if your Medicare Advantage plan exits your area, you generally get a guaranteed issue right, lasting up to 63 days after your coverage ends, to purchase certain Medicare Supplement plans with no health questions.

How to Compare Humana Plans for 2027

How to Compare

Review your Annual Notice of Change. It spells out every 2027 change to the plan you have now.

Verify your doctors and hospitals. Make sure every provider is in the 2027 network, not only the 2026 network.

Review your prescriptions. Verify every drug, the tier it falls on and any step therapy or prior authorization rules.

Look at the full annual cost. Total up the premium, usual copays and drug costs, and review the out-of-pocket maximum.

Look at star ratings. Medicare scores plans on quality and service using a 1 to 5 star scale.

Sign up by December 7. Coverage under your new plan begins January 1, 2027.

2027 Enrollment Dates

Enrollment Period	Dates	What You Can Do
Annual Enrollment Period	October 15 to December 7, 2026	Join, change or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan effective January 1, 2027
Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment	January 1 to March 31, 2027	In Medicare Advantage, you can change to another plan or go back to Original Medicare one time
Initial Enrollment Period	7 months around your 65th birthday month	Sign up for Medicare and choose your first plan
Special Enrollment Periods	Varies	Switch plans after events such as a move, a loss of other coverage or your plan exiting your area

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.

Special Needs Plans

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.

Type	Who Qualifies	What Is Different
Dual Special Needs Plan (D-SNP)	People with both Medicare and Medicaid	Coordinates both programs; costs are often very low, with extra benefits
Chronic Condition SNP (C-SNP)	People who have qualifying conditions like diabetes, heart failure or chronic lung disease	Doctors, drugs and programs designed around the condition
Institutional SNP (I-SNP)	People who live in a nursing home or need that level of care at home	Care delivered where the member lives

Turning 65 in 2027

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.

Turning 65 Checklist

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Enroll in Part A and Part B, unless you have qualifying employer coverage and decide to postpone Part B

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Choose between Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare plus Medigap

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Enroll in a drug plan, or a Medicare Advantage plan that includes drugs, to avoid a late Part D penalty

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If you go with Medigap, purchase during your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period

Star Ratings

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.

Using Star Ratings

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Ratings of 4 stars or more are generally a good indicator of quality and service

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A special enrollment period lets you move into a five-star plan once during the year

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A new plan may not have a rating yet, and that alone isn’t a bad sign

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Ratings reflect the plan as a whole, not how well it covers your particular doctors and drugs

Medicare Advantage or Medigap?

	Medicare Advantage	Original Medicare + Medigap
Monthly premium	Often low or $0 (2027 average $12, CMS)	Higher; varies by plan letter, age and ZIP
Doctors	Usually a network	Any provider in the U.S. that accepts Medicare
Costs when you get care	Copays and coinsurance up to a yearly maximum	Low and predictable; on Plan G, little or nothing once the Part B deductible is met
Drug coverage	Usually included	Add a separate Part D plan
Dental, vision, hearing	Many plans may include some coverage	Not included
Changing later	Every year during Annual Enrollment	Health questions in most states once your Medigap Open Enrollment Period ends

Guaranteed issue: when your Medicare Advantage plan exits your area, you can generally purchase certain Medicare Supplement plans with no health questions asked, up until 63 days after that coverage ends.

Help Paying Medicare Costs

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

Medicare Savings Programs

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Run by your state Medicaid office

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May cover your Part B premium, and in some cases deductibles and coinsurance

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Income and asset limits vary by state

Extra Help (Part D)

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Run by Social Security

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Lowers Part D premiums, deductibles and copays

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Those enrolled in a Medicare Savings Program qualify automatically

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.

Getting Help

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

Free Help Comparing Plans

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Available any time: Medicare Plan Finder on Medicare.gov

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1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), reachable 24 hours a day on all seven days of the week

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Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), which provides free, unbiased counseling

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A licensed agent or insurance broker, who can compare plans across several insurers for free

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.

Bottom Line

The Bottom Line

For 2027, Humana is dropping 37 PPOs. Check that your Humana Choice PPO is continuing, compare both out-of-pocket limits, look at Medigap if flexibility is important, and enroll in Annual Enrollment, October 15 to December 7, 2026.

Compare plans and enroll online

Frequently Asked Questions

➤ Is Humana cutting PPO plans?

Yes. Humana is cutting 37 PPO plans for 2027 and exiting 57 counties plus Minnesota, with about 600,000 members affected. If your Humana PPO is ending, you will get a non-renewal notice and can choose a new plan during Annual Enrollment or a Special Enrollment Period.

➤ How does a Humana PPO work?

A Humana PPO lets you use in-network doctors at lower cost while still covering out-of-network care, usually at a higher cost. You typically do not need referrals to see specialists. That flexibility appeals to people who travel or see several specialists, but compare premiums and out-of-pocket maximums against HMO options.

➤ What if my Humana PPO ends?

You can choose another Medicare Advantage plan during Annual Enrollment or your Special Enrollment Period. You also generally have a guaranteed issue right to buy certain Medigap plans, usually within 63 days after coverage ends, which can be a good fit if you valued the PPO’s freedom to see providers widely.

➤ What is Humana Choice?

Humana Choice is the name of Humana’s PPO line of Medicare Advantage plans. Specific Choice plans, premiums and benefits vary by county, so look up the options at your ZIP code and check your Annual Notice of Change to see whether your plan continues in 2027.

➤ Do Humana PPOs include dental?

Many Humana PPOs may include dental, vision and hearing benefits, but not all plans offer all benefits, and coverage often comes with annual dollar limits. Review the Summary of Benefits for each plan to see which services are covered and how much the plan will pay.

➤ When can I enroll in a Humana Medicare Advantage plan for 2027?

Humana plans for 2027 are available during Annual Enrollment, October 15 to December 7, 2026, and coverage starts January 1, 2027. If you are already a Medicare Advantage member, you can also make one change between January 1 and March 31, 2027.

➤ What happens if my Medicare Advantage plan is ending?

Your plan must send a written non-renewal notice, and your coverage stays in effect through December 31, 2026. You may choose a replacement during Annual Enrollment or a Special Enrollment Period, and you generally have a guaranteed issue right to buy certain Medigap plans if you return to Original Medicare.

Have Questions?

Speak with a licensed insurance agent

1-833-641-4938

TTY users 711

Mon-Fri: 8am-9pm ET

Find & Compare Plans Online

Speak with a licensed insurance agent

1-833-641-4938TTY 711

Mon-Fri: 8am-9pm ET

ZRN Health & Financial Services, LLC, a Texas limited liability company

Russell Noga( Medicare Expert )

Russell Noga is the CEO of ZRN Health & Financial Services, and head content editor of several Medicare insurance online publications. He has over 15 years of experience as a licensed Medicare insurance broker helping Medicare beneficiaries learn about Medicare, Medicare Advantage Plans, Medigap insurance, and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans.

that cover doctors & Rx drugs

1-833-641-4938 TTY 711

Humana Medicare Advantage PPO 2027

Key Highlights

Compare plans and enroll online

How a Humana PPO Works

Benefits Humana Plans May Offer

What Changed at Humana for 2027

Find & Compare Plans Online

Speak with a licensed insurance agent

1-833-641-4938TTY 711

Mon-Fri: 8am-9pm ET

PPO Cuts Across Insurers

If Your Humana PPO Ends

How Medicare Advantage Works

Pros and Cons of Medicare Advantage

Humana Drug Coverage for 2027

If Your Plan Is Ending

How to Compare Humana Plans for 2027

2027 Enrollment Dates

Special Needs Plans

Turning 65 in 2027

Star Ratings

Medicare Advantage or Medigap?

Help Paying Medicare Costs

Getting Help

Bottom Line

Compare plans and enroll online

Frequently Asked Questions

➤ Is Humana cutting PPO plans?

➤ How does a Humana PPO work?

➤ What if my Humana PPO ends?

➤ What is Humana Choice?

➤ Do Humana PPOs include dental?

➤ When can I enroll in a Humana Medicare Advantage plan for 2027?

➤ What happens if my Medicare Advantage plan is ending?

Have Questions?

Speak with a licensed insurance agent

1-833-641-4938

TTY users 711

Mon-Fri: 8am-9pm ET

Find & Compare Plans Online

Speak with a licensed insurance agent

1-833-641-4938TTY 711

Mon-Fri: 8am-9pm ET