Reviewed by Russell Noga, Licensed Medicare Insurance Broker (all 50 states) — Last updated October 8, 2026
Independent Health, based in Buffalo, offers Medicare Advantage plans in Western New York for 2027 with no verified exit.
New York changes for 2027 include HealthSpring leaving and Devoted entering. HIICAP offers free counseling.
Western New York.
No verified exit.
HealthSpring leaves NY.
The national average 2027 Medicare Advantage premium is $12 a month, down from $14.37 (CMS).
Annual Enrollment runs October 15 to December 7, 2026.
| Insurer | Change |
|---|---|
| HealthSpring | Leaving NY |
| Devoted | Entering NY |
| Independent Health | No verified change |
Independent Health Plans May Include
Hospital and medical coverage, the same as Original Medicare Part A and B
Part D prescription drug coverage on most plans
Routine dental, vision and hearing benefits
Fitness programs and over-the-counter allowances
Telehealth visits and care coordination programs
A yearly out-of-pocket maximum on every plan
Not all plans offer all benefits. Benefits vary by plan and county and can change for 2027. Check each plan’s Evidence of Coverage before you enroll.
Key Takeaway
Read your Independent Health Annual Notice of Change.
Watch for: if your plan is ending, you will get a non-renewal letter. Your coverage continues through December 31, 2026. If you do nothing, you return to Original Medicare without drug coverage.
HMO Plans
Usually lower premiums and copays
Use in-network doctors except emergencies
May need referrals for specialists
PPO Plans
See out-of-network doctors at a higher cost
Usually no referrals needed
More flexibility if you travel
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, Independent Health 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.
| 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 |
Advantages
Often a low or $0 premium
A yearly out-of-pocket maximum
Drug coverage usually included
Many plans may include dental, vision and hearing benefits
One card and one plan
Tradeoffs
Networks; HMOs require in-network care except emergencies
Prior authorization and referrals are common
Copays add up if you use a lot of care
Plans and networks can change every year
Switching to Medigap later may require health questions
Most Independent Health 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 | 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 |
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:
If Your Drug Is Not Covered
Ask for a transition fill. In the first 90 days of a new plan year or a new plan, plans generally must give you a temporary supply of a drug you were already taking, so you have time to switch or request an exception.
Ask your doctor about alternatives. A covered drug in the same class may work as well and cost less.
Request a formulary or tiering exception. Your doctor submits a statement explaining why you need the drug or a lower copay. Plans must decide within set time limits.
Appeal a denial. If the plan says no, you can appeal, and there are several levels of review.
If your Independent Health 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.
If Your Plan Is Ending
Read the non-renewal letter. It confirms your plan is ending and explains your options.
List your doctors and drugs. You will need them to compare replacement plans.
Compare plans for 2027. Check networks, drug coverage and the out-of-pocket maximum, not just the premium.
Choose by December 31 for no gap. Enrolling during Annual Enrollment by December 7 gives you coverage on January 1, 2027.
Use your Special Enrollment Period if needed. People whose plans end generally can still make a choice through the end of February 2027.
If you do nothing: you return to Original Medicare on January 1, 2027, without drug coverage unless you choose a Part D plan. Going without drug coverage can lead to a late enrollment penalty.
Medigap rights: when your Medicare Advantage plan leaves your area, you generally have a guaranteed issue right to buy certain Medicare Supplement plans without health questions, up to 63 days after your coverage ends.
How to Compare
Read your Annual Notice of Change. It lists every change to your current plan for 2027.
Check your doctors and hospitals. Confirm each provider is in the 2027 network, not just the 2026 one.
Check your prescriptions. Confirm each drug, its tier and any prior authorization or step therapy rules.
Compare total yearly cost. Add the premium, typical copays and drug costs, and look at the out-of-pocket maximum.
Check star ratings. Medicare rates plans from 1 to 5 stars on quality and service.
Enroll by December 7. Your new coverage starts January 1, 2027.
| Enrollment Period | Dates | What You Can Do |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Enrollment Period | October 15 to December 7, 2026 | Join, switch or drop a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan for January 1, 2027 |
| Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment | January 1 to March 31, 2027 | If you are in Medicare Advantage, switch to another plan or return to Original Medicare once |
| Initial Enrollment Period | 7 months around your 65th birthday month | Sign up for Medicare and choose your first plan |
| Special Enrollment Periods | Varies | Change plans after events like moving, losing other coverage or your plan leaving your area |
Most people make changes during Annual Enrollment. If you are happy with your current plan, you do not have to do anything; it renews automatically. Still, read your Annual Notice of Change, because premiums, copays, networks and drug lists can all change on January 1.
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.
| Type | Who Qualifies | What Is Different |
|---|---|---|
| Dual Special Needs Plan (D-SNP) | People with both Medicare and Medicaid | Coordinates both programs; often very low costs and added benefits |
| Chronic Condition SNP (C-SNP) | People with qualifying conditions such as diabetes, heart failure or chronic lung disease | Doctors, drugs and programs built around the condition |
| Institutional SNP (I-SNP) | People living in a nursing home or who need that level of care at home | Care delivered where the member lives |
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.
Turning 65 Checklist
Sign up for Part A and Part B, unless you have qualifying employer coverage and choose to delay Part B
Decide between Medicare Advantage and Original Medicare with Medigap
Join a drug plan, or a Medicare Advantage plan with drugs, to avoid a Part D late penalty
If you choose Medigap, buy during your six-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period
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.
Using Star Ratings
A rating of 4 stars or higher is generally a good sign of quality and service
Five-star plans have a special enrollment period, so you can switch into one once during the year
New plans may not have a rating yet, which is not a bad sign by itself
Ratings measure the plan overall, not how well it covers your specific doctors and drugs
| 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; little or nothing on Plan G after the Part B deductible |
| 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 after your Medigap Open Enrollment Period |
Guaranteed issue: if your Medicare Advantage plan leaves your area, you generally can buy certain Medicare Supplement plans without health questions, until 63 days after your coverage ends.
If your income and savings are limited, two programs can cut your Medicare costs sharply:
Medicare Savings Programs
Run by your state Medicaid office
Can pay your Part B premium, and sometimes deductibles and coinsurance
Income and asset limits vary by state
Extra Help (Part D)
Run by Social Security
Lowers Part D premiums, deductibles and copays
People in a Medicare Savings Program qualify automatically
Those who are eligible for Medicare along with full Medicaid might also have the option of enrolling in a Dual Special Needs Plan. Learn more about 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:
Free Help Comparing Plans
Medicare Plan Finder on Medicare.gov, available any time
1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), available 24 hours a day, seven days a week
Your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), which offers free, unbiased counseling
A licensed insurance agent or broker, who can compare plans from several insurers at no cost to you
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.
The Bottom Line
Independent Health remains a Western New York option for 2027.
No. There is no verified report of Independent Health leaving Medicare Advantage for 2027, and it appears among carriers continuing without a confirmed change. Plan details can still shift from year to year, so read your Annual Notice of Change to see what is different for your plan.
Enrollment for 2027 opens during Annual Enrollment, October 15 to December 7, 2026, and coverage takes effect January 1, 2027. If you are already in a Medicare Advantage plan, you also get one plan change between January 1 and March 31, 2027.
Coverage stays in force through December 31, 2026, and the plan must send you a non-renewal notice. You then qualify for a Special Enrollment Period to choose new coverage, plus a guaranteed issue right to certain Medigap policies, generally within 63 days after the old plan ends.
Independent Health focuses on Western New York. Service areas and plan choices are set county by county, so enter your ZIP code on Medicare’s plan finder or the insurer’s site to confirm which of its 2027 plans you can actually join.
It varies by county and year. Lineups may include HMO or PPO options and plans with or without drug coverage, but the specific 2027 choices must be confirmed for your address before you rely on any particular plan type.
Yes, some are. HCSC is exiting New York, Excellus is discontinuing Medicare Advantage PPO plans in its Central New York market, and Elderplan is moving to special needs plans only. Devoted Health, meanwhile, is entering New York.
Some may. Depending on the plan, extras may include dental, vision, hearing or fitness benefits, but not all plans offer all benefits and limits differ. Review the 2027 Evidence of Coverage to see exactly what your plan includes.
HIICAP, New York’s state health insurance counseling program, offers free and unbiased Medicare help. Its counselors can lay Independent Health side by side with other Western New York options, explain plan rules and costs, and do it all without any sales pressure or commission.
That has to be confirmed directly. Provider networks differ between Independent Health plans and can change each year, so check the 2027 provider directory and also call your doctor’s office to verify participation before you enroll, rather than assuming last year’s network still applies.
ZRN Health & Financial Services, LLC, a Texas limited liability company
Russell Noga is the CEO of ZRN Health & Financial Services, and head content editor of several Medicare insurance online publications. He has over 18 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.