Medicare Plans 2027

You can also qualify for special plans. If you have both Medicare and Medicaid, a Dual Special Needs Plan may coordinate both. If you have certain chronic conditions, such as diabetes or heart failure, a Chronic Condition Special Needs Plan may be available in your area.

Original Medicare is run by the federal government. Part A covers inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing after a hospital stay, hospice and some home health care. Most people pay no Part A premium. Part B covers doctor visits, outpatient care, preventive services, durable medical equipment and more.

Original Medicare lets you see any doctor or hospital in the country that accepts Medicare, with no network and no referrals. The tradeoff is cost: after the Part B deductible, you generally pay 20% of the Medicare-approved amount, and there is no yearly limit.

Medicare Advantage plans are offered by private insurers and replace Original Medicare as the way you get your benefits. CMS projects about 34 million people will be in Medicare Advantage in 2027. See Medicare Advantage plans 2027.

The national numbers look calm, but they hide a lot of movement underneath. Several of the largest insurers are trimming PPO plans and pulling standard plans out of counties where they lost money, while a few smaller companies are growing. That means your own plan can change a great deal even in a year when the national average premium goes down.

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

A Medicare Supplement (Medigap) plan works alongside Original Medicare and pays some or all of your deductibles, coinsurance and copays. There are 10 standardized plan letters, and the same letter covers the same benefits from every insurer in your state.

Medigap benefits are standardized by plan letter. Prices vary by insurer, age, ZIP code and tobacco use.

The best time to buy is your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period, which starts when you are 65 or older and enrolled in Part B. Outside that window, most states let insurers ask health questions. See Medicare Supplement plans 2027.

You get Medicare drug coverage either through a standalone Part D plan or inside a Medicare Advantage plan. For 2027, CMS is ending the Part D Premium Stabilization Demonstration, returning standalone drug plans to normal market pricing. Compare plans with your exact drugs using the 2027 Part D plan finder.

If your Medicare Advantage plan will not be offered in your county for 2027, you should already have received a non-renewal notice in early October. Your coverage does not stop right away: it continues through December 31, 2026, so you have time to choose.

Compare plans side by side with the Medicare Advantage plan finder.

Special Needs Plans (SNPs) are Medicare Advantage plans built for specific groups. Benefits, networks and drug lists are designed around the members they serve, and many include care coordinators. For 2027, Special Needs Plans are one of the few areas where large insurers are adding plans, even as they cut PPOs.

If you turn 65 in 2027, your Initial Enrollment Period lasts seven months: the three months before your birthday month, your birthday month and the three months after. Signing up during the first three months means your coverage starts on the first day of your birthday month.

If your income and savings are limited, two programs can cut your Medicare costs sharply:

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 have to compare plans alone, and you should not have to pay for help. These are the free options:

Before any call, have your Medicare card, your list of drugs and doses, your doctors and your preferred pharmacies ready. It turns a long conversation into a short one.