Excellus Medicare Advantage Plans 2027

Excellus’s HMOs usually cost less and require in-network care; its PPOs cover out-of-network care at a higher cost. Availability varies by county.

Several Blue companies elsewhere are pulling back for 2027, including HCSC, Anthem, Wellmark and the Blue plans in North Dakota and Mississippi. We found no report of Excellus leaving Medicare Advantage for 2027.

See MVP Medicare Advantage plans.

HIICAP offers free Medicare counseling in New York, and EPIC (Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage) helps eligible residents 65 and older with drug costs alongside Part D.

Medicare Advantage, also called Part C, is a way to get your Medicare benefits through a private insurance company approved by Medicare. The plan covers everything Original Medicare Part A and Part B cover, except hospice care, which Original Medicare still pays. Most plans also include Part D drug coverage, and many may add extras such as routine dental, vision and hearing benefits.

In exchange, Excellus plans generally use networks of doctors and hospitals, and may require referrals or prior authorization for some services. Every Medicare Advantage plan has a yearly out-of-pocket maximum for covered medical care, which Original Medicare does not have. You keep paying your Part B premium, plus your plan’s premium if it has one.

Most Excellus Medicare Advantage plans include Part D drug coverage. Each plan has its own formulary, drug tiers and pharmacy network, and plans commonly charge less at preferred pharmacies and through mail order. For 2027, any plan’s Part D deductible can be up to $700, and the out-of-pocket cap on covered drugs is $2,400.

Tier structures vary by plan. Check each plan’s formulary.

Sometimes a drug you take is not on a plan’s 2027 formulary, or it carries a rule like prior authorization. You still have options:

See steps to appeal a Medicare Part D denial.

If your Excellus plan will not be offered in your county for 2027, you should 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.

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.

Medicare rates every Medicare Advantage and Part D plan from 1 to 5 stars each fall, based on things like preventive care, how well the plan manages chronic conditions, member complaints, customer service and drug pricing accuracy. The ratings are shown in Medicare Plan Finder.

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.

Plans must send the Annual Notice of Change by September 30. It is the single most useful document you get each fall, because it tells you exactly how your plan changes on January 1.

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.